Wizards & Wildmen

On this CD:

1. Exultation for piano
Composed by Henry Cowell
Performed by Anthony de Mare

2. Aeolian harp for piano
Composed by Henry Cowell
Performed by Anthony de Mare

3. Sonata No. 2: Concord, Mass., 1840-60, for piano (& optional viola, flute), S. 88 (K. 3A2) The Alcotts
Composed by Charles Ives
Performed by Anthony de Mare

4. Sonata for piano No. 3
Composed by Lou Harrison
Performed by Anthony de Mare

5. Prelude for Grand Piano
Composed by Lou Harrison
Performed by Anthony de Mare

6. Lilt of the Reel for piano
Composed by Henry Cowell
Performed by Anthony de Mare

7. Tiger
Composed by Henry Cowell
Performed by Anthony de Mare

8. Improvisations (3), for piano, S. 117
Composed by Charles Ives
Performed by Anthony de Mare

9. Study No. 22: Andante maestoso--Allegro vivace, etude for piano, S. 106 (K. 3B17)
Composed by Charles Ives
Performed by Anthony de Mare

10. Homage to Milhaud, for piano
Composed by Lou Harrison
Performed by Anthony de Mare

11. New York Waltzes, for piano, No. 1, Waltz in C
Composed by Lou Harrison
Performed by Anthony de Mare

12. New York Waltzes, for piano, No. 2, Hesitation Waltz
Composed by Lou Harrison
Performed by Anthony de Mare

13. New York Waltzes, for piano, No. 3, Waltz in A
Composed by Lou Harrison
Performed by Anthony de Mare

14. Largo Ostinato, for piano
Composed by Lou Harrison
Performed by Anthony de Mare

15. Dynamic Motion
Composed by Henry Cowell
Performed by Anthony de Mare

16. Encores (5) to Dynamic Motion, for piano, No. 1, What's This
Composed by Henry Cowell
Performed by Anthony de Mare

17. Encores (5) to Dynamic Motion, for piano, No. 2, Amiable Conversation
Composed by Henry Cowell
Performed by Anthony de Mare

18. Encores (5) to Dynamic Motion, for piano, No. 3, Advertisement
Composed by Henry Cowell
Performed by Anthony de Mare

19. Encores (5) to Dynamic Motion, for piano, No. 4, Antinomy
Composed by Henry Cowell
Performed by Anthony de Mare

20. Encores (5) to Dynamic Motion, for piano, No. 5, Time Table
Composed by Henry Cowell
Performed by Anthony de Mare

21. The Celestial Railroad, "take off" for piano, S. 116 (K. 3B19)
Composed by Charles Ives
Performed by Anthony de Mare

22. May Rain
Composed by Lou Harrison
Performed by Anthony de Mare

23. Saraband for piano
Composed by Lou Harrison
Performed by Anthony de Mare

24. Banshee for piano
Composed by Henry Cowell
Performed by Anthony de Mare

Tracks:

The Wizard
Traveller In Time
Easy Livin'
Poet's Justice
Circle Of Hands
Rainbow Demon
All My Life
Paradise/The Spell

Amazon.com

Demons and wizards and bears, oh my! After finding their musical stride with 1971's Look at Yourself, Uriah Heep followed up a year later with this, their first foray into the lyrical realm of dungeons, dragons, and whatnot. David Byron's intermittent falsetto is in full effect by the time the chorus comes thundering in on heavy hits such as "Easy Living" and "Traveler in Time." But the 'ard 'n' 'eavy Brit rockers also had their sensitive side, as evidenced by the more reflective Ken Hensley-penned tracks like "Circle of Hands" and "All My Life." --Billy Grenier

Customer Reviews:

One of signs of the Death of Rock & Roll.......2007-07-01

The absolute worse record of the seventies, but, in spite of that every metal head throws this up as a classic...Save your money....Give up on this one.....Belongs in the heap of "What the hell was I smoking ?" when i liked this. Really,really lousy stuff.......See for yourself....just dont, buy this junk..............

very good.......2007-05-25

While Uriah Heep seemed to always have a few songs that rubbed me the wrong way on most of their 70's albums, they did occasionally create a pretty consistently enjoyable album too. Salisbury is one, and I believe this is the other one (and maybe Return to Fantasy, though I'm not sure yet).

I don't think this band is quite the same as Deep Purple because Uriah Heep likes to instead rely on vocal melodies to carry the music, whereas Deep Purple was more of a guitar/bass/drums kind of band (even better as a live act).

Anyway, Demons and Wizards is a nice choice if you prefer solid vocal work from your early 70's hard rock.

Very good Uriah Heep album.......2007-05-14

This is the first band that I ever loved, I was eight years old when my brother won "Uriah Heep Live" in a contest on radio. I was listening to this album every day. The first album I bought was "The magician's Birthday" and a friend of mine, also eight years old, bought "Demons and Wizards". We both still enjoy listening those two albums, they are among the best from the band. In my opinion, these two albums have the most beautiful cover art ever made ! "The Wizard", "Circle of Hands" and "Paradise" are pretty good songs. Did somebody, like me, ever saw that "Circle of Hands" is based on the same chords than "In the court of the Crimson King" from King Crimson? Even if I know these two songs since a very long time, I didn't notice this very recently...

It made me a fan forever.......2007-05-14

This was the first UH album I've heard and it made me a true fan forever. They played progressive rock before "progressive rock" term was defined when a string of british and german bands hoped on the vagon. But it was more then just a label that you could afix to their music. If you like a good rock music and looking for something new from the 70's that you are not familiar yet, this album is a great start to explore Uriah Heep. I'm sure you will want to go and listen all previous work and a few follow ups. Even though I do follow their path even now, their best work was done in the 70's. Just enjoy it while you can get it on CD, or, even better, listen their LP's like me.

Splendid Album........2007-04-21

I'm listening to the album for the first time in many, many years, and those who talk about it holding up surprisingly well are dead-on. I'm a little nervous about what Paradise/The Spell is going to sound like, because my experience with that is from the vinyl version, and CD's often mutilate the soft texture that vinyl gives to some stuff. The album does not in itself have the same overall power as Led Zeppelin IV, but then again, Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, and Rock and Roll have been played so much that they are mostly dead as impetus for creation. Paradise/The Spell has a beautiful structure to it that probably is superior in many ways to Stairway to Heaven, as noted by other reviewers.

Average customer rating:

Jon Schaffer's crusade against guitar solos continues...
Stunning
Iced Earth and Blind Guardian Fans Will Love D&W
'Blind Earth'? More like 'Iced Guardian'
Wow

Demons & Wizards
Demons & Wizards
Manufacturer: Steamhammer Us [Spv]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Progressive | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Touched by the Crimson King
Nightfall in Middle-Earth
A Night at the Opera
Imaginations From the Other Side
Something Wicked This Way Comes

ASIN: B000040OC4
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

Rites Of Passage
Heaven Denies
Poor Man's Crusade
Fiddler On The Green
Blood On My Hands
Path Of Glory
Winter Of Souls
The Whistler
Tear Down The Wall
Gallows Pole
My Last Sunrise
Chant

Customer Reviews:

Jon Schaffer's crusade against guitar solos continues..........2007-07-11

Seriously though, my distaste for Schaffer and his never ending promotion of his own average rhythm guitar contributions aside, this album is brilliant. It is the perfect marriage of Iced Earth and Blind Guardian. I may not like Schaffer, but I won't deny that he knows how to write a good song. Again, my only complaint is the album's disappointing shortage of guitar solos, but then it's the songs that really matter, right? Demons & Wizards is a bona fide masterpiece in my book, and it is certainly heads and tails above the piece of crap that this band would release as a follow up.

Stunning.......2007-06-12

Every once in a while, the stars align and the two musicians with their own distinct styles are brought together to create some truly incredible music. I'm not necessarily likening Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer and Blind Guardian vocalist Hansi Kurisch to Lennon and McCartney, but in the world of progressive power metal, their Demons & Wizards collaboration is a pretty big deal.

Demons & Wizards has always represented the best elements of both Iced Earth and Blind Guardian, bringing together the blazing guitar riffs of the former and the fantasy elements and signature vocal style of the latter. The result is a sound that is equal parts early (translation: good) Metallica and Uriah Heep. The band's name is even taken from Uriah Heep's legendary Demons and Wizards album. This is a powerful metal album. Toss out the chanting intro and outtro tracks and you're left with 10 great metal songs that are on par with just about anything either Blind Guardian or Iced Earth has recorded.

Demons & Wizards is an instantly memorable album, and one you'll want to revisit time after time. It deserves a spot near the top of anyone's list of the best modern power metal albums, and is an absolute must-have for all fans of Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, Tad Morose, Brainstorm, Dragonforce, or any other modern power metal band.

Note: The limited edition version of Demons & Wizards comes in a nice digipack and features one bonus track, a blistering cover of Cream's "White Room". If you don't already own this album, you should definitely try to find this version. If you own the standard version, you might want to consider upgrading (I did), especially if you're a fan of interesting cover songs.

Iced Earth and Blind Guardian Fans Will Love D&W.......2007-06-04

It's come to my attention that many side projects and solo releases go unnoticed by fans. Yes, there's Ozzy Osbourne's and Dio's solo efforts which have impacted metal immensely, but for the most part, many side projects get little to no acknowledgement. I mean it's understandable not noticing those works, because the members in them were made famous partaking in their main band {Bruce Dickinson /Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden, Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, Robert Plant/Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Tony Iommi of Sabbath, Hagar/Roth of Van Halen, Rob Halford of Priest, fill in the _____(blank)} and the list goes on and on. I'm here to talk about Jon Shaffer and Hansi Kursch of Iced Earth and Blind Guardian respectively, who also did a little side project called Demons and Wizards. If you don't know, Jon is the rhythm guitar god and main songwriter of Iced Earth who is known for his intellectual mind and his quick hands that make some LEAD guitarists look like amateurs. Hansi sports the powerful pipes that can be found within the underground power metal band Blind Guardian, and his unique and prominent voice sends chills down your spine and dares you to match his range. Now before obtaining this masterpiece...yes, masterpiece, I hadn't heard much of anything from Blind Guardian, but I was (and of course, still am) a HUGE fan of Iced Earth. In fact, looking up Iced Earth is how I came upon Demons and Wizards, and after some research and strong desire for Blind Guardian's releases, I thought D&W's self-tilted album would be a good starting point. Along with D&W, I ordered "Tales from the Twilight World", which seemed like a nice place to start my BG venture. When they finally came, nothing would have prepared me for what my ears would hear afterwards...

I was in heaven, I was literally in metal heaven! "Tales" is really, really great, but Demons and Wizards is pure magic. Those of you who are fans of Iced Earth WILL NOT be displeased, because Shaffer's deliverance of high-octane metal goodness reigns prominent within D&W, as he produces fast-paced riffs with plenty of melody and energy to go around. The guy's frickin' immortal, seriously, he scares me. His lightning fast guitar pieces on tracks like "Heaven Denies", "Poor Man's Crusade", and "Blood on my Hands" leave my fist punching the air and my head sore every time. But then, he's got lots of depth and passion too, penning emotional acoustic passages on songs like the awe-inspiring "Fiddler on the Green" and "Path of Glory". Oh, and let us not forget Kursch; the man has the ability to make you afraid of what he's talking about. How creepy is that? Also, his voice is very soothing and it penetrates the soul, but don't get too comfortable with that style, because he can soar with eagles and sing angrily as well. And with Morris on lead guitar and Prator on drums, you've got two talented musicians with flawless credentials.

The songs themselves are more-than-average, in both musicianship and in lyrical themes. A short 0:53 second intro called "Rites of Passage" starts off the album with Hansi getting his feet wet, when all of a sudden, "Heaven Denies" rips through your speakers. Shaffer just tears it up with his blistering hand-work and Kursch menacingly delivers some really cool vocals and lyrics. The chorus is especially special, for Hansi soars dangerously high and Prator rides the double-bass like a pony. Hansi screams towards the heavens to begin "Poor Man's Crusade", while Shaffer dishes out a galloping riff reminiscent of IE days. The chorus slows it down to a mid-tempo sludge-fest, but not for long. Track four is the beautiful and haunting "Fiddler on the Green" led by Jon's acoustic hands. Hansi creates beautiful and dark imagery alike, but I think the best part is when he loudly professes " I took him today. Would you mind, would you mind, would you mind, if I take you?" You have to hear this song; it's both dark and beautiful at the same time, and it's probably my favorite off the album. The solo is to die for as well. "Blood on My Hands" is thrash-metal taken to epic heights. The galloping riff, the head banging bridge, the well-ranged verse vocals, and the sing-along and pure high-speed chorus are all flawless. "Lost in time, I wonder why their lost in time, lost in time" remains one of my favorite lyrics off the album. I can not put into words how amazing this song is. The latter part of the album is exceptional also. "Path of Glory" contains some thought-provoking lyrics and acoustic passages, while "Winter of Souls" and "the Whistler" are epic metal at its finest. Both include sing-along and thrash-like chorus', and chilling vocals from one of Germany's most admired metalheads.

>Of all the underrated side projects out there, this one's one of the most special ones. Shaffer and Hansi working together is pure genius. Both are masters at their professions, and amazing songwriters. I think very strongly, in fact, that starting at this album before getting any other release from IE and BG would be a wise move, because it mixes both talents perfectly. Shaffer's trademark guitar style complementing Hansi's god-like vocal performance are enough to give any metal fan a rush.

'Blind Earth'? More like 'Iced Guardian'.......2006-10-01

So, you combine two of the most established and respected power metal bands in the world for an individual project -- pretty exciting, huh? Europe and America join forces. How sweet it should be.... 'should' be. While 'Demons and Wizards'' proves no stranger for raising glucose levels, it's probably going to give off a pretty undesirably effect when it's all said and done, not unlike that of a diabetic ingesting a bag of refined sugar. It'll taste like heaven for a glorious moment or two, but after that, you're basically f!#!#%.

Here's the thing -- I do like the overall sound 'Demons and Wizards' has developed for itself. I'm not a huge fan of 'Iced Earth' -- to be honest I've never dedicated enough time to listening to most their work -- but I am a huge fan of 'Blind Guardian', and one thing listeners should be leary of is walking into 'Demons' with expectations of an overt 'BG' feel. By and large, this is much more 'Iced' than 'Guardian', with thrashing, rhythmic guitars completely devoid of the buoyant disposition of the European madmen so many of us cherish. Thus, it's darker, and heavier; less concerned with a soaring sense of gracious melody, instead opting for a more jagged, coarse, and (welcomely) deadpan tone from beginning to end.

Here's the thing though -- though initially the concept of the band sounds terribly exciting, one must remember it's not really two bands pairing, but rather 'BG''s lead singer Hansi Kürsch, and, naturally, some of 'Iced Earth''s band members. Now, I'm pretty confident that Kürsch 'is' the chief director and, I suppose, prime creative force behind 'Guardian', but one questions that just a little when hearing 'Demons and Wizards'. Though Kürsch, in typical fashion for the singer, provides an earnest, gliding vocal performance which surely bears the counter-force to 'Iced''s raucousness, it's merely this vocally melodic sensibility that 'Demons and Wizards' brings with itself; the rest of the album is seemingly unaffected by a 'BG' presence. And, appropriately, Hansi's singing is toned down a bit, in doing so denying the unrelentingly hammy feel 'BG' can bring with it (in the most precious light possible). Nor, really, does he bring any real distinctly European aura with him. Personally, I find this not to be a bad thing, but one of interest and importance. That said, Hansi 'is' still in the recording studio here, and ultimately he does retain at least some of his tried-and-true sentiment. Thus, the combination of such a vocal soundscape, when thrown in the blender with the more traditional, American-metal sensibility of 'Iced Earth', is surprisingly pleasing to the senses, and I think it's this successful combination of two distinct demeanors -- despite the fact that 'Iced Earth''s influence is the far more protruding of the two -- that makes 'Demons and Wizards' worth checking out.

The album itself, though, is just too hit-and-miss, almost unforgivably so. There are moments that rival even the best of anything I've heard from either of the band's; the disc's opener, "Heaven Denies" (excluding the minute-long intro which precedes it), is an absolutely perfect example of these two styles gelling so well together; it is, musically, fast, hard, and grating, but with the support of Hansi's lively, determined chorus, it underpinned by some 'awesomely' piercing guitar work, impresses on just about every level. Actually, the whole song is nearly perfect in construction and, what this and a few others lead me to believe, sadly, is the tendency of 'Demons and Wizards' to dedicate loads of time and energy to specific songs, and then uttering mediocrity for the remaining neglecterino's which appear here -- sadly, some 70% of the material on the album. But, those that rock, whew -- "Fiddler on the Green", which is, musically, stark in contrast to the callous presence of virtually everything else found here, is a six minute, restrained opus which, lovingly, bears way to a hair-raising apex, concluding with a --rocking-- last half that would set ablaze the heart of, I'd guess, anyone with even the slightest curiosity or inclination to scope out the band.

Yet, the highlights, as good as they are, are simply towered over by the second-rate material, whose army is compromised of a much more intimidating size. When so much music on a disc is simply not worth hearing repeatedly, you sit on an unavoidable problem, and just sort of stare it in the face. It's not all that fun of an experience, I must say. The good stuff here thankfully makes 'Demons and Wizards' essential to any fan of 'Iced Earth' or 'Blind Guardian', because I have an impossible time imagining that group 'won't' be taken hold by the stunners here, but expectations should certainly be toned down a hefty amount, or disappointment is all too likely to ensue.

Wow.......2006-08-19

Take Iced Earth's godlike leader Jon Schaffer and Blind Guardian's godlike leader Hansi Kürsch, and you get something, umm, godly. As a fan of both amazing bands, I am really excited they did this collaboration. Jons guitaring is top notch, as well Hansi's Dickinson-like operatic voice. Its kind of like eating vanilla and chocolate swirl ice cream; best of both worlds.

All the tracks are good, but Heaven Denies, Blood on My Hands, Fiddler on the Green, and Poor Mans Crusade are stellar songs.

If you liked this, and are new to both bands represented here, get Blind Guardians Nightfall in Middle Earth and Iced Earth's The Dark Saga.

Average customer rating:

A long time coming
Buen material
Really good
Timeless Mysteries
YES.

Touched by the Crimson King
Demons & Wizards
Manufacturer: Steamhammer Us [Spv]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Demons & Wizards
Nightfall in Middle-Earth
The Black Halo
A Night at the Opera
A Twist in the Myth

ASIN: B0009UC7UM
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Tracks:

Crimson King
Beneath These Waves
Terror Train
Seize The Day
The Gunslinger
Love's Tragedy Asunder
Wicked Witch
Dorian
Down Where I Am
Immigrant Song
Lunar Lament
Wicked Witch (Slow Version)
Spatial Architects
Beneath These Waves (Edit)

Album Description

Can you think of a line that describes the emotional microcosm of a fan better than the initial words of Terror Train, one of the most impressive tracks on the new Demons & Wizards album, Touched By The Crimson King? "I´m awake, you better feed me now", sings vocalist Hansi Kürsch, hitting the nail on the head. Mind you, the international metal community has been wide awake ever since the self-titled Demons & Wizards debut arrived at the stores in 2000, waiting impatiently to be fed with more songs. The fact that they had to wait another five years is in the nature of things; after all, Hansi Kürsch's chief occupation is his band, Blind Guardian, while guitarist Jon Schaffer has launched several major projects with his main group, Iced Earth.

One the one hand, Touched By The Crimson King continues the artistic tradition of its two protagonists, Kürsch and Schaffer, and on the other it seems directly connected to the Demons & Wizards debut. "The common denominator that links the two albums lies in the fact that the tracks are constructed in a simpler style than the regular Blind Guardian and Iced Earth material", Kürsch describes of his new album. "At the same time, the music has more of an acoustic focus. You can tell that we approached the song-writing without any preconceptions. The term `mellow' springs to mind whenever somebody asks me to describe the mood on the album. Even when the Demons & Wizards debut came out, fans told us that the music is a symbiosis of its two creative forces. Some even said that parts of it sounded like early Blind Guardian and early Iced Earth. I think this description also applies to Touched By The Crimson King. The overall impression of the album is marked by a certain rawness, together with many atmospheric moods."

Customer Reviews:

A long time coming.......2007-06-12

After what seemed like an incredibly long wait, Blind Guardian vocalist Hansi Kurisch and Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer finally unleashed another Demons & Wizards album in 2005.Was it worth the wait, and did it live up to the standard set by the duo's incredible self-titled album? Read on...

Demons & Wizards has always represented the best elements of both Iced Earth and Blind Guardian, bringing together the blazing guitar riffs of the former and the fantasy elements and signature vocal style of the latter. At the same time, the songwriting excesses that both Schaffer and Kurisch indulge in with their respective bands are held in check here. To be sure, the songs on this album have that epic power metal quality, but they all clock in around 4-5 minutes. Schaffer's riffs are incredible as always, and Kurisch's vocals are amazing as well. When you add the heavy emphasis on fantasy fiction (Stephen King's Dark Tower saga is a central theme), the result is an album that sounds like a cross between early (translation: good) Metallica and Uriah Heep. The "proper" album closes with a powerful rendition of Led Zeppelin's classic metal anthem "Immigrants Song", which is worth the price of admission all by itself. These guys were born to cover this song!

On some levels, Touched by the Crimson King doesn't quite live up to expectations, but I think that's perfectly reasonable given the 5 year wait since the first Demons & Wizards album was released. First impressions count for a lot, and at first glance Touched by the Crimson King doesn't have the same immediate impact that the first Demons & Wizards album did. It's the kind of album that takes a few spins to really sink in, at which point you'll realize that Touched by the Crimson King is another high quality power metal album from a pair of extremely talented musicians who work very well together.

NOTE: The Special Edition version of Touched by the Crimson King features four bonus tracks. The alternate versions of Wicked Witch and Beneath the Waves don't really add much, but the songs Lunar Lament and Spatial Architects are as good as any other song on the album, and are well worth checking out.

Buen material.......2007-02-06

Siguendo sus trabajos aparte de Iced Earth y Blind Guardian, continuan haciendo buen material y mateniendo los riff pesados en una onda power metal.

Recomendado!!!

Really good.......2006-08-11

The long-awaited release of Demons and Wizards second album was worth the wait. This concept/theme album titled 'Touched by the Crimson King' is a fun power metal feast for the ears. Jon Schaffer of Iced Earth and Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian have joined forces once again to create music fitting for fans of both bands.

The opener, 'Crimson King' is a fantastic track that features heavenly vocals from Kürsch. Schaffer's riffs sound right out of an Iced Earth album. 'Seize the Day' is a track that could have been featured on Iced Earths, 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' album. This soft ballad is beautiful and emotional. Lunar Lament is a fast-paced rocker with fun riffs and a fun chorus. This song, plus the slow version of Wicked Witch, Spatial Architects, and Beneath These Waves were featured on the Limited Edition Digi-Pak release which I have.

Schaffer has had a long and storied career with Iced Earth, and his vision for Demons and Wizards have now successfully released two albums. In my opinion, the cover song, 'Immigrant Song' should have been left off, but the bonus tracks are great. I am awaiting Blind Guardian's new album due out in the Fall of 2006. Fans of Iced Earth, Blind Guardian and power metal in general should enjoy the music presented by the ever dedicated Jon Schaffer and Hansi Kürsch.

Timeless Mysteries.......2006-07-13

Enigmatic and alluring, this is a masterpiece of metal. With epic songs of imagination and emotion, this album has quickly shot up my personal charts, especially in combination with their self-titled first release. Hansi's haunting lyrical style is a perfect fit for the spectacular guitar work of Jon Schaffer. The music as a whole embodies the latest evolution of metal, by far the most superior style of music the human race has created.

YES........2006-07-02

the second Demons & Wizards album was a long time coming, and it rocks. The blistering chugging crunch of Schaffer's guitar and the best voice in metal, Hansi Kursch, were meant to be together. When "Crimson King" starts up, with its definitive gallop, choral exclamations, and Bobby Jarzombek's assaultive double-bass blasting, hang on to your azz otherwise it will be kicked into space. Hansi's vocals build and build until the huge multi-tracked chorus, which spirals down into a slow, grinding chug -- then an echoic acoustic passage that brings to song full circle, returning to the opening theme but with the intensity cranked as Hansi's voice starts to shatter glass with his blood-chilling screams. A brilliant opening track, worthy of the masterful "Heaven Denies" from the first album. And from there the quality is outstanding, combining muscular riffage and outstanding vocals, with high-flying drama and an ear for arrangement that works like magic. "Beneath these Waves" is a vengeful, determined mid-tempo cruncher, followed by the the non-stop muted gallop of "Terror Train". "Wicked Witch" is a gorgeous ballad with acoustic guitar, cello, and piano and elaborate vocal arrangements. "Down Where I Am" is this album's "Fiddler on the Green", where Schaffer's intuitive choice of chords and Hansi's voice demonstrates amazing power and subtlety. "The Gunslinger" and "Dorian" are mysterious, seething torrents of soaring drama and. "Love's Tragedy Asunder" is a classic metal soft-hard power ballad, and "Seize the Day" breaks the album's otherwise imprisoned, oppressed feeling with simple but incredibly atmospheric melodies and a grandiose chorus that will make you pick up your sword and staff and go on a journey into nowhere. This second Demons & Wizards has been almost universally hailed as inferior to the first -- but give it a chance... I think it is just as good for sure, and both of them together make for some of the best metal out there.

Average customer rating:

The Only Demonstration Disc You'll Ever Need
An Adventure For Your Ears
Blows Away All Other Such Compilations!
The perfect movie theme collection
This is the best cd I have ever bought

The Great Fantasy Adventure Album

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
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The Big Picture
Star Tracks 2
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ASIN: B000003CZH
Release Date: 1994-04-26

Tracks:

El Cid: Fanfare And Entry Of The Nobles
Hook: Main Themes
T. Rex!
Jurassic Park: Main Themes
Splitting Hairs
Robin Hood: Main Titles
Henry V: Opening And Closing Titles
Willow: Main Themes
The Seventh Voyage Of Sinbad: Overture
The Abyss: End Titles
Clash Of The Titans: Main Titles, Love Theme, And End Titles
The Rocketeer: To The Rescue And End Titles
Bettlejuice: Main Titles
Total Recall: Main Titles
The Princess Bride: Main Titles
Wizards And Warriors: Main Titles
Conan The Barbarian: Anvil Of Crom
The Hunt For Red October: Hymn To Red October
Cybergenesis
Terminator: Theme
Jurassic Lunch

Customer Reviews:

The Only Demonstration Disc You'll Ever Need.......2006-06-10

Well, I suppose that depends on the type of music you're testing your equipment for. However, go to almost any online discussion of audio equipment, particularly subwoofers, and you'll come across this disc. Sure, most of the other reviewers mention the sound effects in less than glowing terms. It remains though that this disc contains some of the crazy lowest signals one can buy on disc. The T rex footsteps shake the windows in my house despite being below my hearing range with my Velodyne 12" sub. Incredible stuff. And the glass shattering sound effects in the Terminator theme can melt your tweeters too if turned up too loud. Don't take yourself too seriously for a few minutes and enjoy the noise!
Beyond that, musically this is one of the Cincinatti Pops' finest soundtrack collections. Perhaps the best. Almost all of their recordings are sonically of the highest quality (Copland: Music of America won a Grammy for best engineering), but all too often in recent years the releases have not met the standard of this album. Arrangers that don't begin to care what the composer's intent was or tacking on pre-fab endings are the worst offenders, but most of the selections here meet or exceed the quality of the original soundtracks. All around, a great soundtrack collection.

An Adventure For Your Ears.......2004-06-01

The Cincinnati Pops do an excellent job of faithfully reproducing movie soundtracks and this album is a perfect example. In fact after listening to this CD a few times, I tracked down some of the original soundtracks because I enjoyed the selections on here, such as the "El Cid" music and "Jurrasic Park." I also really enjoyed the music from "Henry V" "Robin Hood,"and "Hunt for Red October." The different tracks go together surprisingly well, like many of the pops other thematic CD's. While it might be helpful to have seen some of the movies the soundtracks come from, it is not crucial. The added soundeffects are a little gimmicky, but fairly short and on seperate tracks, so they can be skipped. If you enjoy movie soundtracks, this is a great investment.

Blows Away All Other Such Compilations!.......2003-04-02

"Caution: Digital Sound Effects of high levels with intrasonic frequencies to 5 Hz. Please establish safe playback levels before playing tracks [3], [5], [19], [20], and [21]. Excessive playback levels could result in damage to equipment."

The above quote is found prominantly on the back cover and is a warning not to be taken lightly. The respective tracks are awesome and should be played, as well as listened to, with great care.

A 20-bit digital recording that is perfect for surround-sound systems, "The Great Fantasy Adventure Album" is a wonder for fans of the sci-fi/fantasy film genre. Highlighting some truly landmark films, the 1994 release showcases compositions from the legends of past and contemporary film scoring. Themes from the likes of Rosza, Williams, Horner, Herrmann, and Elfman are grandiosely featured here.

The best cuts are Goldsmith's "Total Recall: Main Title", "Conan the Barbarian: Anvil of Crom" (Poledouris), and Brad Fiedel's "Terminator: Theme".

Upon hearing this trio, chills will not just go up the spine but will permeate every ounce of one's body

The perfect movie theme collection.......2000-08-16

I have a good number of Kunzel CDs, but this one could easily be called "Mark's Favorite Movie Themes." It doesn't matter that I have many of these repeated on other CDs; it saved me the trouble of having to burn my own 'faves' disc. It's good to see Basil Polodouris' "Conan" and "Red October" themes, he's often overlooked as a film composer, in my book, and regardless what one might think of the movie, the Conan score is still probably the best thing he's ever done. And the hard-to-find "Terminator" theme is hard NOT to listen to, with its highly unusual rythmic motif. I enjoy all the music selections, but having James Horner's sublime theme from "The Rocketeer" was well worth the price of the CD by itself. This is what a movie themes CD should be, and it helps that I happen to like Kunzel's choice of selections, for once. The sound effects that typically accompany these CDs are generally annoying, but I like the sonar segue into "Red October," and the T-Rex roar that precedes "Jurassic Park" is useful for scaring kids at Halloween.

This is the best cd I have ever bought.......1999-10-27

No words can compare how remarkable this cd is. Combined with incredible sound quality, this cd will twist and turn you emotions with every single score. i can honestly say that this disc is the perfect relaxation and energizing thing ever.

Average customer rating:

Fun album
Glad to have Jeff back

It's Tight Like That
Jeff Healey & the Jazz Wizards , and Chris Barber
Manufacturer: Stony Plain Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Get Me Some
Among Friends
Adventures in Jazzland
The Jeff Healey Band - Live at Montreux 1999
Hell to Pay

ASIN: B000ETRIZ2
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Tracks:

Bugle Call Rag
Sing You Sinners
Basin Street Blues
Little Girl
Someday Sweetheart
Darktown Strutters Ball
Confessin'
Keep It To Yourself
Sheik Of Araby
Goin' Up The River
It's Tight Like That/Wipe 'Em Off

Amazon.com

Long before Jeff Healey burst onto the '80s blues-rock scene with an unorthodox lap-steel-like approach to conventional guitar and a flair for radio-friendly pop songs like "See the Light" and "Angel Eyes," he had a deep jones for 1920s and '30s jazz. His first major release in that vein, a live recording with his eight-piece Wizards and British jazz revivalist/trombonist Chris Barber as his guest, takes Louis Armstrong's historic Hot Five recordings and Django Reinhardt and the Hot Club band as its swinging twin axis of influences. Sure, the results aren't groundbreaking, yet they're authentic and fun, thanks to spirited performances and a selection of mostly playful uptempo chestnuts, including "Sing You Sinners," Georgia Tom Dorsey's suggestive title track, and Bessie Smith's "Keep It to Yourself." Barber's trombone solos are hale and raucous, but Healey's his own ringer, fretting elegant, classic guitar lines and pulling boisterous double duty on ebulliently squawking trumpet. --Ted Drozdowski

Customer Reviews:

Fun album.......2006-09-09

I picked this up because it was listed as Jazz and really didn't put two and two together on Jeff. Personally I did not like his previous albums but love this one.

You can tell that this is his passion and I hope that he does more. I will buy them.

If you like good traditional 20's - 30's jazz, you will like this album.

I liked the trombone player, I am one myself, and it is hard to find one that is good. This is the music for a trombone player and lover.

Glad to have Jeff back.......2006-08-09

I have been a fan of Jeff Healey since the 80's. I am pleased that his "new" venture into Jazz and Blues finally got an album available in the US. Jeff is great on the trumpet, his guitar (as always) is fantastic, and his vocals are enjoyable. While I am not a fan of the trombone the fiddler with the Jazz Wizards was a surprise and is a lot of fun. If you are a Jeff Healey fan and like Jazz and Blues I would recommend adding this to your collection.

Average customer rating:

great for banjo and bluegrass lovers.
hot pickin` !

String Wizards
John McEuen
Manufacturer: Vanguard Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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String Wizards II
Acoustic Traveller
Stories and Songs
Round Trip: Live in L.A.
Hanna-McEuen

ASIN: B000000EMD
Release Date: 1991-11-27

Tracks:

Return To Dismal Swamp
Tall Timber
Blackberry Jam
Carolina Traveler
Fireball Mail
Friday Night At Maybelle's
Miner's Night Out
Spinning Wheel
Dixie Hoedown
Cripple Creek
Shuckin' The Corn
John's WSM Radio Blues
Stars and Stripes Forever

Customer Reviews:

great for banjo and bluegrass lovers........2005-10-03

I really enjoy listening to this cd. I am studying up on banjo music and this has a lot of banjo in it. Great taveling music.

hot pickin` !.......1999-03-22

Nobody else plays like John McEue

Average customer rating:

John and his musical buds had a real nice flight in L.A.
History in the making
John's great talent, great music: Go along for the ride!

Round Trip: Live in L.A.
John McEuen and the L.A. String Wizards
Manufacturer: Rural Rhythm
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Hanna-McEuen
Acoustic Traveller
Stories and Songs
String Wizards
String Wizards II

ASIN: B000AY9ONA
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Tracks:

Finger Buster
Clementi
L.A. Devil's Dream
Good Old Boys Texas
Merle Travis Story
Cannonball Rag
Early Arrival
From the 60's (Pasadena and the Good Old Day)
Mr. Bojangles
I Am a Pilgrim
Kiss
Night Flight
Gate Change
Before You Accuse Me
Sheik of Araby
Swing to Bop
Leaving the Club [*]
I'll Be Glad When They Run Outta Gas [*]
Goodtime Suite [*]
Ballad of Floyd Collins [*]

Album Description

Round Trip--Live in L.A. by John McEuen & the L.A. String Wizards recorded live in Pasadena and Santa Monica, California is available again with 3 BONUS TRACKS, additional photos and all new packaging. LIVE IN L.A." also features John's son, JONATHAN McEUEN, on vocals (and special crowd pleaser, the bluegrass version of Prince's Kiss) and guitar, who has scored big with his new MCA Country group HANNA-McEUEN and their Billboard Country Hit Single "Something Like A Broken Heart". Book your "ROUND TRIP" flight today and let JOHN McEUEN & The L.A. String Wizards take you to a wonderful live performance destination that you will enjoy and cherish for ever!

Customer Reviews:

John and his musical buds had a real nice flight in L.A........2007-01-03

Playing Time- 63:14 -- From Orange County, Ca., John was a founding member of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band that produced nearly 30 albums during a 39-year span. When they were first forming, John called them to back him up at the 1966 Topanga Canyon Banjo Contest (that he won). McEuen had actually begun his show-business career at age 16 with comedian Steve Martin doing magic tricks at Disneyland, and John taught Steve how to play the banjo during that time. In 1987, John left the NGDB to spend more time with his family and to pursue other career opportunities. His son (Jonathan) plays a prominent role on this album, contributing guitar and vocals.

John has made numerous appearances on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson and "Nashville Now" (TNN) which he has also hosted. He wrote the score for one feature film--"The Man Outside" with Levon Helm, as well as several NBC-TV specials. In 1989, John produced a full-length documentary on the original Dillards called "A Night in the Ozarks." In 1994, he won "Best Traditional Western Album" (for "The Wild West") at the Western Heritage Awards Show in Oklahoma City. That same year, he wrote and produced the music for "The Good Old Boys", a TV movie starring Tommy Lee Jones and Sissy Spacek. In 1996, John wrote his autobiography, titled The Dirt Road. In 2001, McEuen re-joined the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band to tour and record again. One of their big hits, "Mr. Bojangles," is offered here. Some bonus tracks include fiddler Vassar Clements on "I'll Be Glad When They Run Outta Gas," and guitarist/vocalist Matt Cartsonis on "The Ballad of Floyd Collins." John's "Goodtime Suite" is a 7-minute solo banjo instrumental that evokes various moods with melodic refrains of "Red Wing," "John Henry," and other favorites.

His liner notes for this CD acknowledge that it was time to complete a circle in the journey and to touch down on "home turf." Recorde live in Pasadena and Santa Monica, "Round Trip" demonstrates his skill as an instrumentalist (guitar, mandolin, banjo) and vocalist in various configurations with the other musicians - Jonathan McEuen (guitar, vocals), Phil Salazar (fiddle), Randy Tico (bass), Tom Corbett (mandolin), Jesse Seinbenerg (percussion), Bryan Savage (sax). He has an eclectic approach to music, playing whatever moves him and his audience. John McEuen once told me, "My future personal goal is to take the banjo and bluegrass into places not normally seen." In this set, he provides country, bluegrass, folk, blues, classic jazz/swing, gospel and instrumentals. Prince's "Kiss" elicited one of the greatest crowd responses, but I certainly enjoyed hearing his Travis-style picking on tunes like "Cannonball Rag" that he introduces with one of his wry-witted stories about visiting Merle Travis before the famous 1972 "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" session. Phil Salazar and Tom Corbett really tear up "Swing To Bop." In the live show, a number of originals are attributed to John including "Clementi," "L.A. Devil's Dream," "Night Flight," "Gate Change." Recording into a Nagra 4-track, this album captures the energy of the moment along with audience response.

Sounds like John and his friends had a real nice flight on "Round Trip - Live in L.A." They took off without any delays, soared above the clouds, encountered minimal turbulence, and touched down on solid ground right on schedule. John, the travelin' man he is, covered a lot of territory on the adventurous journey. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

History in the making.......2005-10-27

For all Johns fans and those who are not yet. The songs, the stories and the beautiful music on this cd will keep you listening for a long time to come. John continues to carve his name in American music history. Donal

John's great talent, great music: Go along for the ride!.......2005-09-28

My favorite yet.... Round Trip is a great LIVE showcase for John's unique instrumental talents, and great sense of humor.... McEuen fans: you will not be disappointed. John is backed up by a "fine group of pickers", offers many, many favorites, and then I was surprised with four brand new bonus tracks, too.... Almost forgot: his son Jonathan is featured on guitar and vocals, too.... Don't miss out...

Average customer rating:

Blues Harmonica Wizards
Papa Lightfoot & Sammy Myers
Manufacturer: Official Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000K6BCWE

Product Description

22 trks.

Average customer rating:

Buy it!

Demons and Wizards
Uriah Heep
Manufacturer: Sanctuary UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Salisbury
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Wonderworld

ASIN: B0002ADY1A
Release Date: 2004-10-25

Tracks:

Wizard
Traveller in Time
Easy Livin'
Poet's Justice
Circle of Hands
Rainbow Demon
All My Life
Paradise
Spell
Why [#][*]
Rainbow Demon [#][*]
Proud Words on a Dusty Shelf [*]
Home Again to You [#][*]
Green Eye [#][*][Demo Version]

Customer Reviews:

Buy it!.......2007-06-13

No need to review - you should have it. If you don't - buy it

Average customer rating:

18th & 19th Century Woodwind Consort

Classical Wizards!

Manufacturer: Crystal Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00004W1NX
Release Date: 2000-06-16

Tracks:

Beethoven, Trio, op. 87 for 2 oboes and English horn. Mvt. one, Allegro
Beethoven, Trio, op. 87 for 2 oboes and English horn. Mvt. 2, Adagio; Cantabile
Beethoven, Trio, op. 87 for 2 oboes and English horn. Mvt. 3, Menuetto & Trio; Allegro molto scherzo
Beethoven, Trio, op. 87 for 2 oboes and English horn. Mvt. 4, Finale Presto
Johann Baptist Schenk, Quartetto for oboe, two English horns, and bassoon. Mvt. 1, Allegro moderato
Johann Baptist Schenk, Quartetto for oboe, two English horns, and bassoon. Mvt. 2, Menuetto & Trio
Johann Baptist Schenk, Quartetto for oboe, two English horns, and bassoon. Mvt. 3, Un poco Adagio
Johann Baptist Schenk, Quartetto for oboe, two English horns, and bassoon. Mvt. 4, Rondo Allegretto
Antonio Salieri, Variazioni sulla Follia di Spagna for 2 oboes, 2 English horns, and 2 bassoons
Frantisek Xaver Dussek, Parthia. Mvt. 1, Allegro
Frantisek Xaver Dussek, Parthia. Mvt. 2, Menuetto
Frantisek Xaver Dussek, Parthia. Mvt. 3, Adagio
Frantisek Xaver Dussek, Parthia. Mvt. 4, Finale: Presto
W.A. Mozart, Impressario Overture for 3 oboes, English horn, 2 bassoons, and contrabassoon

Album Description

WiZARDS! is probably the best-known double reed ensemble in the world. The core group is oboe, oboe d'amore, English horn, and bassoon, with added double reeds as needed. This album presents the best of classical period music originally for the instruments plus a stunning transcription for 7 double reeds of the Mozart Impressario Overture. Beethoven's wonderful oboe-English horn Trio is given a spectacular performance, and the works by Schenk, Salieri,and Dussek are given superb premier recordings.

Customer Reviews:

18th & 19th Century Woodwind Consort.......2003-02-11

This CD has really grown on me; the more I listen to it, the more I like it and appreciate the fine efforts of this double-reedests.

Interesting the relationship of Schenk to Beethoven. I especially enjoy Schenk's Quartetto with its duo of English horns and fine bassoon work. The Rondo is especially vibrant and alive in this passionate playing.

This predominate Iowan group is versatile and plays with intensity, balance and listens for each other well.

Music Track: