Utopia-Ra (1977)

“Ra” was the second album by Utopia, the band led by Todd Rundgren. Released in 1977, it is a truly impressive work, where space rock, progressive rock, and pop sensibilities come together seamlessly. By then, the band had been reduced to four members: in addition to Rundgren on guitars, there was Roger Powell on keyboards, Kasim Sulton on bass, and John Wilcox on drums, all four of whom also sang vocals as needed for each song. While their debut album had already explored sounds close to high-level progressive jazz with 30-minute suites, demonstrating Rundgren's great skill as a recording engineer, here the sound is more eclectic and varied, with rich sonic nuances. With a crushing opening like the pretentious instrumental “Overture: Mountaintop And Sunrise”, which segues into the rhythmic “Communion With The Sun”, where vocal melodies, keyboards, and Rundgren's arabesque solos stand out, “Magic Dragon Theatre” showcases the band's penchant for pompous pop with glam-tinged undertones of the era. This is followed by the powerful pop-rock track “Jealousy”, while “Eternal Love” is a song that approaches symphonic pop. “Sunburst Finish” and “Hiroshima” are the most powerful and visceral tracks on the album, culminating in the suite “Singring And The Glass Guitar (An Electrified)”, where every member of the band shines, with beautiful vocal harmonies and devilishly complex rhythm changes, demonstrating the virtuosity of all the musicians. In the following months the band presented this album live in a display of sophistication with a huge pyramid on the stage 7 meters high and a large golden sphinx that required 18 months of preparation and cost about 250 thousand dollars.

Camel-Camel (1973)

When Camel released their debut album, it was during the peak year of progressive rock's creative boom, meaning their music went largely unnoticed by most fans of the genre, who were more focused on listening to the dozens of established, leading bands that existed at the time. That year also saw the release of some of the genre's masterpieces, such as Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon", Yes's "Tales from Topographic Oceans", Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells", Emerson, Lake and Palmer's "Brain Salad Surgery", and Genesis' "Selling England by the Pound," to name just a few examples from the vast array of albums released in 1973. Amid this whirlwind of releases, it's no surprise that Camel's first album wasn't taken very seriously by a large part of the progressive rock community. On this self-titled debut album, the band featured their classic lineup, or at least the one that would later record their masterpieces (“Mirage”, “The Snow Goose”, and “Moonmadness”): guitarist and vocalist Andrew Latimer, keyboardist Peter Bardens, drummer Andy Ward, and bassist Doug Ferguson. Recorded during the middle months of 1972 and released in February 1973 on the MCA label, it proved to be a very strong starting point for their progressive rock sound, setting them apart from their contemporaries. The influences of blues, jazz, classical music, and their own personal style combined to create a unique and distinctive sound. However, despite this, a certain musical imbalance is evident, which is understandable considering they were still newcomers and this was their debut album. Among the highlights of this first work are the melodic "Slow Yourself Down" where it already shows the duel between guitar and keyboards that will be Camel's DNA from then on, or one of their classic tracks like "Never Let Go", a piece that perfectly defines the band's style. The rest is made up of minor tracks that nevertheless attract the listener's attention, such as the instrumental "Arubaluba", the atmospheric "Curiosity" or the catchy "Separation".

Coven-Witchcraft (Destroys Minds And Reaps Souls) (1969)

Pioneers in using witches' sabbath imagery in rock music, Coven employed satanic imagery before bands like Black Sabbath or Black Widow. But while for the latter it was merely theatrical, for Coven it was their philosophy and way of life; they even used their own blood to sign their first contract with Mercury Records. And although it might seem like the typical foolishness of three young guys, the truth is that this group's satanic and occult imagery went far beyond what initially appears. They were already being associated with the image of hands with horns (the one Ronnie James Dio made famous a decade later), as well as the satanic symbol of the inverted cross. A band that, before releasing their first album, had already performed at various concerts opening for Alice Cooper and The Yardbirds. Their first album, "Witchcraft (Destroys Minds and Reaps Souls)", was released in 1969, almost at the same time as the murder of Roman Polanski's wife and several other people at the hands of Charles Manson's cult. This led to the album's rejection by many sectors of American society. The album contains tracks like the opening "Black Sabbath", with its dark sounds and atmosphere, and hints of psychedelic folk. "White Witch of Rose Hall" is a macabre true story about a mansion where voodoo rituals took place, while the occult atmosphere continues in "Coven in Charing Cross". But it is undoubtedly the strange "Satanic Mass", with its demonic references and its chants and prayers presented as dialogue, that most captures the attention of this album. "Witchcraft (Destroys Minds And Reaps Souls)" is undoubtedly one of the most interesting works of the late 60s, perhaps more for its themes than for its music itself, but with an unrepeatable creativity and experimentation.

Los Jaivas-Alturas de Machu Pichu (1981)

Los Jaivas are the most internationally renowned Chilean band, having offered one of the most extraordinary blends of folk and progressive rock ever created. Formed in 1963 in Viña del Mar, their debut album, the self-titled "Los Jaivas", didn't arrive until 1971. On this album, they began exploring, with an improvisational approach, the fusion of folk flavors and psychedelic music. In 1973, the band emigrated to Argentina due to the military dictatorship that was imposed in Chile that year. There, they continued releasing hugely popular albums until 1977, when they finally moved to France. From then on, they gradually introduced more progressive elements into their folk music, and over time, Los Jaivas created an original and unique style. In 1981, they cemented their talent and creativity with their most acclaimed album; "Alturas de Machu Picchu" is a brilliant example of Peruvian/Chilean Latin folk, fused with classic progressive rock. Conceived while the band was living in Paris, the lyrics were taken from an evocative collection of poems by Pablo Neruda, inspired by the grandeur and mysterious beauty of the Machu Picchu ruins. Here, the group conveys a range of emotions, from dramatic to melancholic, encompassing sadness, exaltation, and joy. With a spacious and ethereal sound, this album manages to emulate the Andean atmosphere, somehow transporting the listener to that magical place. Traditional Andean instruments (ocarina, flute, siku, and quena) and more modern ones (electric guitars, synthesizers, electric pianos, and drums) create a mystical and somewhat sinister atmosphere, yet simultaneously, there are festive passages brimming with life and joy. Powerful, epic, and progressive tracks like "La poderosa Muerte" (The Mighty Death), "Águila Sideral" (Sidereal Eagle), and "Antigua América" ​​(Ancient America) share the repertoire with other, purely folk-like songs such as "Amor Americano" (American Love) and "Súbete a Nacer conmigo, Hermano" (Get on Board to Be Born with Me, Brother). "Alturas de Machu Picchu" (Heights of Machu Picchu) is a profoundly emotional album, steeped in legend and history, a perfect fusion of the old and the new, of the past and the present.

Arthur Lee-Vindicator (1972)

After six albums with his band Love, in 1972, frontman Arthur Lee, completely frustrated, disbanded the group and embarked on a solo career that would prove short-lived and largely unnoticed. However, his only solo album, "Vindicator", released that same year by A&M Records, surprised everyone by radically departing from the fragile and melodic style of his band. On this album, Lee leans towards a raw, hard-hitting rock sound with hints of psychedelic rock in the style of Jimi Hendrix, as demonstrated in tracks like "Sad Song", "Love Jumped Through My Window", and "Everytime I Look Up I'm Down Or White Dog". He also delivers the magnificent blues-rock number "You Want Change For You Re-Run", the melodic "Everybody's Gotta Live", one of his most memorable compositions and the brilliant "Busted Feet", where he channels his skills into a Hendrix-esque style, both vocally and instrumentally, with outstanding and flawless blues riffs. Unfortunately, this album went completely unnoticed, fading into obscurity. Some time later, Lee resurrected Love with a new work ironically titled "False Start" (1974).

Diamond Head-Lightning To The Nations (1980)

The third wave of heavy metal, which emerged a decade after the first, was called the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, commonly abbreviated as NWOBHM. It arose in England as the 1970s drew to a close, building upon the legacy of the genre's great bands such as Led Zeppelin, Budgie, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath, Nazareth, and Deep Purple. By the mid-1970s, the second wave had already emerged, featuring UFO, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, and Scorpions, among many others. These bands began to move away from the psychedelic, progressive, and blues influences of the first wave, giving the style greater power and speed, as well as incorporating other influences such as the driving force of punk and a frenetic rhythm. This third wave was spearheaded by the well-known Iron Maiden, Samson, Praying Mantis, Angel Witch, and Diamond Head, and it was precisely the latter that would produce one of the most emblematic albums of the genre: “Lightning to the Nations”, released in 1980 and considered one of the most memorable works of British heavy metal of all time. Diamond Head had formed four years earlier in the British town of Stourbridge by guitarist Brian Tatler, singer and guitarist Sean Harris, and drummer Duncan Scott. A year later, bassist Colin Kimberley joined them. With this lineup, and under the independent label Happy Face, they released “Lightning to the Nations” near the end of 1980. Composed of half a dozen songs, all of them overwhelming and intense, as demonstrated in the frenetic “Helpless”, the penetrating “It’s Electric” and “Sweet And Innocent”, the sinister “The Prince”, the sensational “Am I Evil?” or the sublime “Sucking My Love”.

Simple Minds-Sparkle in the Rain (1984)

With the sixth album by the Scottish band Simple Minds, "Sparkle In The Rain", the change in musical direction towards paths closer to mainstream British rock began to emerge, albeit still quite subtly, moving almost completely away from the post-punk of their early works. In this new release, the band led by Jim Kerr sees arena rock take center stage, as evidenced by brilliant tracks like the vibrant and iconic "Waterfront", a true pop-rock classic of the eighties, or the rhythmic "Up On The Catwalk", "Book Of Brilliant Things", and "Speed ​​Your Love To Me". Meanwhile, the mini-epic "East At Easter", the appealing synth-pop "C Moon Cry Like A Baby", and the atmospheric "White Hot Day" add a touch of sonic diversity to a work that would repeat the enormous success of its predecessor, "New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)", on the British and European charts, ultimately solidifying Simple Minds as one of the most important new wave bands of the 80s.

Greenslade-Greenslade (1973)

Once the first Colosseum project was dissolved, two of its members, keyboardist Dave Greenslade and bassist Tony Reeves founded Greenslade, for which they recruited former King Crimson drummer Andrew McCulloch and keyboardist Dave Lawson, which turned this band into an unusual case as it had two keyboardists and no guitarist (at least in England, since the Italian group Banco already had a similar formation).
The debut album "Greenslade" was released in 1973 and is considered a classic of progressive rock, both for the music and for the cover art by the legendary Roger Dean.
The use of two keyboardists allowed them to create a texture and a very dense sound atmosphere rich in details, which at no time saturated the sound, partly reminiscent of the Yes for their constant changes of time signature but without the complexity of the latter.

Albert Collins-Ice Pickin´(1978)

In the late 1970s, the blues wasn't at its peak. New styles and musical trends that dominated the public's tastes had relegated it to the sidelines, until a few years later when the genre would resurface thanks to hundreds of new hard rock bands and the huge revival of classic rock. Even so, great albums continued to appear during those years, produced by classic bluesmen like Albert Collins, who in 1978 released "Ice Pickin' ", a true blues masterpiece. His impressive mastery of the six strings of his legendary Fender Stratocaster led him to be known as "Iceman" or "The Master of the Telecaster", for his composure and incredible simplicity on the guitar. A Grammy nominee, on "Ice Pickin!", the legendary guitarist leaves his mark on the superb blues tracks "Honey, Hush!", "Ice Pick", "Cold, Cold Feeling", "When The Welfare Turns Its Back on You", and the expansive "Conversations With Collins". "Ice Pickin!" is undoubtedly one of the sublime blues albums of the finest kind, crafted by a genius of the six-string and of the blues in general like Albert Collins, making it an absolute masterpiece of this fundamental and influential musical genre.