Pell Mell-Marburg (1972)

Pell Mell were another of those talented bands that fell into the abyss at the end of the 1970s, disappearing as if they had never existed. Their debut album, "Marburg," brimming with violins, mellotrons, flutes, and a solid rock foundation, developed a symphonic rock sound that drew from the genre's great classics, fusing them with a dose of heavy sounds driven by the Hammond organ, resulting in a style reminiscent of British bands like Uriah Heep or Deep Purple. This group was based in the city of Marburg in northwestern Germany, and its lineup consisted of Jorg Gotzfried (bass and vocals), Andy Kirnberger (guitar), Bruno Kniesmeijer (percussion and drums), Hans Otto Pusch (keyboards), and Thomas Schmitt (flute, violin, keyboards, and vocals). The nine-minute frenetic "The Clown and the Queen" opens this debut album and simultaneously becomes its climax, followed by the dynamic "Friend," the grandiose "City Monster," and the heavy rock anthem "Alone." While the cover of Smetana's classic "The Moldau" is perhaps the least interesting track, it doesn't detract from the merits of this compelling album of classic symphonic rock, highly regarded by progheads.