Of all they've done this remains my absolute favorite and one of the best British hard rock albums ever. After a very promising but somewhat tentative debute, here on this second LP everything falls into place. The rude organ, the creative guitars, the heavy backing, the riffs and Byron's trained voice ranging from baryton to high falsetto - clean and seemingly effortless. All that helps to make a masterpiece, but it would be nothing without the tophole material. Six tracks - three rockers, two ballads and one long orchestrated suite - each blending catchy melodies with innovative elements. For exemple the operatic vocals to heavy backing in "Bird Of Prey" and "High Priestess" or the slowly growing intensity conveying "Lady In Black". And I never get tired of the "Time To Live" intro - initially held back, almost captured, then suddenly set free into a beautiful guitar part leading on to the verse (in perfect sync with the lyrics where he's released after twenty years in jail). The audio on this press is very enticing - big, bouncy and natural - and even if not the best I've heard from Vertigo swirl, still trumping most others. Love everything on it and after fortyfour years I still spin it a lot. First US (Mercury SR-61319) came with another cover design and omitted "Bird Of Prey", since an earlier version had surfaced on the US debute, replacing it with "Simon The Bullet Freak" - originally a non-LP B-side to "Lady In Black". Very first UK on Vertigo, early reissues on Bronze. There are at least thirty later reissues on CD or LP - most of them with bonus cuts. Premiere UK had labels as shown here, matt fold/out cover and "0171" dated swirl inner. (ÖRHÄ*) (WLÖ*)
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