Dies Irae - First (Reissue) (1971/2009)

Interesting quartet from Saarbrucken (Saarland). Their first and only album (entitled "First") was recorded in just two days (June 1971) in the Hamburg "Star Studio" and was produced by the then manager of the label "Pilz" Jürgen Schmeisser. The plate surprises with its integrity and at the same time a multifaceted sound. Musically, "Dies Irae" ("Judgment Day") took as their sample the music of their Anglo-American counterparts and added to it the tricks and moves characteristic of krautrock. Harmonica gives many tracks a blues tint, comparable to the first album "Black Sabbath". It is noteworthy that the group drew inspiration for its lyrics, dealing with drugs and occultism. Includes tracks such as Lucifer, Harmagedon Dragonlove, Witches Meeting, Red Lebanese and Trip. The last mentioned track was the top of the album: a seven-minute, cosmic, instrumental crescendo that goes back to insanity. And although the record in wide circles remained unnoticed, it was quite obvious that the work turned out to be glory. The activity of the group after the release of this plate was reduced. They made a valuable contribution to the legendary collection of hard rock numbers "Heavy Christmas" with their killer composition "Silent Night", and then completely disappeared from view. In fact, the problem was in the company that signed them, "Pilz". With the advent of Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser, the music policy of the label has undergone strong changes, now the preferences were given to folk performers (like the future heroes of "Hoelderlin", "Emtidi"). And "Dies Irae" did not fall into this category and "First" turned out to be "Last".