Coven / Blood On The Snow (1974)

 

United States

Psychedelic Rock, Pop Rock, Rock, Hard Rock, Blues Rock, Folk Pop

And these people were called Satanists? I imagined them as completely different. Even more surprising was the fact that “Blood on the Snow” is ranked as either proto-prog or hard rock. Proto-prog on the final album of the group Coven and does not smell. As for hard rock, only the last three songs of the album can be attributed to this style with some stretch. And even then to that soft and melodic form of hard, which borders on power pop-rock.

The album begins with the glam-rock “Don’t Call Me”, which could very well be in Slade's repertoire. In addition, the vocals in this song are reminiscent of Noddy Holder's singing, but only in a higher range. The next five show the pop side of Coven's music. It is pure pop (“This Song's for All You Children”), orchestrated pop with a country flavor and vocals similar to Stevie Nix (“Lady O”), a power pop rock ballad (“Blue Blue Ships”) in which the vocalist of the band Jinx Dawson from a pop diva to a rock diva, again a pop song (“I Need a Hundred of You”) and the last of the five “Hide Your Daughters” in which the male vocals of guitarist Christopher Nielsen clearly outperforms Jinx's singing. The last three songs of the album are performed in a heavier hard rock style. True, in a light commercial version of hard rock.

There is not a single brilliant or failed composition on the album. But most of them are above average in quality. Well, the highlight of Coven is, of course, the voice of vocalist Jinx Dawson, which is great for both pop songs and rock performances.

Nice pop rock album.

Members

Jinx Dawson (vocals), Mike "Oz" Osborne (bass), Jim Nyeholt (organ, piano), Jim Donlinger (guitar), Christopher Neilsen (guitar, vocals), Rick Durrett (organ), John Hobbs (keyboards)

01 - Don't Call Me 3:44

02 - This Song's for All You Children 2:53

03 - Lady O 3:36

04 - Blue, Blue Ships 5:12

05 - I Need a Hundred of You 3:36

06 - Hide Your Daughters 5:13

07 - Lost Without a Trace 5:54

08 - Easy Evil 3:31

09 - Blood on the Snow 2:03

YANDEX

Coven / Coven (1971)

 

United States

Psychedelic Rock, Pop Rock, Rock, Hard Rock, Blues Rock, Folk Pop

Very good gard rock album from early 70's. There are no satanic lyrics on this album.

Members

Jinx Dawson (vocals), Mike "Oz" Osborne (bass), Jim Nyeholt (organ, piano), Jim Donlinger (guitar), Christopher Neilsen (guitar, vocals), Rick Durrett (organ), John Hobbs (keyboards)

01 - Nightingale 2:57

02 - Shooting Star 2:54

03 - Natural Love 4:00

04 - What Can I Get Out of You 3:45

05 - Dark Day in Chitown 3:51

06 - Jailhouse Rock 2:06

07 - Lonely Lover 3:32

08 - I Guess It's a Beautiful Day 3:19

09 - Washroom Wonder 3:50

10 - Nobody's Leaving Here Tonight 3:42

11 - One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack) 3:18

YANDEX

Coven / Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls (1969)

United States

Psychedelic Rock, Pop Rock, Rock, Hard Rock, Blues Rock, Folk Pop

The psych rock with bluesy guitars here is somber, a bass-driven theater of terror and jutting drums that, even with its almost kitsch guise, is still unlike anything that had been produced in the US until that 1968 (as far as I know), even among those bands that bet on the weight to shock - and let's face it, this is not the vibe here.

overcoming those details that can make those of little faith reject or make fun of the material, Ed Wood's film atmosphere here is engaging, even convincing. With correct attention, you quickly find yourself in medieval towns with fanatical villagers chasing witches, peasants making deals with the devil to save the harvest, among other classic scenarios that refer to the cheapest horror movie productions of the 50s and 60s.

I woke up today with For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge in my head! Great fun!

4.5 out of 5 because Satanic Mass at the end breaks the groove of the parade.

Members

Jinx Dawson (vocals), Mike "Oz" Osborne (bass), Jim Nyeholt (organ, piano), Jim Donlinger (guitar), Christopher Neilsen (guitar, vocals), Rick Durrett (organ), John Hobbs (keyboards)

01 - Black Sabbath 3:28

02 - White Witch of Rose Hall 3:03

03 - Coven in Charing Cross 4:00

04 - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge 4:35

05 - Pact With Lucifer 3:25

06 - Choke, Thirst, Die 3:20

07 - Wicked Woman 2:55

08 - Dignitaries of Hell 4:04

09 - Portrait 2:32

10 - Satanic Mass 13:17

YANDEX