DEMETRIO STRATOS metrodora LP 1976 avant area cage rare

$

45

Demetrio Stratos "Metrodora" LP issued by Cramps Records (5206 205) for the DIVerso series (No. 5) in Italy, 1976.****** Rec:m- / Cov:vg+++ ****** This was Demetrio Stratos' first solo release (1976) after his success with Area, and it marked some insane new territory for the voice as instrument. Stratos is raw, sometimes multi-tracked, but for the most part unaccompanied in the studio. Pain, passion and unabashed self expression. A recording that both echoes the ancient and flabbergasts the present and future. Stratos attempts, over these seven selections, to pack everything he had discovered about the limits of the human voice and to try to dissemble them, one utterance at a time. Hence the three "Segmenti" episodes and the two "Mirologhi" tracks separated by the title cut; each articulates a divergent strand of diplophony and triplophony, where the voice can create two and three tones simultaneously. Whether the sound is one of guttural growling or high-pitched whining, or simply a mid-range vibration, the sounds seem not to come from the throat at all, or from the expulsion of air, but from the manipulation of the lobes of the brain that dictates the signal to the vocal chords. And, as one might expect of such a disc, this is not remotely easy listening, but more utterly compelling, the witnessing of a phenomenon not encountered in the west before, nor explored to such depth of field since. While most Italian prog-rock bands impersonated the refined intellectual of the 1968 student riots, Area impersonated the saboteur erecting barricades in the streets. Fronted by vocalist Demetrio Stratos (born in Egypt of Greek parents), one of the most original singers of his age, guitarist Paolo Tofani and keyboardist Patrizio Fariselli, Area followed the path of canterbury musicians who merged agit-prop and jazz-rock. It is not a coincidence that their sound often evokes the Soft Machine, although Area's structures were looser and more chaotic. "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Cramps, 1973) introduced their demented fusion of raw electronics, primitive rhythms, Middle-eastern innuendos, twisted melodies and Stratos' acrobatic vocals. Area moved towards free-jazz with "Caution Radiation Area" (Cramps, 1974), which also included the electronic poem "Lobotomia", but then delivered a calmer, relatively straight-forward "Crac" (Cramps, 1974), featuring the dance novelty "L'elefante bianco". In the meantime, Stratos launched a solo career with more experimental albums entirely devoted to the human voice such as "Metrodora" (Cramps, 1976) and "Cantare la voce" (Cramps, 1978), bordering on John Cage's aleatory music and Meredith Monk's vocal exhibitionism. Well, what can you add, regarding of the best Italian vocalist ever, with his incredible vocal range, plus his fantastic voice intensity of 6000-7000 Hz frequency as well!! I know that it seems more like a vocal exercise, where he could produce in a single emission of breath two or three or even four sounds, in a double and triple "phonic" emission of main tones and more...simply incredible, but it's a music 'testament', because I don't know any vocalist like him today, able to leave an indelible mark! Truly amazing! ****** The record looks like it has never been played. ****** Some cover wear (see photo) and a 0,5 cm split on the spine. ****** Please wait to receive my invoice before sending the payment after the auction ends. Attention! Real postage costs are not USD 4 as all the items are located in Doha, Qatar (which has a very safe and professional post system). Postage costs registered up to 1 Kilo (generally 3 LPs): to Europe and Japan is USD 16,50 / to America and Oceania is USD 22,50. Postage costs registered up to 2 Kilos:  to Europe and Japan is USD 28,00 / to America and Oceania is USD 34,00. ****** Thank you for your kind attention and good luck with your bids.