After Crying's Megalázottak És Megszomorítottak - Stellar Hungarian Prog

[mozo-pg]

I think After Crying's Megalázottak És Megszomorítottak is one of the finest progressive rock albums ever produced. It's achingly beautiful, the who album has stunning and stellar music, particularly the opening epic track, A Gadari Megszállott. That song has so much emotional resonance and beauty, I can hear it endlessly and it still moves me.




Such an errie beginning with touching piano and use of cello

Is there anyone else that shares my love of this band

This is a bucket list band to see for me.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Their best along with De Profundis - IMO. Yet the latter doesn't quite display that remarkable atmosphere, except for the opening chorale and the closing parts of "Stalker". Wonderful ensemble, although I wish they'd stuck to Hungarian tongue on their later records.

[mozo-pg]

Their best along with De Profundis - IMO. Yet the latter doesn't quite display that remarkable atmosphere, except for the opening chorale and the closing parts of "Stalker". Wonderful ensemble, although I wish they'd stuck to Hungarian tongue on their later records.

Yeah, I agree De Profundis is really strong too. I also couldn't agree more than the music is more authentic when they stick to their native tongue. First language is pretty well my preference across the board.

[Rye-Ergot]

I also couldn't agree more than the music is more authentic when they stick to their native tongue. First language is pretty well my preference across the board.

Absolutely agree. Singing in one’s native tongue is crucial if you are going to experience the cultural totality and creative origin of what comprises the composition.

[smcfee]

Love that album and share the enthusiasm for everything through De Profundis... the stuff after still has its moments but I liked the Hungarian language stuff the best. I also like the Townscream album.

[Nearfest2]

The only thing I have is the live "Struggle for Life." Thoughts on this one? I haven't listened to these guy since they played NEARfest in 2001.

[mozo-pg]

. I also like the Townscream album.

I own that one but haven't played it in 10 years. Need to remedy that.

[Buddhabreath]

Stellar stuff indeed. I cannot think of a greater recent exponent of the melodic symphonic/classical progressive rock idiom in recent years. Works beautifully with orchestra and choir:

[TheH]

Very good band, I really like "De Profundis" and "Struggle for Life". As I'm getting old I'm not sure if
I own the featured album but I'm sure I have some more (like Show).

[smcfee]

The only thing I have is the live "Struggle for Life." Thoughts on this one?

It's fine. It takes most heavily from "6", which is a studio album sung in English and swapping out some of their chamber-prog elements for more overt ELP influence. I think the albums that show them at their best are Overground Music through De Profundis... so just a bit before.

[mozo-pg]

Stellar stuff indeed. I cannot think of a greater recent exponent of the melodic symphonic/classical progressive rock idiom in recent years. Works beautifully with orchestra and choir:

Wow! I never saw this before - over an hour's entertainment. Perfect for staying home during COVID-19.

[interbellum]

The only CD I have from them is Almost Pure Instrumental plus I own the DVD Live from 2007:



Back then I compared them with the music Isildurs Bane made.

[Scrotum Scissor]

^ I.B. anno Mind Volume 1. is an eloquent comparison. Listening again to After Crying I come to hear how an album like Show could have been so much more rewarding if they kicked the filler tracks (it's a lengthy record) and replaced the English vox with mother tongue. Theyd reached an extremely 'professional' level of chamber-rock on that release, but it's tainted.

[igal75]

one of my favorite bands period. their music is stunningly beautiful. you don't hear such a brilliant mix of chamber, classical and rock music every day, believe me

[Trane]

Their best along with De Profundis - IMO. Yet the latter doesn't quite display that remarkable atmosphere, except for the opening chorale and the closing parts of "Stalker". Wonderful ensemble, although I wish they'd stuck to Hungarian tongue on their later records.

It's fine. It takes most heavily from "6", which is a studio album sung in English and swapping out some of their chamber-prog elements for more overt ELP influence. I think the albums that show them at their best are Overground Music through De Profundis... so just a bit before.

I jumped on boat when I heard De Profundis at a friend's house, but could never find it back then, but when I managed to get the following 6 album, I was disappointed. I saw them on that tour (I'd say 98 to 00), and they were a mixed bag in concert . The surprise of the flute player and reciter playing/singing from the mixing desl was OK, but grew thin quickly.
I jumped ship as quick as I had jumped in. I guess I missed their prime 92-96 era.

I guess I should try to locate De Profundis and maybe the one featured, but I lack the drive to do so.
probably too symph weenie for me nowadays

[smcfee]

I guess I should try to locate De Profundis and maybe the one featured, but I lack the drive to do so.
probably too symph weenie for me nowadays

Just listen to the 22 minute track at the top of this page. If it doesn't wow you, safe to move on.

[jefftiger]

These guys are terrific. I recall first being introduced to them on the Nearfest website prior to their appearance at the 2001 show. I bought "Almost Pure Instrumental" before the concert and loved it. However, I wasn't really impressed with their performance at Nearfest. They were doing some material that later turned into "Show", but it didn't work that well for me. I've bought all of the earlier works, like Megalázottak És Megszomorítottak, which is outstanding. Their live performance with orchestra on the XXV DVD is also excellent.

[Progbear]

I adore this album. I must advise anyone listening to this for the first time: if it doesn’t click with you at first, stick with it. It will click eventually, like it did with me. It’s absolutely not an immediate album; there are many subtleties that you’ll miss the first time round. Or the second. It’s a very profound album

Wonderful ensemble, although I wish they'd stuck to Hungarian tongue on their later records.

I have their previous album, Overground Music, which likewise has [awkward] English vocals. You can hear that, while undeniably talented, they are still developing their sound. They weren’t quite there yet.

Back then I compared them with the music Isildurs Bane made.

Nobody really sounds like Isildurs Bane (well, their music reminds me of Pekka Pohjola’s a bit, albeit tangentially). Come to think of it, nobody really sounds like After Crying, either. Which I guess is a trait both acts share!

[Trane]

Just listen to the 22 minute track at the top of this page. If it doesn't wow you, safe to move on.

It's just OK, soooo, yesssss I'll give it a pass.
I heard the whole of De Profundis over last night (YT has it in one shot), and it did nothing for me, as I FFWD a couppkle of minutes a few times r-through it - pretty long animal too. I remember it did wow me back then, some 25 years ago (already )

These guys are terrific. I recall first being introduced to them on the Nearfest website prior to their appearance at the 2001 show. I bought "Almost Pure Instrumental" before the concert and loved it. However, I wasn't really impressed with their performance at Nearfest. They were doing some material that later turned into "Show", but it didn't work that well for me. I've bought all of the earlier works, like Megalázottak És Megszomorítottak, which is outstanding. Their live performance with orchestra on the XXV DVD is also excellent.

Yeah, something was not right about it. I saw them a couple if years before you did and Gábor Egervári's flute and english spoken lyrics recitations from the mixing desk contrasted too much with the guitarist"s near-shredding performances.

had no idea they still existed, since their last album is nearly 10 y-o.

[Sunlight Caller]

De Profundis was a CD I picked up in the distant days of PE, it was raved about by many back then, and I liked it a lot in those days when new progressive music seemed scarcer. It’s not a disc I have played in over a decade, and it clearly never quite pushed me to explore their other releases. I have time now to re-engage. I have a fondness for Hungary, having spent a quite beautiful long weekend at the Grand Corinthian Hotel in Budapest a couple of years ago, I had quite forgotten they were Hungarian, otherwise they would have soundtracked our visit.

[Silantyev]

The track at the top of the page is simply amazing. I’ve been listening to it (and the whole album) for about 12 years and will never get too tired of it.

[Zappathustra]

Excellent album indeed. The 12mins title track is also terrific. It reminds me a bit of late Talk Talk.

[Scrotum Scissor]

It reminds me a bit of late Talk Talk.

Very much so. The final half of that tune is sombre contemplation for piano and trumpet alone; an absolute fitting near-closure of things. AC dared to dwell into that particular post-rock aesthetic of "cinematic" headsound, forging scapes of visual music by utlizing effects, machinery, mechanics, engines, space, traffic, recitations, birdsong - the whole deal. Often they succeeded, sometimes not.

[progeezer]

While I'm fairly preoccupied to post as before, I can't let this one go by.

Easily one of my 10 favorite Eastern European, no, hell, European albums of all time.

[jefftiger]

Stellar stuff indeed. I cannot think of a greater recent exponent of the melodic symphonic/classical progressive rock idiom in recent years. Works beautifully with orchestra and choir

Thanks very much for posting this 2015 concert performance. I was wholly unfamiliar with it. I just finished watching. There's some similarity with the XXV performance with orchestra from a few years earlier, but the playlist has a number of differences. And there's a more intimate atmospere. My only disappointment is the departure of Ferenc Torma from the group, who is an impressive guitarist, sometime after XXV in 2012.