METAMORPHOSIS
Iron Butterfly
•Proto-Prog
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3.48
| 92 ratings | 10 reviews | 20% 5 stars
Good, but non-essential |
Studio Album, released in 1970 Songs / Tracks Listing 1. Free Flight (0:50) - Larry 'El Rhino' Rheinhart / guitars
ArtWork: Roger Webster and to Quinino for the last updates Edit this entry |
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IRON BUTTERFLY Metamorphosis ratings distribution
(92 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of rock music(20%)Excellent addition to any rock music collection(39%)Good, but non-essential (35%)Collectors/fans only (7%)Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
IRON BUTTERFLY Metamorphosis reviews
Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings
Collaborators/Experts Reviews
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog Folk
As I wrote above IB will break up around mid-71, but will reconvene for a further two albums in 75 and 76, but both Scorching Beauty and Sun And Steel will not make much an imact on the public for one evident reason: IB had said everything in their first two albums. I, myself only heard once or twice those albums in the 70's and they certainly left me no lasting impression. IB has again reformed in the 80's and later in the 90's. Up until now, the group still tours the club scene around the globe, much to the joy of nostalgic fans. But if IB was ever of interest to progheads, it was because of their embryonic days were they were certainly among the head of the pack of groundbreaking groups that helped Pop metamorphose into ROCK.
PROG REVIEWER
You know, in these ancient times, one went to the disc shop and usually listened to the first song and made his judgement to buy an album or not. Needless to say that with such a poor track, the temptation to drop it and find some more interesting stuff was easily recommendable.
What's available on this album, is just another heavy-soul work. Pretty much in line with their previous Motown oriented Ball. When I have to bear such a poor "Best Years Of Our Lives", I am just voiceless. These are definitely not the best musical moments of mine.
It is quite difficult to determine which is the poorest song from this offering, but let's take for granted that "Slower Than Guns" is going to be on the podium. Even if this album has been rated with the masterpiece status by one fellow reviewer, I won't be as generous.
This album doesn't hold a second of prog feeling. It is all funk and soul stuff ("Stone Believer"). OK, on the heavy side, but still.If I am willing to listen to some "Temptations" recordings (which is a very, very rare temptation of mine), I would just have an ear to "Papa. " and that's it. If you want to play some extra time, you can always borrow this album and listen to it endlessly on your CD player. But I'm not buying this.
Nothing prog, nothing interesting, nothing actually. Except the long and fine closing number!
"Butterfly Bleu" is a good song; still in the heavy blues department but with a great feeling and a superb guitar work. An obvious psychedelic obedience, a strong rhythmic section, a certain improvisation atmosphere are such a fine combination! Why the hell didn't "Iron Butterfly" built on more of these type of songs?
It is the one track which prevents me to rate this album with one star. Be prepared though to some really weird passages which are close to native Indian incantations and pretty boring. Experimental and improvised are the words.
In all, this is a very average album. Two stars.
COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
With this effort, Iron Butterfly ditched the fuzzy guitar tones and embraced a funkier and bluesier approach to rock music, basically following the tide so to speak. There's a bit of Grand Funk, a sprinkle of Three Dog Night, some lingering tripped-out acid rock and Doug's mighty baritone telling us that shady ladies are cool. His voice has improved technically and suits the music well. The man is absolutely drenched in soul, sounding like a more earnest and less obnoxious Michael McDonald with no fear of rockin' out.
Musically the band is pretty tight, and the production values for its time sound crisp and surprisingly stellar. These dudes may not have been the big cheese anymore, but they still had a sweet budget to lay down these tracks. There's no real "hooky" tune to latch onto as a potential big single release, but what's bad for the casual rock fan can be good for the prog fan as there's some interesting things going about this disc musically. A song like "Shady Ladies" shouldn't be as complex as it is, but...there you go. In fact, I really dig this tune with its cute keyboard ditties & surprising shifts from happy grooviness to haunting space rock and back again. The opening main track "New Day" (after a silly intro) sounds like a sort of Steppenwolf number, which isn't a bad thing, but keep listening, and eventually you'll get to some 'out there' music, especially the final juggernaut "Butterfly Bleu". As a long track, it doesn't meander too far away from the rest of the album's overall arch, but man at one point things do get pretty weird with the goofy vocal chants, mumblings and interactions with a guitar voice box whining "help me!" It's silly and dated, but fun as a one-off listen.
Metamorphosis requires a few listens to get into (at least for me it did), but if you're not looking for something too proggy but with talent and some great manly vocals, this bugger may do the trick.
PROG REVIEWER
STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012
PROG REVIEWER
Latest members reviews
Every time I've seen Iron Butterfly's history, their profile has a whole, and the music they've created, I've always thought of them as steadfast. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, for all intents and purposes, should not have been as successful as it was. An 18-minute long acid trip jam? Many others at the t ... (read more)
Report this review (#1665750) | Posted by aglasshouse | Thursday, December 8, 2016 | Review Permanlink
This is to me, the best of Iron Butterfly. I enjoyed the whole album, with one exception. That is, "Slower than Guns." It wasn't really a prog related tune like the rest of the album. I remember skipping over it a lot. The best of the bunch, of course, is "Butterfly Bleu." The band took a gia ... (read more)
Report this review (#281135) | Posted by Keetian | Sunday, May 9, 2010 | Review Permanlink
Metamorphosis sees Iron Butterfly expand their early bluesy sound witnessed on 'Heavy' into a more Steppenwolf-ish direction (maybe with hints of Hendrix as well). There is a clear 'Easy Rider'-vibe noticeable throughout the album and no wonder since one of the record's standout tracks is named ... (read more)
Report this review (#133339) | Posted by Jimsey | Thursday, August 16, 2007 | Review Permanlink
OK everybody else has given you the specifics, such as: Erik Braunn (Brann) was replaced by Mike Pinera of Ride Captain Ride fame and Larry Rheinhardt "el rhino". What they've neglected to point out is that THIS IT THE ABSOLUTE BEST BUTTERFLY ALBUM ever. First off the songs are great. Most im ... (read more)
Report this review (#89202) | Posted by | Thursday, September 7, 2006 | Review Permanlink
By this time the Butterfly's wings had started to wilt, but this is really not a bad album. Eric Brann left the group to be replaced by not one but two guitarists. Larry Rheinhart and from Blues Image (famous for the hit "Ride Captain Ride") Mike Pinera. Founder, keyboardist and lead vocalist ... (read more)
Report this review (#72777) | Posted by marktheshark | Thursday, March 23, 2006 | Review Permanlink
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