666: The Apocalypse of St John

The vinyl is exactly what I wanted and more!! Came in great quality and though it was a little long it still got to me before the expected date! It was beautifully packaged clearly with care and my fiancé was so beyond happy with it! Also no scratches or issues with the playing whatsoever!! So happy to be able to own such a special piece of music!!

There is really only one song on this entire two-disc set that matters at all or that is really worth listening to. That may sound like bad news, but it isn't. Why? Because that song is one of the single greatest songs ever recorded, by anyone. And, once you have heard it, your life will never be the same again. The song is The Four Horsemen and it is absolutely one of the most transformative, powerful and impactful songs you will ever hear in your entire life. Once you have heard it, you will never look at music or the world around you the same way again. It's that good. It's that powerful. It's that special. Buy this CD-set for that one, all-important, life-altering song. Then, listen to it loud...as loud as you possibly can. Once you have heard it, especially at very high volume, you'll instantly know what makes it so incredibly special - and you'll wish you'd have came across it sooner.

I first heard The System/Babylon on a progressive rock package I had purchased years ago. I was very intrigued and I knew Vangelis had this group years ago. This is great headphone fodder. To me, it is a rock opera of sorts. An interpretation of the bible's account of Revelations. You have to remember this was 1971, so it will sound somewhat dated. Much like the original score of Jesus Christ Superstar. Is it heady? Yeah. Maybe too much? Well, it is psychedelic and progressive, so yeah. But, once again, it is an interpretation. Whether you approve of this coming from the year 1971 is up to you. Myself? Yeah, I dig it. There are some places that make you wonder why you would put that on a recording, like the track 00 (Infinity). You may ask yourself "what is with the faux operatic, orgasmic vocals during this track? Runs the gauntlet of strange to hilarious to huh? So, myself believes this is a progressive rock opera of sorts. Like Tommy or Jesus Christ Superstar, it does sound aged. Leaves you to wonder what it would sound like with today's technology? Has the elements of King Crimson, Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Pink Floyd all rolled into one. I say Bravo on this one.

I got this CD for my husband so I asked him to write the review. Here is what he says: " This is a classic recording released originally in 1971. The performers are a Greek band called Aphrodite's Child. The most well known of the original band who has gone on to more recognizable music is Vangelis. He has gone on to score movies and won an Academy Award for the "Chariots of fire" theme. He gets the writing and producing credits for this work. The recording itself is a telling of the Bible's book of John called "Revelations". Pretty heady stuff. The music is also pretty "heady" in the sense that it is the psychedelic rock genre so popular at the time. it also has a lot of classical in the mix as well. The recording has since become a cult favorite. It gets a five star rating from me primarily because of the subject matter and the courage it took for the band to attempt an opus of this undertaking. There are some very good musical interludes on this recording. Screaming guitar leads and synthesizer wizardry abound. The vocals are dramatic and interesting, though at times; they fall short of the challenges. Also at times; the music becomes almost unintelligible as the band becomes (in my opinion) just a little too carried away with their psychedelia and atmospheric meanderings. Once again; I recommend this HIGHLY as an addition to any audiophile's collection. It is a one of a kind recording.

This is the perfect soundtrack to the events of the Apocalypse. If you have an ounce of imagination lurking around in your head, this will trigger it. I will buy the CD one day, have the vinyl LP, and every note, word, and sound, is committed to memory. The recital on "Agaen Sea," with that ominous voice, I can't think of a better vehicle for that passage. You can almost see a blood-red full moon, and falling stars while listening to this piece. The imagery of Revelation, so colorful, so frightening, is delivered to the listener in a way, someone not familiar with scripture is given a taste of the most widely interpreted, and debated book of the New Testament.The controversy over the title, comes from people reading and seeing only what they want to see. What they have to keep in mind, the inscription on the front cover, is taken verbatum from Revelation. The huge number 666, in white letters, against a black background, over a red cover, seems to inspire fear of "Devil Music;" gimme a break, remember the PMRC Senate hearings in the '80's?This is a very artistic interpretation of ancient text, told through the medium of Avant-Garde music, circa 1970.And like the text that inspired it, it's timeless. Go ahead, treat yourself. you'll be glad you did.P.S. I finally did get the CD version. NICE!

I bought this on vinyl back in 1976 on a whim (I thought the cover was interesting and it was in the rock section). I was pleasantly surprised when I first played it back then, but could never seem to get any of my friends interested. I found this again while surfing and decided to buy it in the CD format for my collection. Back in 1976 I was listening to YES, Genesis, ELP and other experimental rock bands. This album definitely sounds different from these bands, but falls into the same category. This is a great concept album that never really got the attention it deserved. Still to this day this album is a classic that most people have never heard. If you like progressive rock, I would highly recommend you give this one a try, you too will be pleasantly surprised.

Being born in the early 70s it was pretty normal to find a Demis Roussos album festering in the vicinity of the old hi-fidelity gramophone device so beloved of my parent's generation. Little did I know back then that the Greek warbler and purveyor of clothing resembling the finest in psychedelic window drapes would had involvement in such a bizarre yet charismatic combo such as Aphrodite's Child. Fast forward to early 90s when I first got 666 on CD after hearing The Four Horsemen on a Vertigo compilation album. Intriguing to say the least, not something you would hear on daytime radio and certainly not something you would have on in the background at a shindig. Nevertheless it is worth visiting if only to hear two unique musical artists before they became famous for entirely different types of music. Perhaps it's fair to say that Vangelis didn't stray too far from his musical palette in future times but of course, Roussos became much more well known for his Greek flavoured MOR. Perhaps this is a little unfair as there weren't too many vocalists of the 1970s who had the pitch and range to match. It's easy to look back on this period with humour and sarcasm (much of which can be justified) but further exploration can often reveal lesser known gems that deserve rediscovery.Quite so here and what better excuse to indulge than a nice hefty vinyl reprint, faithful to the original with the famous Swirl labels ready to send you into a psychedelic frenzy should find yourself with nothing better to do than stare at them. Actually, I do quite like watching records revolve. It has a kind of calming feeling.Mastered from proper analogue sources at Abbey Road where they're pretty good at doing this type of thing well. Happy to say they succeed again here. The usual irritation at lack of poly lined sleeves applies again here but it's a minor point and I really can't get excited about it as they're easy enough to buy anyway.Major record labels get a rough time but as far as reissues and catalogue regeneration go, Universal are at the top of the game. Sure, they don't always get it totally right but a look at their recent releases shows they have a solid commitment to vinyl and the ability to do it well. I'm not convinced at their pricing levels, considering them to be on the high side but in defence, this is a premium product, aimed at a small market with a limited pressing meaning that the price per unit is likely to be considerably higher. Worth paying for? In this case, yes. Used original copies of this album are hard to come by in decent condition and do command a high price. Being on the Vertigo label makes the collectibility higher and prices are just plain ridiculous for those who prefer to PLAY our records as opposed to just having them to look at.I like it. It won't be a massive seller at the price but it is a perfect example of music from a time when artistic ambitions could be fulfilled without having to sell your soul to the corporate beanpushers. Long before Autotune, dynamic compression, Simon Cowell and rap destroyed real music we have something that is worthy of still being talked about over 40 years since it first came out.

I had quite grand expectations for this album. It is one that I would have preferred to have on vinyl, but I caved in and got the CD to enjoy during the Covid lock down.The first part of the album is nice symphonic prog. The second part becomes very psychedelic. If you like that sort of thing then I'd recommend the album.

I had been after this album for the last 25 years - and watching "High and Dry" comedy on BBC 2 - identified the Album and I was transported back to a time when I could listen to loud music without being told to turn that down. Simply wonderful

This is a limited edition red vinyl. It looks excellent. The music is of its time: extended musical athletics that stretch even the most loyal of progressive music appreciation. Two tracks hold up really well, The Horsemen and the Aegien Sea. I mostly think the albums best are found on the first of the two discs. Side three is way too off the wall and feels like vangelis was doing way too much mind altering experiements. Overall I love the theme and treatment of the subject. A cult classic.

Outstanding item amazing concept album love vangelis to start with but this is the cherry on the cake