Artist(s): 	Aphrodite's Child
Album: 	        666
Label :	        Vertigo
Label Info: 	6673 001
Media Info: 	DoLP
Mastered: 	-
Thanks to: 	luckburz
Kind: 	        Vinyl 24-Bit/96kHz
Sound: 	        Stereo
Genre: 	        Psychedelic Rock
Year: 	        1972
Artwork 	Yes
Format 	        .flac
Download Size 	1600 Mb


666 (The Apocalypse of John, 13/18) is a double album by psychedelic/progressive art rock group Aphrodite's Child. It is one of the early cult albums in rock history, and is still popular among fans today. It was released in 1972, and was the primary vehicle/effort for the Vangelis project. It had a minor Album Oriented Radio hit in "The Four Horsemen," and a nearly pop hit with "Break." The album was ostensibly an adaptation of Biblical passages from the book of the same name, but was also very experimental in lyrics and composition, including a curious piece of performance art in which Greek actress Irene Papas performs a struggle to chant a mantra while in the throes of hysteria and sexual climax.
Essentially, 666 was Vangelis' concept, created with an outside lyricist, Costas Ferris. The music that Vangelis was creating for 666 was much more psychedelic and progressive rock oriented than anything the band had done before. The music itself was an impressive display of Vangelis' abilities, combining psychedelic and progressive rock with ethnic instruments, choral chanting, recitations, and very advanced use of synthesizers and keyboards for the time. In time the album became recognized as one of the most important early progressive rock works, and a defining example of the concept album. 666 also made Vangelis an underground name to watch, and in 1974 earned him an offer from Jon Anderson to join Yes following the departure of Rick Wakeman.

Just before the release of the album Vangelis engaged in a long fight with Mercury Records over the content of the album. The record company, in particular, objected to the song "∞" (infinity), which they considered obscene. It consisted of Irene Papas chanting the words "I was, I am, I am to come" over and over again in various stages of hysteria, while Vangelis accompanied her on a maelstrom of percussion (the five-minute finished track was reportedly edited down from a 39-minute piece recorded in a single take). However, the double-album length of 666 and the musical experimentation, as well as the subject matter, also exacerbated Mercury's ire. Another bone of contention was the sleeve note stating "This album was recorded under the influence of Sahlep." This was at first suspected to be either a drug or some form of occult ritual; in fact it is a drink popular around the eastern Mediterranean and made from the dried powdered roots of a type of orchid. After Roussos and Sideras had already released their first solo albums, Mercury finally agreed to release 666 one year after completion and two years after Roussos, Sideras and Koulouris had finished their parts in it, on its progressive rock subsidiary Vertigo Records. The single "Break" also came out in 1972.

Current fans and critics typically rate 666 as the group's finest effort; Allmusic gives it 4½ stars (although their review does say "the entire set eventually becomes too overwhelming to sit through"). IGN rated the album #3 on their top 25 list of the best prog rock albums. In the Q & Mojo Classic Special Edition 'Pink Floyd & The Story of Prog Rock', the album came #40 in its list of "40 Cosmic Rock Albums". 
 
Tracklist
A1 The System
A2 Babylon
A3 Loud, Loud, Loud
A4 The Four Horsemen
A5 The Lamb
A6 The Seventh Seal
 
 
B1 Aegian Sea
B2 Seven Bowls
B3 The Wakening Beast
B4 Lament
B5 The Marching Beast
B6 The Battle Of The Locusts
B7 Do It
B8 Tribulation
B9 The Beast
B10 Ofis
 
C1 Seven Trumpets
C2 Altamont
C3 The Wedding Of The Lamb
C4 The Capture Of The Beast
C5 8
C6 Hic Et Nunc
 
D1 All The Seats Were Occupied
D2 Break
 
Personnel
Silver Koulouris - guitar, percussion, baritone guitar
Demis Roussos - bass, guitar, vocals, background vocals
Lucas Sideras - drums, vocals, background vocals, snare drums
Vangelis - organ, bass, flute, percussion, piano, keyboards, background vocals, vibraphone

Guest musician
John Frost - vocals
Harris Halkitis - bass, percussion, conga, drums, saxophone, tenor sax, vocals, background vocals, snare drums
Irene Papas - vocals
Michel Ripoche - trombone, saxophone, tenor sax
Vannis Tsarouchis - vocals

Production
Hans Brethouwer - mastering
Gerard Fallec - production coordination
Minoru Harada - product manager
Roger Roche - engineer
Hitoshi Takieguchi - mastering engineer
Kiyoshi Tokiwa - art coordinator
Vangelis Papathanassiou - producer
 
Technical Information:
Washed LP - AT120E - Dual CS 505-3 - Kenwood C1 - Gold platted Cable - Edirol R09HR @ 24/96 - Sandisc Extreme III SDHC Card  HDD