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LP
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MIG 3241LP
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"Logically, Omega did not plan to divide their career into genre phases at the time. Music journalists and fans -- and especially statisticians -- did that later. According to their interpretation, the second half of the seventies was the Space Rock era of the Hungarian band. It is represented by the trilogy Time Robber (1976), Skyrover (1978) and finally Gammapolis (1979). Although spherical sounds could already be heard in the work of the Budapest quintet before and after this, Omega only really showed themselves to be so conceptually focused on this triple. If you take the successful LP Time Robber as a measure of quality, Gammapolis could easily keep up. The compositions of the group around singer Jànos Kòbor had become more melancholic, the bittersweet melodies more flattering. This was especially true of the seven-minute opener 'Dawn In The City' ('Hajnal a város felett'), the title track 'Gammapolis' and 'Silver Rain' ('Ezüst eső'). Apart from the vocals and the language, there are some minor differences between the Western European, English-language version and the Hungarian 'original' in the order of the tracks and the length of the songs. Minimally, Omega let the instrumental passages of some songs flow longer on the native language version. For the Western European Omega record buyers, however, these subtle differences were irrelevant, as most of them were not even familiar with the Hungarian songs. Nor would they have noticed that Gammapolis was the best-selling LP of the band's career in Omega's home country, selling almost three quarters of a million copies. However, the German cover artwork differed considerably from the Hungarian version: while the Bacillus/Bellaphon version showed the silhouettes of the musicians against a night sky cut by anti-aircraft searchlights, the Pepita album apparently depicted a futuristic but barren world on an alien planet."
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LP
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MIG 3221LP
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"After four studio albums and one compilation, the Hungarian megastars Omega were still much of an insider tip in the West. However, sales figures were noticeably rising, though far from going through the roof. In addition, the band had evolved, becoming more professional, both in their live performance and in their appearance. Those in charge at Bacillus/Bellaphon definitely meant to hold on to Omega, so in 1976 the contract with the quintet was extended till 1980. And the band, together with producer Peter Hauke, went to the Europasound Studios in Offenbach to record Time Robber. That LP was Omega's breakthrough in the West. To date, the album is said to have sold around two million copies. And this success was well deserved; for the first time, the Hungarians delivered a complex, self-contained work. Hopes were high for Skyrover. Omega came to Offenbach again and self-produced an exquisite successor of Time Robber, which was in no way inferior to its immensely successful predecessor. Quite a few Omega fans even consider Skyrover to be the better record, since the band elegantly merged the styles, which on Time Robber still appeared sometimes a bit stiff and side-by-side. 'Russian Winter' has become a live classic -- titled 'Lena' on the Hungarian LP version. With its Eastern European folklore references, the song stood out from the musical concept, and that's probably why it became a fan favorite."
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MIG 3211LP
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"Omega, the most successful Hungarian prog rock band, released their best material in the '70s, and Time Robber is considered the musical highlight of Omega's discography. The heart of the LP is the title track, flanked by 'House Of Cards Part I & II.' The nearly 13-minute work encapsulates exactly what Omega was all about in 1976: progressive space rock mixed with hard rock elements. After four studio albums and one compilation, the Hungarian top stars Omega were still an insider tip in the West. But there was a noticeable upward trend in the sales figures, even if the sales were far from going through the roof. In addition, the band had developed and become more professional both live and in their appearance. Bacillus/Bellaphon wanted to keep Omega at all costs and extended the quintet's contract in 1976 until 1980. The band moved into the Europasound Studios in Offenbach with Peter Hauke and recorded Time Robber there. The LP was Omega's breakthrough in the West. To date, the album is said to have sold around two million copies. And this success was no accident, as the Hungarians delivered a complex, self-contained work for the first time."
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CD
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MIG 2580CD
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"More than 50 million records sold, LP productions in Hungarian, German and English, tours and festival appearances throughout Europe and Japan, at least 50 cover versions or adaptations of the world hit 'Gyöngyhajú lány' -- Omega are Hungary's number one rock export. In 2022, the band will be celebrating its 60th stage anniversary, making it one of the longest-serving rock formations in the world. On St. Nicholas Day, December 06, 2021, singer and founding member János Kóbor passed away due to the coronavirus. Now the Omega albums from the well-known and successful Bacillus era will be rereleased originally and completely on CD, vinyl and digitally. After a few trips into symphonic and psychedelic rock realms, Omega presented themselves on III, released at the end of 1974, again more down to earth: Nine crisp hard rock tracks, only one exceeding the four-minute mark. For this album, Peter Hauke, still producer, and Omega not only used current material, but also included songs that had already been recorded in the Hungarian original in 1969: 'Stormy Fire' and 'Spanish Guitar'. In order to attract a broader audience, the songs had been pared down, instrumental soloing was reduced. In order to attract a broader audience, the songs had been pared down, instrumental soloing was reduced. Although Omega had always flirted with progressive stylistic means since their turn to psychedelic rock in 1969, this time they kept their hands off intricate arrangements. Instead, they turned towards the zeitgeist by including rather blunt rock tunes like 'Stormy Fire', 'Go On The Spree' and 'Fancy Jeep' in the list, which could also please a glam rock fan and passionate consumer of single hits by bands like The Sweet and Slade. The series with re-releases of Omega from the catalog of the rock label Bacillus will continue."
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MIG 2601LP
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"Remastered reissue of Omega's second album. More than 50 million records sold, LP productions in Hungarian, German and English, tours and festival appearances throughout Europe and Japan, at least 50 cover versions or adaptations of the world hit 'Gyöngyhajú lány' -- Omega are Hungary's number one rock export. In 2022, the band will be celebrating its 60th stage anniversary, making it one of the longest-serving rock formations in the world. On St. Nicholas Day, December 06, 2021, singer and founding member János Kóbor passed away due to the coronavirus. Now the Omega albums from the well-known and successful Bacillus era will be rereleased originally and completely on vinyl. After a few trips into symphonic and psychedelic rock realms, Omega presented themselves on III, released at the end of 1974, again more down to earth: Nine crisp hard rock tracks, only one exceeding the four-minute mark. For this album, Peter Hauke, still producer, and Omega not only used current material, but also included songs that had already been recorded on the Hungarian original from 1969: 'Stormy Fire' and 'Spanish Guitar'. In order to attract a broader audience, the songs had been pared down, instrumental soloing was reduced. Although Omega had always flirted with progressive stylistic means since their turn to psychedelic rock in 1969, this time they kept their hands off intricate arrangements. Instead, they turned towards the zeitgeist by including rather blunt rock tunes like 'Stormy Fire', 'Go On The Spree' and 'Fancy Jeep' in the list, which could also please a glam rock fan and passionate consumer of single hits by bands like The Sweet and Slade."
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MIG 2591LP
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"Remastered re-issue of Omega's debut album. More than 50 million records sold, LP productions in Hungarian, German and English, tours and festival appearances throughout Europe and Japan, at least 50 cover versions or adaptations of the world hit 'Gyöngyhajú lány' -- Omega are Hungary's number one rock export. In 2022, the band will be celebrating its 60th stage anniversary, making it one of the longest-serving rock formations in the world. On St. Nicholas Day, December 06, 2021, singer and founding member János Kóbor passed away due to the coronavirus. Now the Omega albums from the well-known and successful Bacillus era will be rereleased originally and completely on vinyl. The 1973 LP Omega I was a compilation of songs from 'Élö' and from the album Omega 5, which was released in the same year in the Eastern bloc. To boost sales of this first Bacillus record by the Hungarian flagship rockers, it was backed by two singles of the ballad 'Gyöngyhajú lány' in English ('Pearls In Her Hair')."
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CD
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HUNG 17390CD
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The first Omega CD, 2003 edition. "Formed in 1962, Omega began releasing singles in 1966 which featured covers of The Rolling Stones, The Hollies and Herman's Hermits as well as their own original material which reflected these and other Western influences. By 1968, they had briefly toured England and released an album on the UK Decca label under the title Omega Red Star From Hungary, which included some of these singles as well as other tracks which were to appear on Trombidas Fredi es Rettenetes Emberek, their first Hungarian release on the government-owned label, Hungaroton. The themes and messages in the songs were typically '60s, about love & peace and had various approaches to the contemporary '60s rock composition, some sounding like Peter, Paul & Mary ('If I Were The Wind') others like early Rolling Stones ('A Girl Hasn't Gone Home') with trippy guitars and the title track even having a ragtime feel with a honky-tonk sounding piano and a horn section. For the most part though, the album is drenched in psychedelia." --Ian Gledhill, Prog Archives
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HUNG 17400CD
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2003 reissue of the second album from Omega. "Classic album from this legendary Hungarian band. In order to understand and appreciate what a remarkable achievement this work was when it was recorded in 1968, it is perhaps necessary to briefly examine the constraints and restrictions faced by aspiring pop bands behind the veil of The Iron Curtain during the 1960s. Despite the fact that Hungary was one of the first breakaway satellite countries both socially and economically under Josef Kadar's New Economic Mechanism implemented in 1966, a censorship board known as The Song Committee had been established in order to syphon out any sensitive material which it deemed harmful to or which seeked to undermine the idealogical agenda of the state. This was a good thing and a bad thing for the bands. They could play their rock n'roll music, which in itself was considered to be symbolic of Western capitalistic endeavors, but the lyrical contents were not to cross any fine lines politically. One has to bear in mind that this was the time when The Beatles were singing about a revolution, Bob Dylan was speaking his mind through the rock medium and closer to home in Western Europe, bands like Amon Düül and Floh de Cologne were making political musical statements. It was the '60s man! The themes throughout the album are mostly mystical and full of legend and even if the listener is not familiar with the unique Hungarian language, the music is very moody and appropriate to the individual song concepts. Omega evolved into the biggest rock act to emerge from Eastern Europe ever, recording in English and German, touring Western Europe as well as Japan. Omega broke down barriers long before the Berlin Wall was broken down and for those who want a taste of what was going on behind The Iron Curtain rock-wise, in the 1960s, 10000 Lepes is an interesting and important audio document which reveals the early Omega East meets West rock formula. Vintage Eastern European prog which rocked against the odds that takes the listener into a forbidden place in a dangerous time. Highly recommended for serious students of the prog rock genre." -- Ian Gledhill, Prog Archives
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