Ultra- Ultra (Canadá 1975-77 Hard Rock)

Este estupendo, que digo estupendo, este gran y  bestial discazo, lo descubrí hace unos cuantos años en un gran Blog que existió, llamado ChrisGoesRock, y que desapareció, aunque recuerdo que nos dejó unos muy buenos discos. Como este, que contiene unas canciones que aunque descritas con la etiqueta HardRock, es una mezcolanza de Hard, Rock, Blues, Southern, y llenas de ritmo y fuerza sonora. Hacia tiempo que no lo escuchaba, pero hoy me ha vuelto a llenar de energia.
Como muestra de lo que nos llevamos, os dejo este video de 1976. Suena el tema Mutants, aunque no se corresponde la imagen con el sonido. Asi vemos el aspecto de la banda en su salsa, los directos.

VIDEO EN VIVO, SAN ANTONIO

Acompaño con la reseña original, en inglés, sorry, pero es que Chris lo explica mejor que yo.

Ripped By: ChrisGoesRock

By 1974, the line-up of the Texas band “Homer” was: Don Evans (vocals & drums), Chet Himes (bass), Van Wilks (guitar), and Galen Niles (guitar). This version of the band lasted for only a short while, as Van Wilks left to pursue a solo career (“Bombay Tears” - Mercury Records) and Chet Himes left to pursue a career as a recording engineer (“Christipher Cross”, “Ted Nugent Live”, etc.). After a brief time-out, remaining “Homer” members Galen Niles and Don Evans teamed up with Larry McGuffin (guitar), Scott Stephens (bass), and Tom Schleuning (drums) to form the group “Ultra”. They agreed that the music of Ultra would be a departure from the 3-part vocal harmonies and “mellotron” background characteristic of Homer’s music; Gibson Guitars plugged directly into Marshall 100 watt stacks blasting out twin lead guitars playing harmony and trading solos would form the basis of Ultra’s music. After several months of rehersal, they set about securing management. Not wanting to be labeled a “club band”, the group found management services in the form of a Texas rock-concert promotion company: “Stone City Productions”. Consequently, Ultra’s public performances were almost exclusively as the opening act for several touring bands popular at the time. Performing at this level gave Ultra a fair amount of audience exposure, but it also meant that their road expenses were very high; in fact, their “roadies” usually took home most what little money that there was. Three years of starvation and the creeping popularity of “disco” and “punk” music convinced the band mambers that the prospect of getting a hard-edged rock band off the ground at that point in time was not very good, and the group disbanded in 1978. These songs were recorded from 1976 - 1978 at United Audio Recording Studios in San Antonio, and were engineered by Bob Bruce. All songs were written by Niles, McGuffin & Evans

Ultra is old school metal/70's southern rock grooves with outstanding vocals that remind me mainly of ZZ-Top...in fact these cats seem to have a lot in common with the good 'ol Texas boys, but they are a tad more metal...well, a lot more than ZZ-Top ever was.

These songs all have a southern groove thing happening and I could easily see Ultra on a bill with Dixie Witch or Weedeater alike. The songs are super tight rock and roll veteran style. The rhythm section is unstoppable and just trucks along like a well oiled machine the whole time. The songs also have a Doors like tint to them...can't explain it. Just has that desert 60's psychedelic coating to it.

The guitar work is outstanding and fitting for the music, but seems to push the envelope one step further and adding styling/leads that would be equally fitting on a Iron Maiden or Judas Priest record...I guess this is where the main metal aspect comes from. There are tons of 2 part harmony guitar leads and super precise chops, in other words yes! Top notch musicianship in all fields. Song 4 (Ten Years Since) has a cool guitar lead intro that sounds like bagpipes...unreal.

This is a different approach on classic rock. If you dig southern rock, Molly Hatchet, ZZ-Top...this will fit in. It would also go nicely along side of Priest and AC/DC alike. Hard rock southern metal psychedelic grooves...Safe to say this one will get some listening abuse by me:) 

PS- I just realized that this is in fact a re-issue and was originally released in the late 70's...doh! Go figure. It's another lost classic rock gem that I recommend.

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Look for: TRAUL o TRAUL-ALT