Rush Hemispheres (1978) [japan 1991]

While such albums as 1980's Permanent Waves and 1981's Moving Pictures are usually considered Rush's masterpieces (and with good reason), 1978's Hemispheres is just as deserving. Maybe the fact that the album consists of only four compositions (half are lengthy pieces) was a bit too intimidating for some, but the near 20-minute-long "Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres" is arguably the band's finest extended track…

Rush began life as a power trio in the Led Zeppelin/heavy rock mode. Over the years the band refined their musical vision as they gained both instrumental and conceptual facility. 1978's HEMISPHERES marks their transition from heavy riff-mongers to full blown art-rockers…

Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music
5 stars it’s the RUSH album… no ordinary songs! Guitar, bass and drums are incredible! As hard rock as progressive! The guitar sound is unique and it takes most of the place without giving you the feeling that other instruments are not present enough!!

Very little is known about this obscure band. While progressive music was modestly popular in Japan even in the latter 60s (and particularly psychedelic music), few Japanese bands emerged prior to the mid-70s, and by then interest in the genre was temporarily waning throughout Europe and the Americas. Like many early Japanese progressive bands, Mahoujin's single release was completely instrumental, with heavy use of keyboards and synthesized percussion. The album features Hammond, mellotron and moog as well as electric and traditional piano. The band's sound has been most compared to ELP.