After the demise of the excellent Colosseum in the early 1970s, virtuoso drummer Jon Hiseman put together Tempest. Just two albums before they were gone also – though what an excellent pair of albums they are.
The first self-titled debut in 1973 had a line of up Hiseman, Matt Clarke, Paul Williams and the brilliant Allan Holdsworth on guitar.
It’s a superb album of progressive/jazzy/hard rock with as you’d expect Holdsworth showing blazing guitar skills and flourishes throughout. Another as you’d expect is Hiseman’s drumming – brilliant, free flowing, fluid.
Matt Clarke’s bass line are precise together with Paul Williams’ soulful vocals. A really strong debut with stuff such as Gorgon, the brooding Dark House and others making for a strong listen full of oh so well composed and performed progressive rock. Surely tempest had a big future?
Despite critical praise, the album wasn’t a huge commercial success. However a second album (Living in Fear) was issued in 1974 with a revised line-up. Williams and Holdsworth were gone. In came the brilliant Ollie Halsall on guitar, vocals and synths etc.
Now, I’m a big admirer of Halsall. How good was he? He brings a harder edge to Living in Fear and overall it’s a more straight ahead style whilst retaining plenty of the prog/jazzy feel of the debut.
Halsall is all over it. Effortless riffing and shredding to the maximum without over-playing. His synth bursts add plenty too at the right time and in the right way to complement his guitar and bring a new dimension to things.
Clarke’s bass (like on the debut) is precise locking in with Hiseman’s drumming making Living in Fear (in my opinion) a stronger album to the debut.
Funeral Empire rocks. Stargazer a bit trippy, Dance to My Tune an excellent seven minuter with a bit of everything. It’s all so good. Well, perhaps not the cover of the Beatles’ Paperback Writer. That doesn’t work for me however the rest of it OK to forgive the cover.
Have a listen to Dance to My Tune:
After Living in Fear not selling to well, this was the end of the line for Tempest. Such a pity as both albums are so good and still sounding fresh some fifty years after original release.
Don’t let them pass you by – at least check them out. Tempest albums on Amazon:
Tempest
https://amzn.to/38pHv54
Living in Fear
https://amzn.to/3jMZc0B