Eternal Flashback

AMG Review of Eternal Flashback

Rolf Semprebon
All Music Guide

Like the very similar Kobe (Reconstruction), this Amon Düül II disc from 1996, originally given away free to people who ordered enough other Amon Düül CDs from the record label, Captain Trip, is actually material from 1969 to 1971 reworked through plunderphonics by members of the group into one seamless, 67-minute-long space rock epic. It's not quite as radical as the John Oswald remix of the Grateful Dead's "Darkstar" on Grayfolded or the Can remix album Sacrilege, though still a quite fascinating bit of trickery, as bits of tracks from the first two albums, Phallus Dei and Yeti, are blended with previously unreleased material. At times it goes in the Kobe direction of long sections of hypnotic guitar jamming over repetitive rhythms, but there are also parts with this odd German/gypsy folk music, featuring creaky violin and dark melancholic vocals. With more vocals and slightly less emphasis on the looped rhythms, this offers a bit more variety than Kobe (Reconstruction), as they are again creating an imaginary long jam by an early version of the band. It may not hold a candle to the original albums, Phallus Dei and Yeti, but will satisfy those who can't get enough of Amon Düül II's early psychedelic years.