ASOKA – Asoka (Sonet, 1971) / Take Off (Mellotronen, 2005; recorded 1968-1973)

English vocals, Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***/***

”Asoka” is one of the most sought-after Swedish heavy rock albums, and needless to say one of the most expensive as far as the original Sonet pressings go. Patrik Erixson had previously played drums for the excellent Taste of Blues but shifted to vocals when joining Take Off who soon changed their name to Asoka. 

So, what else is there about their only proper album, except being heavy and expensive?

Frankly, not much. Yes, we get crossfiring guitars, loud organs, hard driving drumming, heavy riffing and some over-the top jamming, but if you want good songs to channel the energy, there's not much for you here. And Patrik Erixson shouldn't have left his drum stool – his singing voice is thin and out of place. That means Asoka suffers the same fate as Epizootic – a whole lot of collector wallet draining moves and gestures but very little substance.

When Mellotronen reissued the album on CD in 2005, they added an album's worth of archival material as bonus tracks, including a couple of rare ones from Taste of Blues and some recorded while the band was still called Take Off. The unreleased portion was also released separately on vinyl as ”Take Off”. It doesn't do anything to better the original album. And as often the case with albums of this kind, it has mostly substandard sonics. But as we all know, money talks.

Guitarist Robert Larsson and keyboard player Claes Eriksson joined Lotus as Asoka disbanded in 1973 or possibly 1974. A reincarnated Asoka has released three albums since 2007.

Full album including ”Take Off”

TASTE OF BLUES – Schizophrenia (SSR, 1969)

English vocals, instrumental

International relevance: *** 

 

A forerunner to acclaimed heavy rockers Asoka and a major rarity in the €400+ region (but more affordable reissues exist). It's also better than many other big shot collector items. ”Schizophrenia” has a dark underground magic working, particularly on the side long title track owing a lot to Paul Butterfield Blues Band's "East West" with its pulsating rhythm beneath kosmische flute, spaced-out Eastern organs and a fiddle that even lets traditional Swedish melodies seep into the stoned-yet-coherent and menacing atmosphere. Some jazzy moves keep the track from entirely floating away into unknown galaxies. If you want to call it psychedelia, please do, and if so, it's one of the most brilliant examples of Swedish psych you could possibly lend yout ears to.

Side two features five shorter tracks, and even if they're not as 'out there' as ”Schizophrenia” they retain the basement creepiness launched on side one. The mood is what keeps the album cohesive, even when they drift into blues with Eric Burdon & The Animals shadings thanks to American expat Don Washington on vocals. However, the overall emotional impact isn't similar to wannabe Eric Burdon at all – ”Schizophrenia” moves in areas loosely defined by downer Austrians Paternoster and ambigous Xian band Fraction. While heavy in the guitar department, ”Schizophrenia” isn't one of those excuses for boneheaded soloing. It's a genuine group effort, and a sometimes scary, often mesmerizing and always brilliant one.

Full album playlist