Flower Travellin' Band, 70's Metal from Japan

Few albums come out perfect, few step out of their own eras and are ahead of their times and even fewer stay fresh for over 30 years. Enter Satori by Flower Travellin' Band a totally intense metal album from Japan. Originally released in 1971 and is the band's first release of original material. Lead by singer Yuya Uchida who became turned on to Rock and Roll by John Lennon in the 60's. Uchida formed a cover band to perform these songs in Japan called The Flowers. They released their first album in 1968 titled Challenge which featured the members naked on the cover. The album consists of mostly American rock covers like 'Combination of Two' and 'Hey Joe'.

Two years later the band returned under the name Flower Travellin Band and their first release titled Anywhere also features the members of the group naked on the cover and is also a collection of cover songs like House of 'The Rising Sun', '21st Century Schizoid Man' and 'Black Sabbath' which brings me to this album.

Satori is a Buddhist term which means to Understand, Awaken or become Enlightened. This is the band's first release of original material which is driven by heavy crashing drums and fierce guitar licks and riffs. From the sound and quality of this album the band took significant notes on what other psychedelic rock bands were doing around the same time. The musicians sound tighter than ever on this recording and could deceive one anyone into thinking this is a new release. It's resemblance to Black Sabbath is uncanny and hard to ignore, but while searching the bands chronology, hearing the Black Sabbath cover from Anywhere puts it into great perspective. They saw the future and went straight to the Zone.