Summarily sacked by Ian Anderson from the pre-Aqualung Jethro Tull following a US tour (Anderson being a legendarily disciplined task-master with his musicians, had allegedly taken exception to his 'party-animal' proclivities), bassist Glenn Cornick had kicked his heels at his parents' pub back in the UK for a while, before recruiting a team of (mostly Welsh) musicians for his own band Wild Turkey. Produced by the legendarily reclusive Rodger Bain (Cornick would later complain of the record's flat production values, but it generally sounds fine), 'Battle Hymn' showcases the talents of teen lead-guitar prodigy Alan 'Tweke' Lewis, vocalist Gary Pickford Hopkins (a less-hoarse, more tuneful and bluesy, Rod Stewart soundalike) while also highlighting Cornick's own burgeoning abilities as a composer - which would fully mature on the follow-up album, 'Turkey'. Channelling Black Sabbath's rifferama attack on 'One Sole Survivor', 'Sentinel,' 'Twelve Streets of Cobbled Black' and on the title-track 'Battle Hymn', band democracy also allowed room for the folk/protest influences brought to the group by second guitarist/vocalist Jon Blackmore, while Pickford-Hopkins own lyrical contributions provide a nicely Gothic touch on cuts such as 'Easter Psalm'. One of the great lost and under-rated 'heavy' guitar bands. Check out the tracks mentioned.Record en gatefold zijn geweldig