Bang - Death Of A Country (1971)

Bang was formed in 1971 by drummer Tony Diorio, bassist/singer Frank Ferrara, and guitarist Frank Gilcken and got their first significant break by gate-crashing a Small Faces show in Orlando. They recorded their first album 'Death Of A Country' the same year, but it was rejected by their record company Capitol as being a ‘heavy concept album’ that they thought no one would understand. Instead they went back into the studio to record their official debut album 'Bang', which was released in 1972. Often cited as being the closest band America had to Black Sabbath in the early 70’s, there was much more to Bang than being mere copyists, and all of their albums contain some intricate and inventive heavy rock. Their second album 'Mother/Bow To The King' should have been their entry into the rock mainstream, but changes in personnel at their record company offices and an externally forced line-up change led to frustration and bewilderment, and they finally released their swansong album 'Music' in 1973. It was on this album that we saw a mature songwriting partnership moving away from the all out heaviness of their earlier work, into reflective, yet uplifting almost Powerpop mode. The band broke up after the failure of this record, but briefly reunited in 1999 to record new music for a couple of releases in 1999 and 2004, but it's their 70's output which needs reappraisal, especially this aborted debut, which admittedly might not have sold in 1971, but sounds magnificent now.  

Track listing

01 Death Of A Country 
02 No Trespassing 
03 My Window  
04 Life on Ending  
05 Certainly Meaningless  
06 Future Song