Iron Butterfly - Original Album Series [5CD Box Set] (2016) [CD Rip]

Although they made no impact in the UK, Iron Butterfly were one of America's leading attractions of the psychedelic-era, releasing 5 albums between 1968 and 1970 which encompassed psychedelia, proto-heavy rock, pop, fuzzed-out guitar drones, and, towards the end, classic hard rock.
This great value boxed set rounds up the aformentioned 5 albums from their glory days, all housed in replica mini-album sleeves, although there are no bonus tracks.

Here's an album-by-album rundown of what you get for your money:

Disc 1: "Heavy" (1968).
Although their debut album was, stylistically, something of a mixed bag - as the band were still forging their identity - displaying the group's formative pop and r&b influences, the heavy, psychedelic drones of fuzzed-out instrumental "Iron Butterfly Theme" alongside psych/rockers such as "Possession" and "Unconscious Power" pointed the way forward on this diverse, psychedelic offering which has much light and shade and a certain period charm. 6.5/10.

Disc 2: "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (1968).
Following a line-up reshuffle, Iron Butterly unleashed of the era's biggest-selling LPs stateside, with its 17-minute title track the undoubted centerpiece, combining heavy, distorted riffs, raga-influenced instrumental passages, Ron Bushy's African-influenced drum solo, and swirling Hammond organ. The remainder isn't half bad either, veering from the heavy, psychedelic rock of "Are You Happy" to the moody, dirge-like "My Mirage". A perfect melting pot of psychedelia, rock, pop hooks, and genuine exploration. A classic of the age. 8/10.

Disc 3: "Ball" (1969).
The follow-up saw Iron Butterfly adopt a slightly more spacious, expansive sound, although the psychedelic drone still made itself heard (the doom-laden "In The Time Of Our Lives" sounding almost gothic), and the group's journey towards heavy rock continued on tracks like "It Must Be Love" with its stinging, wah-wah guitar soloing. Elsewhere, the more experimental "Belda Beast" and joyous "Soul Experience" saw the band broaden their psychedelic horizons as they bade farewell to the 60s. 7/10.

Disc 4: "Live" (1970).
Issued as a stopgap, "Live" was a faithful document of (part of) a typically thunderous Butterfly perfomance taped in May 1969 which saw the band transfer their trademark heavy drone to a live setting with ease with a side-long rendition of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" to the fore - a fair effort at replicating the original, although the instrumental section meanders a little and the drum solo is twice as long. Tracks such as "Filled With Fear" and "You Can't Win" display Butterfly's perfect fusion of psychedelia and proto-heavy rock as well as their tightness as an ensemble. 7/10.

Disc 5: "Metamorphosis" (1970).
While "...Da-Vida" might be regarded as their calling card left for posterity, Butterfly saved their best till last as they ditched the psychedelic trimmings and embraced no-frills hard rock, though their trademark use of light and shade manifested itself in nods to funk ("Shady Lady"), beautiful, acoustic protest songs ("Slower Than Guns") and one last extended composition (the 14-minute "Butterfly Blue"). Elsewhere, classic rock anthems like "Easy Rider (Let The Wind Pave The Way)", "New Day" and "Stone Believer" pointed the way towards the new decade as (following another line-up change) the newly-added twin lead guitars weaved their magic. 8.5/10.

So there you have it. Although they would make a comeback with a brace of albums in 1975 ("Scorching Beauty" and "Sun And Steel", both worth checking out but not considered "classic" Butterfly), these 5 albums represent the reason Iron Butterfly keep turning up in music encyclopedias and were one of America's great pre-Sabbath, proto-heavies who took the initial lightness of psychedelia and added heavy, fuzzed-out grooves and doom-laden, almost gothic keyboards. If you're a student of the first wave of American heavy bands, you need to check them out. Try it.