I read a comment about Tempest somewhere that stated something like “Tempest’s first album most cited and noted for the heavy prog that it is, but the second album is the most memorable of the pair”. This paraphrased quote totally captures my feelings as well. The first album is fantastic, good on many levels, but Living On Fear has the tunes and simply, jams the fuck out!
Both Paul Williams and Alan Holdsworth left Tempest after their self titled debut. With their two most celebrity members gone Hiseman and Clarke recruited guitarist/ vocalist/keyboard player Ollie Hallsall. The band more or less ditched their progressive vibes and went full on heavy rock and it works, really good! Very much in the vein of what Deep Purple were up to with “Burn” around the same time. The band even tackles a stomping cover of the Beatles’ Paperback Writer. Not a low moment on this beast of an album and I haven’t even gone into Funeral Empire. Put this in your ears.
Original 1974 UK pressing on Bronze. Discogs pickup. No interesting/boring story about this one, hah.
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