Queen (1974) In The Lap of the Gods - LOST70sGEMS

One of the songs that represents the 'sheer' power of Queen' mid 70s heavy Glam Prog phase, where vocal harmonies would blare out heavier than the guitar and drums put together; they were curious act when all the bands bombarded you with riffs and atom splitting drums Queen hit you with heavy stacks of powerful vocals, shrill and overdubbed to the Nth degree so they made up each note of a chord in all three octaves so they were as full as an open major chord and hammered out in spurts like a guitar strike or hit of a drum.

 The shining majestic example is this Clash of the Titans sounding track with it's 'swords n sandals' mythological grandeur summing up the pomp of their first phase, trading in imagery concerning ogre battles and rampaging like Vikings and calling to the heavens. The song suddenly leaps to life with an abrupt start of Roger Taylor's shockingly high vocals; a siren like wail that would make peak Ian Gillan sound like a foghorn in comparison, his super clear tone and the delivery sounding like he is in hysterics, screaming, not to mention the glissando piano runs conjure a Phantom of the Opera familiarity. Soon the familiar Queen sound of multitracked vocals and guitars swirl around us before scorching declaration of 'Leave it in the Lap..OF THE GODS!' is fired out by the group like a cannon and is playfully panned in and out of the right and left earphones to truly leave your ear drums ringing.

 Now enters Freddie's vocal under a lisping, heavily slurred croon that has been slowed down by the varispeed function on a tape machine lit is so sludgy you imagine his vocals emanating from a tar pit. The velvet vocals of Freddie are sung very deep on the verses already but along with the tape speed appear to be draped in some layer of distortion, it affects other elements too such Roger's cymbal and gong parts seem to also have been treated, he sounds like he is hitting them with brushes but with some flanging that drags out the ambience and echo into phased 'whooshes' that seem to reverse echo the sound and have very long decays to add to this muddy distorted mix.

 The barrelling double bass drum rattles us into the chorus; Brian May's pinched harmonics sound like a sweet synthesizer while their surging harmonies soothe and comfort in their soft flutter but with a resounding defiance like Knights of the Order, fitting isn't it? But it's Roger's soul rending cries over and over in melodic loops through all the other cascading elements that touches a raw point inside of me it's anguish, happiness and a whole waterfall of emotions pouring out of him behind that big drum set. What's remarkable about this track is the contrasts from Mercury's dappled delivery, his timbre blends seamlessly into the smooth flanging almost drowning in it's murky, depth while Roger's spectacular melodious wail, so pinched and powerful it blares out like an air horn.