Metamorphosis (Iron Butterfly album)
| Metamorphosis | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Iron Butterfly | ||||
| Released | August 13, 1970 | |||
| Recorded | May–July 1970 | |||
| Studio | American Recording Company, Studio City, Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | Acid rock, psychedelic rock, hard rock, heavy metal | |||
| Length | 40:50 | |||
| Label | Atco | |||
| Producer | Richard Podolor | |||
| Iron Butterfly chronology | ||||
| ||||
Metamorphosis is the fourth studio album by Iron Butterfly, released on August 13, 1970. Though not as successful as its predecessor Ball (1969), it reached number 16 on the US charts.[1][2] Erik Brann, who left because of band disputes, was replaced by four session guitarists. Two of them, Mike Pinera, and Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt (called El Rhino on the sleeve), would become members of Iron Butterfly before the album's release. Officially, the album is credited not to Iron Butterfly, but to "Iron Butterfly with Pinera & Rhino", in reference to the two aforementioned guitarists.
The album spawned the single "Easy Rider (Let the Wind Pay the Way)", which reached number 66 on the Billboard chart,[1] making it the band's biggest hit aside from "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida". The album is noted for having one of the earliest uses of the talk box on a rock album.
Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine rated Metamorphosis three out of five stars. He explained that "the group continued its musical explorations, adding a layered production to its sound." He also stated that "[the] ambition [...] makes for an interesting listen."[3]
Track listing
All tracks written by Ron Bushy, Lee Dorman, and Doug Ingle, except where noted.
| Side one | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Lead vocals | Length |
| 1. | "Free Flight" | None | 0:40 |
| 2. | "New Day" | Ingle, Pinera | 3:08 |
| 3. | "Shady Lady" (music: Bushy, Dorman, Ingle; lyrics: Robert Woods Edmonson) | Ingle | 3:50 |
| 4. | "Best Years of Our Life" | Pinera | 3:55 |
| 5. | "Slower Than Guns" (music: Bushy, Dorman, Ingle; lyrics: Edmonson) | Ingle | 3:37 |
| 6. | "Stone Believer" | Ingle, Pinera | 5:20 |
| Side two | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Lead vocals | Length |
| 7. | "Soldier in Our Town" (music: Bushy, Dorman, Ingle; lyrics: Edmonson) | Ingle | 3:10 |
| 8. | "Easy Rider (Let the Wind Pay the Way)" (music: Bushy, Dorman, Ingle; lyrics: Edmonson) | Ingle | 3:06 |
| 9. | "Butterfly Bleu" | Pinera | 14:03 |
Songwriting credits per BMI Records. The album sleeve ambiguously credits the songs to "Iron Butterfly".
Personnel
Iron Butterfly
- Ron Bushy – drums
- Lee Dorman – bass guitar
- Doug Ingle – organ, vocals
- Mike Pinera – guitar, vocals
- Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt – guitar
Additional personnel
- Richard Podolor – producer, sitar, twelve-string guitar
- Bill Cooper – engineer, twelve-string guitar
- Roger Webster – art direction, photography, front cover
- Bob Jenkins – art direction, photography (inside)
- Robert Blue – back cover art
Charts
"Easy Rider (Let the Wind Pay the Way)" – Billboard
| Chart (1970) | Position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100[4] | 66 |
Singles
US singles
- "Easy Rider (Let the Wind Pay the Way)" b/w "Soldier in Our Town"
- "Stone Believer" b/w "Silly Sally" (Non-LP cut)
Non-US singles
- "Easy Rider (Let the Wind Pay the Way)" b/w "Soldier in Our Town"
- "New Day" b/w "Soldier in Our Town"
- "Best Years of Our Life" b/w "Shady Lady"
- "Silly Sally" b/w "Stone Believer"
References
- 1 2 Joynson, Vernon (1995). Fuzz, Acid, & Flowers Archived 2011-08-25 at the Wayback Machine.. London: Borderline Books.
- ↑ "Billboard 200 - Iron Butterfly". Retrieved September 21, 2017.
- 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Metamorphosis - Iron Butterfly at AllMusic. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
- ↑ "Billboard Hot 100 - Iron Butterfly". Retrieved September 21, 2017.