Toto: Hydra 1979 (Rem)

Special Deluxe Collector"'s Edition / Fully remastered sound shaped from 24 BIT digital technology / Classic AOR / Contains "'Hydra"', "'St George And The Dragon"' and "'White Sister"' / 16 page full colour booklet - 3,000 word essay about the making of the album, enhanced artwork and rare photos. IT"'S FAIR TO say that Toto"'s debut album was one of the surprise events of 1978. It was rammed to the rafters with methodically crafted tracks, and produced two bonafide hit singles; "'I"'ll Supply The Love"' and "'Hold The Line"'. It was these two songs that reshaped the sound of melodic rock, giving rise to the style that forever onwards became known as AOR. Certified double platinum, the future for Toto looked assured or so they thought... When they returned with their second album "'Hydra"', originally released in 1979, their fans and critics were confronted with a work that although immediately recognisable, was considerably more advanced and complex. Instead of serving up another dish of stylistic pop rock, they reached deep inside and committed to elaborate compositions and intricate arrangements. In many respects the approach could be traced directly back to the band"'s progressive rock leanings; something that their musical ability and dexterity had always hinted at. Actually "'Hydra"' is arguably Toto"'s finest hour. It is a record that combines all the positive aspects of a band that not only wrote great songs but also presented them in a format that wasn"'t clichéd or pedestrian. The title track, for instance, is a seven minutes plus anthem that has become a career cornerstone, whilst shorter, sharper tracks such as "'White Sister"' and "'All Us Boys"' reinforced the AOR backbone in spectacular form.