Between January and the end of April 2021 the metal label Golden Core releases six „hard rock themes from 1980 and 1981“, mostlyon CD as well as on LP. After the hard rockers Piledriver and the powerful prog by Requiem, it is now FLOATING OPERA’s turn. Describing this band and the eponymous record is a bit complex. „The hard, guitar-focused rock features many solos and was powerfully produced. Also a few obligatory ballads may not be missing (...)“, wrote the online magazine Cosmic Dreams At Play (1996). This is actually not wrong, but some more ingredients have to be mentioned. Even without intricate, complicated parts, the prog of the seventies still resonates in „Floating Opera“. On the other hand, their style would be classified as proto-metal today. Among other things, heavy metal fans will notice while listening to the title track, that the vocals by Andreas Ulbricht partly remind of J.D. Kimball from Omen. Although first released in 1981, so a bit late for this style, the word Krautrock may also come to the listener‘s mind. For several weeks we have unsuccessfully searched for more info about this band. He has nothing to do with rock and metal anymore, but drummer Peter Garattoni is still known by insiders. He is known not only as the drummer of Eulenspygel, but also as one of two „bosses“ of the company GAMA Musikverlag, which became known as a label and publishing company for heavy metal at the early 80s (Stormwitch, Gravestone, Tyrant, SDI, Darkness, Tokyo Blade...) and where he also appeared as a drummer on several releases (Veto, Maniac, Tox). The other members of FLOATING OPERA from the Stuttgart area are not known even to older insiders. But fans of sophisticated hard rock can look forward to the first remastered re-release on CD and on LP. The vinyl was overdubbed by Patrick Engel at Temple Of Disharmony and subsequently remastered by Neudi. The LP was additionally mastered by Vadim Kulin to the needs of the medium vinyl. The booklet contains liner notes by Neudi, which also discuss „the early phase of GAMA Records“. Of course we also provide scans of the original vinyl and the LP comes with a printed, colored inlay.
