70s UK prog rockers Mandalaband have had their first two albums, 1975's self-titled debut album, and 1978's The Eye Of Wendor: Prophecies, remastered and reissued n vinyl, CD and als as a box set.
Mandalaband were formed in 1974 by composer and producer (and later, noted Egyptologist) David Rohl who toured supporting Robin Trower with a band featuring future Sad Café members Vic Emerson (keyboards), Ashley Mulford (guitars), John Stimpson (bass guitar and backing vocals), Tony Cresswell (drums) and vocalist Dave Durant.
That line-up recorded 1975's Mandalaband, released on Chrsyalis Records and which featured the 20 minute track entitled Om Mani Padme Hum, a four-movement work for rock band and choir inspired by Tibetan Buddhism. John Peel played the album in its entirety on his then radio show.
Mandalaband's second release, The Eye Of Wendor: Prophecies, evolved out of Rohl being asked to write music for a proposed film version of Lord Of The Rings. When. that didn't materialise, Rolh continued to work on the music with Barclay James Harvest at Manchester's Strawberry Studios and was recorded with a raft of guest singers including Justin Hayward (Moody Blues), Maddy Prior (Steeleye Span), Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman, Lol Creme and Kevin Godley (10cc) and Paul Young (Sad Café/Mike + The Mechanics).
As well as presenting the original album remastered, Rohl gained access to the original 24-track analogue master tapes, having them restored and digitised at Abbey Road Studios before reinforcing the sound and instrumentation before remixing the entire album.
Mandalaband comes in a 180g gatefold edition featuring the original album and David Rohl. 2024 remix of entire album, both remastered at AIR Mastering, with rare bonus track and includes newly written liner notes.
180g gatefold edition of The Eye Of Wendor: Prophecies also features the original album and David Rohl 2024 remix of the entire album, newly remastered at AIR Mastering, which comes with the original six-panel booklet telling the full The Eye of Wendor: Prophecies story with illustrations and newly written liner notes.
Both albums are also released as a 4CD edition housed in a clamshell box, featuring 2024 David Rohl remixes of the first two albums, along with the original versions, with rarities from the archives, all newly remastered at AIR Mastering, with a 24-page booklet with liner notes previously unseen photographs.
Get from Mandalaband/The Eye Of Wendor: Prophecies.
