Tarantula - Tarantula (1976) [1996]

Founded in Valencia, Spain in 1973 - Disbanded in 1978

-Tarantula was one of the many prog bands that emerged in the second half of the Seventies, speerheaded by known Spanish formations like Triana, Blogue and Granada. They started as a quintet, led by keyboard player Vicente Guillot.
-The melodic, very pleasant sound on their eponymous debut album from 1976 is not like the flamenco inspired groups as Triana, Cai or Mezquita but more close to the Seventies Italian Symphonic Prog (dramatic vocals by Rafael Cabrera evoking Banco and Le Orme along the lush vintage keyboards with wonderful drops of the unsurpassed Mellotron) and German symphonic prog like Jane and Ramses (harder-edged guitar and powerful organ runs).
In 1978 Tarantula released their second album entitled Tarantula II, the line-up has completely changed with Vicente Guillot as the only remaining original member. The music is also a different story: a harder-edged sound with a more direct approach, bringing early Uriah Heep to my mind.
-If you want to check out Tarantula, their first is recommended because it's in the symphonic prog tradition but with a more Italian prog touch. The strong points are the expressive vocals (with a theatrical undertone) and the varied vintage keyboards.progarchives