Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy is a studio album by American jazz fusion band Return to Forever. It was released in October 1973 by Polydor. It was the first album not to feature Flora Purim, Airto and Joe Farrell, and marked a shift away from the largely acoustic fusion they created. Drummer Lenny White and guitarist Bill Connors make their first appearances with the group. Connors would leave shortly after the album's release. Drawing on rock and funk, the album emphasized electric instruments more than Return to Forever's previous albums. Clarke contributed one song for the album while Corea wrote the rest of the material. Corea relied mostly on electric piano and organ.
Prog Archives: "For the third release of this seminal band, Chick Corea abandons the earlier Brazilian influences and puts together a new outfit for unapologetic fusion. Indeed, maestro Corea had found his sound with this one and lifted the band to legendary status, one that was to be reinforced with ensuing releases. The previous two albums were good, but are nothing compared to this. Stanley Clarke had already graced Return to Forever (listed as a Chick Corea album) and Light as a Feather. Now, Lenny White is brought into the fold as well as guitarist Bill Connors. After a brief and quiet intro, the band kicks into high gear with the title track and does not let go of the pace for the next forty minutes. No relaxing smooth jazz here. High energy, good melodies, intricate interplay of all the instruments, and great musicianship are what makes this album what it is."
Track List:
A-side
A1 Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy
A2 After the Cosmic Rain
A3 Captain Señor Mouse
B-side
B1 Theme to the Mothership
B2 Space Circus, Pt. 1 & Pt. 2
B3 Game Maker
