Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Tarkus

Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Tarkus (1971) is a bold, ambitious progressive rock epic that showcases the band's technical virtuosity and adventurous spirit. The 20-minute, multi-part title suite is the album’s centerpiece, blending Keith Emerson’s dazzling keyboard work, Carl Palmer’s dynamic drumming, and Greg Lake’s soaring vocals into a complex, shifting narrative of war and evolution. The second half of the album explores shorter, eclectic tracks like the satirical Jeremy Bender and the hard-rocking A Time and a Place. While Tarkus is challenging and sometimes divisive, it remains one of ELP’s most defining works—grandiose, intricate, and quintessentially prog.