description Brain Salad Surgery Overview
Released in 1973, Brain Salad Surgery is the fourth studio album by the English progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer. The album is notable for its gatefold sleeve featuring distinctive biomechanical artwork by H.R. Giger. Much of the record's runtime is dedicated to Karn Evil 9, a sprawling three-movement suite combining synthesizers and heavy rock rhythms.
It also includes an adaptation of Alberto Ginastera's first piano concerto, approved by the composer himself.
insights Ranking position
Brain Salad Surgery ranks #32 of 155 in the Progressive Rock Album ranking, behind Godbluff, ahead of A Farewell to Kings.
help Brain Salad Surgery FAQ
Who painted the artwork for Emerson, Lake & Palmer's Brain Salad Surgery?
The distinctive gatefold sleeve for "Brain Salad Surgery" featured biomechanical artwork created by the Swiss surrealist artist H.R. Giger. Giger is also famously known for his creature design in the sci-fi horror movie "Alien." The original artwork was actually a painting titled "Work 217: ELP I."
What is the longest track on Brain Salad Surgery?
The longest track on the album is "Karn Evil 9," a nearly 30-minute multi-part suite that takes up most of the record's runtime. It is divided into three "impressions" and features complex synthesizer and keyboard work by Keith Emerson. The first part famously contains the lyric, "Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends."
What year was Brain Salad Surgery released?
"Brain Salad Surgery" was released in 1973 as the fourth studio album by the English progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It became one of their most commercially successful records, reaching number 2 on the UK Albums Chart. The album was released on the band's own Manticore Records label.
What is the concept of Karn Evil 9?
The lyrics for "Karn Evil 9" were written by former King Crimson member Peter Sinfield and tell a dark sci-fi story about a futuristic war between humanity and sentient computers. The final impression features a massive battle where a computer boasts about its victory over mankind. It perfectly encapsulates the era's fascination with dystopian technology.
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