Solaris was founded in 1980 by university friends Istvan Cziglan (guitar), Attila Kollar (flute), Attila Seres (bass), Vilmos Toth (drums) and Robert Erdesz (keyboards). Their name is taken from a novel of the same name by science fiction author Stanislaw Lem. The original members were united by their love of science fiction and progressive/electronic music. Ray Bradbury's famous novel served as the inspiration for their full-length recording Marsbeli Kronikak (Martian Chronicles), released in 1984, with Laszlo Gomor on drums and Tamas Pocs on bass. This album is considered a defining moment in 80s progressive rock with its intricate and classical influenced flute/synth/guitar compositions. Keyboard-based symphonic rock rarely gets better than on tracks such as "M'ars Poetica" and "Undefeatable".
Even though Martian Chronicles sold close to 40,000 copies, the state-owned record company refused to release a second Solaris effort. After all members took part in the highly successful Hungarian pop outfit Napoleon Boulevard, Solaris released the double LP 1990, featuring superb symphonic compositions from throughout the band's history. In 1995 Solaris was invited to perform their first ever show in North America at Progfest in Los Angeles. They later released the 2-CD set Live in Los Angeles from tapes of that rousing performance, along with a new studio cut. In 1998 Solaris headlined the Rio Art Rock Festival in Brazil, but without Istvan Cziglan who was terminally ill. In December 1998 Cziglan passed on, but his bandmates decide to continue his musical legacy.
1999 was a busy year for Solaris with the release of Attila Kollar's solo album Musical Witchcraft (featuring all Solaris members) and the third studio album for the band, entitled Nostradamus, Book of Prophecies. This CD is based loosely on the cryptic quatrains of the famous French mystic and weaves ethnic flavorings, Latin vocals, and an edgier guitar presence into the classic symphonic Solaris sound.
Solaris returned to the United States in June 1999 to perform at the inaugural NEARfest in Pennsylvania, and earned multiple standing ovations for their pulsating and fiery performance. In a moment that lives in modern prog lore, they refused to cede the stage even after the NEARfest organizers walked on the stage saying that the band's time was up. Kollar rallied the audience to fever pitch, who demanded that the band be allowed to continue.
The latter half of 1999 saw members of the band return to the studio to complete Cziglan's solo album, which remained unfinished at the time of his death. The posthumously released Seven Gates of Alhambra combines symphonic progressive rock with world music stylings. Solaris is now in the process of releasing a set of three CDs of live material and works in progress. The first installment Solaris: The Early Years was released in early 2000 and features a live concert from 1980 before the band had purchased any synthesizers. Always a favorite on the festival circuit, Solaris returned to North America in 2001 to play at the highly regarded Mexican festival BajaProg.
(originally published in the NEARFest 1999 Program Guide, edited for
Gnosis 3/27/01)
