The Alan Parsons Project – Pyramid

Catalog: AB 4180  |  Side A Matrix: AB:4180.A BL∆IR 1̲7̲  |  Label: Arista Records  |  Year: 1978  |  Format: Vinyl LP

About the Album

Pyramid is the third studio album by The Alan Parsons Project, released in 1978 on Arista Records. Conceived as a loose concept album exploring the mysteries, mythology, and enduring fascination surrounding the ancient pyramids of Egypt, it stands as one of the most atmospheric and sonically ambitious records of the progressive rock era. Produced by Eric Woolfson and Alan Parsons — the duo behind the project — Pyramid showcases their signature blend of lush orchestration, meticulous studio craft, and genre-spanning arrangements that move fluidly between art rock, pop, and cinematic soundscapes.

The album features an ensemble cast of vocalists and session musicians, a hallmark of the APP formula, with contributions from Lenny Zakatek, David Paton, and others. It reached #26 on the UK Albums Chart and earned praise for its rich production values and conceptual cohesion.

About The Alan Parsons Project

The Alan Parsons Project was a British progressive rock act formed in London in 1975 by record producer and audio engineer Alan Parsons and songwriter/keyboardist Eric Woolfson. Parsons had previously worked as an assistant engineer on The Beatles' Abbey Road and as engineer on Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon — two of the most sonically groundbreaking records ever made — and that pedigree is audible in every APP release. The duo never toured, existing purely as a studio entity, and released a string of critically acclaimed concept albums throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, including Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1976), I Robot (1977), Eye in the Sky (1982), and Ammonia Avenue (1984).

Track Listing

Side A

• Voyager (Instrumental)
• What Goes Up…
• The Eagle Will Rise Again
• One More River
• Can't Take It With You

Side B

• In the Lap of the Gods (Instrumental)
• Pyramania
• Hyper-Gamma-Spaces (Instrumental)
• Shadow of a Lonely Man
  

Highlights

• "Voyager" — A sweeping, wordless instrumental overture that sets the ancient-world mood immediately; pure cinematic atmosphere.
• "What Goes Up…" — A driving, hook-laden rocker with a memorable chorus; one of the album's most accessible and radio-friendly moments.
• "The Eagle Will Rise Again" — A soaring, anthemic track with orchestral grandeur and one of the album's strongest vocal performances.
• "Shadow of a Lonely Man" — A melancholic, beautifully arranged ballad; emotionally resonant and a fan favourite.
• "Pyramania" — A playful, tongue-in-cheek pop number that provides welcome levity amid the album's grander themes.
• "In the Lap of the Gods" — A majestic instrumental that brings the conceptual journey full circle.

Record Condition

• Vinyl: G — Minor surface scuffs visible under light; played flawlessly on a quality turntable with no skips. Minor pops and crackles noted, consistent with age and grade.
• Jacket: Fair — Shows wear commensurate with its vintage; structurally intact.
• Care: Carefully cleaned with a Spin-Clean record washer and stored in a new inner plastic sleeve.
• Matrix / Runout (Side A): AB:4180.A BL∆IR 1̲7̲

A solid copy of a landmark progressive rock album — cleaned, playable, and ready to spin. Perfect for the collector who wants to experience Parsons' studio wizardry the way it was meant to be heard: on vinyl.