Pyramid (1978)
The Alan Parsons Project stayed locked into their concept-album streak with 1978’s Pyramid, this time swapping haunted houses and sentient machines for something older and dustier: Ancient Egypt.
The record loosely follows the death and afterlife of a Pharaoh, using that journey to explore themes of legacy, mortality, and the search for meaning beyond material power. It’s an ambitious setup, and while the story has potential, the execution doesn’t hit quite as hard as their first two records.
That said, Pyramid isn’t a misfire. It just has lower peaks. Musically, it’s still packed with lush arrangements, tight songwriting, and that signature Parsons polish. You get the expected mix of rock, orchestral flourishes, and synth textures, but this time the hooks aren’t as sharp and the momentum doesn’t build quite as naturally.
The album opens with Voyager, a short instrumental that drifts in on ambient synths and orchestration, setting the mythic tone before sliding straight into What Goes Up…. That transition is one of the record’s best moments, and What Goes Up… is the closest thing here to a proper single, an upbeat, hook-driven meditation on the impermanence of power. Fitting for a concept about pharaohs, the whole thing is built on the idea that whatever rises eventually comes back down.
The Eagle Will Rise Again is a clear standout, a soft, haunting ballad with layered harmonies and a reflective mood that genuinely sells the Pharaoh’s transcendence. It’s the emotional high point of the record, the moment the concept and the music line up perfectly. One More River brings a bit more energy, with a steady groove and a sense of forward motion that ties into the concept of crossing into the next world. And Can’t Take It With You gets points for biting commentary, wrapped in a moody atmosphere that still feels relevant.
The back half leans harder into mood. In the Lap of the Gods is the album’s instrumental centerpiece, dramatic and orchestral, and it does a lot of the heavy lifting to keep the Egyptian atmosphere alive when the songwriting drifts. Pyramania is the odd one out, a tongue-in-cheek jab at pyramid-power superstition that’s fun but breaks the spell a little. Then Hyper-Gamma-Spaces brings back the pulsing instrumental synth work before Shadow of a Lonely Man closes things on a big, dramatic, orchestral note, a grand finale that lands even if the road there wasn’t always smooth.
The Egyptian theme isn’t just window dressing either. There’s a deliberate effort in the instrumentation and lyrical phrasing that gives the album a mythic feel. Even if the songs don’t all land, the vibe is consistent. If nothing else, it’s a strong example of how immersive a concept album can be, even when the songwriting doesn’t fully stick the landing.
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Highlight Songs:
One More River
The Eagle Will Rise Again
Can’t Take It With You
In The Lap of the Gods
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Own it, Stream it, Forget about it?
I’d suggest owning this one. Again, like the first two records, it works best playing from start to finish. It tells a story and is worth listening to more than once. It’s also got a cool album cover that would look great hung up on any wall in any living space. I understand if this one doesn’t quite resonate with you enough, though, and in that case you should stream it, but don’t skip it.
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Overall Rating
3 Stars
