BLÅKULLA are a mid-70's prog quintet from Gothenburg. Along with ATLAS and KAIPA, they were one of the few Swedish bands that played symphonic rock at the time. They practised their chops doing hard blues à la CREAM and DEEP PURPLE, and their brand of symphonic rock isn't entirely devoid of those early influences. Their only legacy, an eponymous album released in 1975, is a mixture of roughness and typical Scandinavian melancholy, featuring swirling organs and gutsy guitar numbers as well as slightly folksy acoustic pieces. The guitar play, which varies from aggressive to melodic, is highly reminiscent of Steve HOWE but more fuzzy and distorted; the keyboards are also very YES like but less flamboyant than Rick WAKEMAN's. All vocals are sung in Swedish and most themes (although relatively short except for an epic 10-min. +) are well developed. The original LP goes for $300-$400 on the underground market.