Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy [Deluxe Edition, 2 LP]

Houses of the Holy finds Led Zeppelin at their most playful and experimental, stretching beyond the hard rock foundation they had built. Recorded at multiple studios, including Mick Jagger's Stargroves estate, the sessions captured a mix of tight, live energy and layered production. Jimmy Page shifts between crisp electric guitar riffs, shimmering 12-strings, and inventive textures, while John Bonham locks into grooves that are sometimes surprisingly funky. Robert Plant leans into different vocal approaches, from soulful crooning to high, urgent howls, and John Paul Jones adds thick bass lines and key arrangements that hold the album's wide-ranging ideas together, acting as the creative glue in the mix.

"The Song Remains the Same" bursts out with ringing 12-string guitar lines and Plant pushing his voice to its limits, while "The Rain Song" brings a lush, orchestral feel built on Jones's Mellotron strings and Page's delicate fingerpicking. "Over the Hills and Far Away" shifts from gentle acoustic strumming to a surging electric riff while "No Quarter" drifts into darker territory with Jones's eerie keyboard textures and Bonham's restrained, atmospheric drumming. Even the funk-driven "The Crunge" and reggae-tinged "D'yer Mak'er" show a band unafraid to mess with their own formula.

This deluxe 2 LP edition spreads the newly remastered album and companion disc across heavyweight vinyl, giving more air to the intricate production. Acoustic guitars sound woody and clear, electric riffs keep their grit, and Jones's low-end work sits deep and warm in the mix. The companion LP includes alternate mixes and early versions that reveal the band's creative process. With its vibrant Hipgnosis cover faithfully reproduced, Houses of the Holy remains one of Zeppelin's most adventurous and colorful releases.

• Format: Deluxe Edition, 2 LP, 180g Black Vinyl
• Standout tracks: "Dancing Days," "The Rain Song," "No Quarter"
• Pressing details: 2 LP 180g heavyweight vinyl, remastered from original analog tapes, companion disc with alternate takes, faithful Hipgnosis sleeve reproduction
• Genre/style: Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Blues Rock
• UPC: 081227959418

Houses of the Holy shows a band expanding its sound with confidence, creating a record that still feels fresh decades later.

Track List:

Side A:

1. The Song Remains The Same
2. The Rain Song
3. Over The Hills And Far Away
4. The Crunge

Side B:

1. Dancing Days
2. D'yer Mak'er
3. No Quarter
4. The Ocean

Side C:

1. The Song Remains The Same (Guitar Overdub Reference Mix)
2. The Rain Song (Mix Minus Piano)
3. Over The Hills And Far Away (Guitar Mix Backing Track)
4. The Crunge (Rough Mix - Keys Up)

Side D:

1. Dancing Days (Rough Mix With Vocal)
2. No Quarter (Rough Mix With JPJ Keyboard Overdubs - No Vocal)
3. The Ocean (Working Mix)