Tarkus  by Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Tarkus is the ultimate monument of progressive rock, a landmark album by Emerson, Lake & Palmer that was released in June 1971 by Island Records. Recorded at Advision Studios in London in just six days, the album bears Greg Lake's signature in production, while the compositions are shared between the ingenious Keith Emerson and Lake.

The structure of the work is dominated by the eponymous 20-minute suite that occupies the entire first side, divided into seven parts. The musical style is an explosive combination of classical education, jazz improvisation, and aggressive rock, with Emerson's synthesizers "roaring" over the polyrhythmic labyrinths of Carl Palmer.

The iconic cover by William Neal depicts Tarkus: a hybrid of an armadillo and a tank, symbolizing the irrational violence of war. The album achieved tremendous success, climbing to the top of the British charts reaching No. 1 and establishing the trio as the absolute rulers of the symphonic rock scene of the '70s.