Artist

LYDIA E GLI HELLUA XENIUM
SCORPYO

Unknown

Two totally unknown bands that only released some great singles that are in every high-level italian prog collector's dreams. 

Issued between 1973 and 1974 the Hellua Xenium singles have a distinct dark prog style led by the voice of Lydia, with intense and dramatic atmospheres that few groups could reach. Guai a voi and Invocazione, from their first single, deserve a high rank in the top italian prog tracks.

Due to the similarity of the female voice and some doomy atmospheres with Jacula/Antonius Rex works, added to the fact that their second single was released on Radio label (as Antonius Rex's Zora), some insist that the singer Lydia was in fact Doris Norton, but the fact has never been confirmed.

Scorpyo continued in the same style, again on Radio records with a lonely single that came out in 1977. Both tracks on the single were mainly instrumental with choir voices and dark atmospheres, the composers' names are the same (Lattuada-Complex), and it's likely that the two bands were connected.

Among the rarest and most researched singles in the whole italian production, both Lydia singles command incredibly high prices, having been released on small labels. 
Apparently the second single, Diluvio, was just released with a company sleeve.
Both sides from the first single were included in the Meteora CD compilation, privately released in 1997.

The Scorpyo single is also very rare and never reissued in any form.

Guai a voi (Lydia & gli Hellua Xenium) - 7" single cover - front and back
Guai a voi (Lydia & gli Hellua Xenium) - label
Destinazione infinito (Scorpyo) - 7" single cover
Destinazione infinito (Scorpyo) - label

Thanks to Rockground (www.rockground.it) for scans and information on these rare singles.