In 1971, vocalist Jürgen Wenzel and bassist Heino Schünzel placed an ad in the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper seeking musicians to form a new band. They were soon joined by organist Lutz Rahn and drummer Hartwig Biereichel. Initially calling themselves Mosaik, they began rehearsing and performing at small venues. On the advice of guitarist Carlo Kargesa friend who would later find fame with Nenathey changed their name to Novalis.
By 1973, the group had signed with the Brain label. Their debut album, Banished Bridge, was produced by Jochen Petersen (later of Randy Pie) and recorded at Chameleon Studios in Hamburg. Notably, the album featured no electric guitars, with the 17-minute title track serving as its centerpiece. The music was delicate and flowing, rich in lyrical atmospheres. Ethereal synths and keyboard textures evoked early Pink Floyd and Genesis, and the album hinted at the bands future direction. Banished Bridge was Novalis's only album sung in English and is still regarded by many as a cornerstone of German progressive rock.
Following its release, guitarist Detlef Job joined the band, while Jürgen Wenzel departed. Vocals were taken over by Schünzel and Job, and from that point on, Novalis began performing poetic lyrics in German. Carlo Karges contributed to their second album as a guitarist, keyboardist, and composer but left the group again in 1975. The following year, Austrian singer Fred Mühlböck became the band's frontman. Novalis continued evolving their sound until their final album, Nach uns die Flut (After Us, the Flood), released in 1985, which marked the end of the bands journey.
banished bridge (limited, coloured)