Could they top the groundbreaking 'Zeppelin IV' with 'Houses of the Holy', in a word No. Although there's some satisfactory cuts to be found, in my opinion this isn't in the same league as the previous release. 'Houses of the Holy', is a real experimental album, where 'Zeppelin' dig deep into many different styles to pull off what I would call a disjointed release. What I find most disappointing is the lack of faster harder material in the vein of classics like 'Communication Breakdown', 'Black Dog' and 'Rock and Roll', most of the tracks on display are no substitute.

'The Song Remains the Same' opens the show in fair fashion, the rhythm work acts as a mainstay to some unusual lyrics which aren't sung with 'Robert Plant's' normal conviction, overall a lively number but not up to the likes of other album openers like 'Whole Lotta Love' or 'Custard Pie' to name but two. The tempo drops for 'The Rain Song' a subtle laid-back ballad, 'John Paul Jones's' use of the mellotron gives this piece a light airy feel somewhat similar to early 'King Crimson'. Vocally 'Robert Plant' doesn't sound quite at home, but the rest of the band puts on a fine performance on this epic balled. The folk influences of 'Zeppelin III' are heard on the intro to 'Over the Hills and Far Away', but as the song matures it gets slightly rockier and more upbeat. Next up is the 'Crunge' and this is a real oddity, a sort of 'Led Zeppelin' meets 'James Brown', it's not as bad as it sounds but it comes across as a bit of a shock. Better is the plodding 'Dancing Days' a light-weight rocker, with mystical undertones, like a lot of songs present, lyrically it's no masterpiece but definitely one of the better tracks. 'D'yer Mak'er' follows in obscure fashion, this curiosity has a 'reggae' feel and comes as quite a surprise, while it's not as bad as you might imagine, it's hardly a classic. 'No Quarter' for me is about the only track where they get it spot on, this haunting epic is excellently structured and although unusual, especially the initial vocals, it's still a winner. The combination of laid back sections with menacing rhythm add a superb contrast and make this the finest track present. Lastly we are presented with 'The Ocean' a riff driven light-weight rocker, that ultimately feels disappointing compared with other 'Zeppelin' classics we have become used to.

Definitely not one of 'Zeppelins' best, although some might appreciate the quirky approach, I personal would bypass this in favour of the much superior 'Physical Graffiti'.