TARKUS: VISIONS OF DOOM FROM EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER
It’s hard to be afraid of an armadillo. Yet, this is no ordinary creature. Rather, it is a mysterious, mechanical hybrid of doom. An armored tank of destruction, this unholy entity is designed to spread terror. It even has a name. Behold TARKUS!
Behind Tarkus is an infinite trail of death. The carnage extends well beyond the line of vision. No sign of exhaustion is visible in his glaring red eyes. Tarkus pushes onward in his murderous rampage.
Strange worlds come alive within the gatefold of this classic ELP record. Erupting volcanoes spew blood. At the side of this living mountain a hatched egg is in pieces. We gaze upon the birthing of Tarkus.
Many have tried to stop Tarkus. Take this strange mutant of war. Standing upon green legs and shielded in armor, missiles are drawn and ready for launch. Could this brave warrior have been dispatched to crush the newly spawned evil?
Alas, he is no match for Tarkus. Doomed to be yet another other victim, his carcass is thrown aside. It seems that nothing can stop this bloodthirsty demon.
Tarkus completes his reign of terror by seizing control of the city. A watchful mechanical eye keeps the innocent enslaved with fear.
Others creatures are encounter in this strange world. Additional hybrids of war confront the ironclad armadillo. This is no pterodactyl but a plane.
With the tactical advantage of air, this mechanical dinosaur offers a glimmer of hope in the war against Tarkus. Yet, no firepower can pierce his impenetrable armor. Impossible to overcome, yet another warrior succumbs to the mighty Tarkus!
What of this mad lion? It stands poised, determined, and unafraid. No Earthly lion, this mythical monster has the tail of a Scorpion. Surely capable of stinging, a myriad of deadly possibilities exists. Perhaps an injection of lethal poison accompanies its sting.
Distinctly confident, this scorpion/lion hybrid presents the greatest hope of defeating the unstoppable. The scene is tense as Tarkus is confronted for the ultimate showdown.
It seems there was a plan all along. The scorpion lion implements a deadly strike against the sole weakness of Tarkus. The stinger is dislodged in his eye!
Victory! Tarkus has fallen. Blood drips from his eye. Dead? Likely. It appears that a mortal wound has been inflicted.
Still, we can imagine Tarkus as a wounded warrior. Carried away on the tide, blinded and defeated. Yes, it’s possible that Tarkus lives. Minimally, the legend of Tarkus will persist for his story is eternal.
Tarkus LIVES!
The “scorpion lion” is called Manticore.