Splendor Solis was the first release for EMI. For this album they revisited and re-recorded some of the pieces already on the Indie release and added some new material. The first printing of the album included not only a ticket for a Tea Party concert ("The Tea Party invites you to be their guest at an upcoming headline concert in your area") but also a grey coloured inner tray. Hidden behind this tray was a drawing of an eye and the text "All you are is in you". In later printings the inlay was transparent and the drawing and the text could be seen right away. The cover for the record was painted by the Tattoo-artist Steve Cole, a friend of the band, who was inspired by the piece „Raven Skies“.

With this release, many critics compared The Tea Party to The Doors and Led Zeppelin – comparisons that the band would object to at a later time. Those comparisons weren’t completely unfounded though. In „Sun Going Down“ Jeff Martin sounds very similar to Jim Morrison and he even plays the guitar with a violin bow in „Save Me“ which is reminiscent of Jimmy Page.

Splendor Solis gets life largely from its dynamic – the alternation between loud and more muted songs. The sudden explosion of the music, which is then followed by a quieter passage, carries the listener along. „The River“ seems to flow, „A Certain Slant Of Light“ is emotional and „Sun Going Down“ reminds us of the blues. All of these songs would soon become classics.