SPACE RITUAL

These live performances of HAWKWIND create a very intensive and dark voyage through the space and time. Many of their songs are much more powerful on this album than on their previous studio recordings, and I guess that the improvisational nature of their music wasn't caught properly in the organized way of studio working. On the other hand, doing their thing in concerts was risky business too, remembering that there were seven musicians with uncertainly functioning electronic instruments, and the artists had habits that might inflict their playing abilities. But on this double set, everything works extremely well from beginning to the end.

As a bonus, the album covers are incredible! If you can, you should get this as a vinyl, which has opening pages full of beautiful psychedelic artwork. Also the fadeouts at the end of the LP-sides are then more logical, and do not disturb listening as they may little do when listening this from a CD.

I think this is one of the most essential HAWKWIND albums of their very unbalanced career!