WARRIOR ON THE EDGE OF TIME

Ok, for those who don't already know; this is perhaps the most essential space-rock album of Hawkwind and the space-rock genre in general. The album-art, with it's fold-out shield, is very good (if you have vinyl, that is). On this studio albums of Hawkwind the band still sounds a bit immature, native and pretentious. Perhaps Hawkwind will never be a band with very good song-writing or intelligent compositions, but they sure know how to get some spacey atmospheres!

On Warrior on the Edge of Time the band is surprisingly consistent. The opening track 'Assault & battery part I / The golden void part II' is perhaps the band's most impressive space-epic ever. The sound of the band is enormous and the song-writing of the Golden Void is very attractive. The recording is so brutal that is doesn't even fit on the original tape, both lp an cd sound slightly distorted at times. Normally this would bother me, but on this album it serves the exciting and abstract sound.

Mike Moorcock provides some spaced-out poems on two track on the album. With all the echoes it's hard to hear all the words.. but hey.. it still sounds impressive. Opa-loka features some concentrated psycho-beat, whilst The demented man shows Hawkwind with an acoustic guitar (and a sea of symphonic equipment.. phewh..). A good song.

On side two we get some conventional Hawkwind compositions and song featuring some metal-guitars and heavy symphonic equipment. Side two doesn't impress me as much as side one, but it still has very good moments.

Conclusion. This album has a revolutionary sound that excites me. The opening section is very strong and Hawkwind manages to keep up interesting music for the most of the record. The poems do add something to the psychedelic flavor of the music. The production is way over the top, but likable as it is. I can give this four stars, but I must say it isn't wise to expect a masterpiece of progressive rock when first listening to this album. Just enjoy those atmospheres and let yourself get carried away... into the deepest of space!

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