As I will probably state in every review about Hawkwind, they really aren't a band I crave listening time with. For the most part they tend to create a wall of sound and improvise from there. Warrior on the Edge of Time is probably their most well-crafted album, though again there isn't much here that is memorable. But it is oddly engaging while listening. The opening 'Assault and Battery' / 'The Golden Void' are often pointed out by fans as some of their finest compositions ever. 'Opa-Loka' could be lifted off a Krautrock album with its motorik beat. And 'Magnu' is classic In Search of Space styled Hawkwind. The addition of trippy narration works well on an album such as this. Finale 'Kings of Speed' sounds like an emasculated 'Ace of Spades', a formula bassist Lemmy would later perfect and capitalize on. Speaking of Lemmy, this was the album they booted him off from, tired of his druggy unpredictable ways. Not one to be slowed down, he launched his next band Bastard. He was later convinced that name wasn't going to make it anywhere, and renamed it to Motorhead, his last song contribution to Hawkwind. Which also found its way onto this CD too. Warrior on the Edge of Time is an excellent album, about as good at it gets for the psychedelic warlords. Speaking of which, can you believe leader Dave Brock is now 81 - and he's still playing live?
Ownership: CD: 2013 Atomhenge. Excellent digipak reissue with copious historical liner notes and photos. Includes the one bonus track as noted above. Purchased this new upon release and was my introduction to the album surprisingly enough.
6/25/13; 11/16/22 (new entry)
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