Search - Hawkwind :: Warrior on the Edge of Time

4.5 Stars.... Hawkwind's Best Studio Album

Paul Allaer | Cincinnati | 02/27/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Warrior on the Egde of Time", originally issued in 1975, was Hawkwind's 5th studio album, coming on the heels of the equally excellent "Hall of the Mountain Grill" in 1974 and the definitive live Hawkwind experience and album "Space Rituals" in 1973.The songs on "Warrior on the Edge of Time" (12 tracks, 49 min.) fall in a couple of categories: the "epic" space-rock tunes ("Assault & Battery/Golden Void" and "Magnu"), the instrumentals ("Opa Loka", "Spiral Galaxy", the spoken pieces ("Wizzard Blew His Horn", "Standing at the Edge" and "Warriors), and the straight-forward hard rockers ("Dying Seas" and "Kings of Speed"). Until those last tracks, the album plays as one long track, you can almost see and feel the story unfold in front of you. Think of it as a space rock version of "Lord of the Rings"! This was Lemmy's last album with Hawkwind, and there is some irony in the fact that this CD comes with one bonus track, the B-side of "Kings of Speed", which is none other than "Motorhead", a Lemmy penned tune that will blow out your stereo! Hawkwind would go on to have a couple more really good studio albums ("Astounding Sounds" and "Quark Strangeness and Charm") before dropping in quality. I'm surprised, frankly, how well Hawkwind's albums from the early and mid-70s have stood the test of time. "Warrior on the Edge of Time" is very enjoyable from start to finish, and highly recommended."