BLITZKRIEG

I had to develop into appreciating Blitzkrieg by Wallenstein as i do now, it's complexity and musical sincerity taking a while to fully comprehend. Now that i do understand things, i have one main word for this music-brilliant! Complex Symphonic Prog is like that, and this album is so delightful in so many ways.

The music on Blitzkrieg is mainly instrumental, and so be it, though the album has a hard edge to it, with some aggressive guitar work in the mix, it is tempered by the always eloquent keyboard work of Jurgen Dollase. Yes, Wallenstein blast you and move you in the same breath, and that is not something to be taken for granted with a rock group. This music is so intelligently crafted, and you can tell that Dollase has had classical music training, with the way he plays, and the way everything is connected.

There is no filler in Blitzkrieg, and the lengthy instrumental passages where there is a lot of interplay between guitar and keys always have a point to them, and a mind-blowing technique is displayed that never betrays a great emotional feel that keeps the listener thrilled from start to finish, on every number.

This debut was a hard act to beat, it being so well done, but the band would end up putting out some more incredible records before things changed for the worse years later, with a creeping pop drivel that ended up totally abandoning the brilliance evident in this debut masterpiece. It was unfortunate that things did change, but it was unavoidable, and happened to the best of the seventies progressive acts, no matter how great.

There is so much going in Blitzkrieg, technically, emotionally, that it keeps you coming back for more and thus stands the test of time very well, the result being a five star masterpiece.