MOTHER UNIVERSE
Wallenstein
•Symphonic Prog
From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website
![]() Good, but non-essential Write a review |
Studio Album, released in 1972 Songs / Tracks Listing 1. Mother Universe (8:30) - Bill Barone / guitars, vocals
Artwork: Harald Großkopf and to Quinino for the last updates Edit this entry |
Buy WALLENSTEIN Mother Universe Music
![]() | Mother Universe Spalax 1996 | $14.46 $10.00 (used) |
![]() | Mother Universe by Wallenstein (1999-03-15) Ohr | $40.34 |
![]() | Wallenstein - Mother Universe - ZYX Music - OHR 70031-1, Pilz - 20 29113-8 ZYX Music | $26.99 $209.00 (used) |
![]() | Mother Universe | $14.50 (used) |

More places to buy WALLENSTEIN music online
- DOUG LARSON IMPORTS — Buy prog rock music and rarities (Free shipping on orders over 10 cds)
- AmazonMP3: Search for WALLENSTEIN DRM-Free MP3 Downloads @ Amazon.com MP3
- Try Amazon Prime Music (30-day free trial)
WALLENSTEIN Mother Universe ratings distribution
(63 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(16%)
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(38%)
Good, but non-essential (40%)
Collectors/fans only (6%)
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
WALLENSTEIN Mother Universe reviews
Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings
Collaborators/Experts Reviews
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog Folk

With leader Jurgen Dollase's grandmother occupying both the front and back cover of this gatefold album, you'll probably look to see if this is a rock album or not. Again produced by the unavoidable Dieter Dierks and released the same year (72), as their debut album Blitzkrieg, on the legendary Pilz label, containing shorter tracks (max 9-mins), Wallenstein's Mother Universe is a somewhat not-that-worthy successor, as it lacks the constant brilliance of its predecessor, but seems often uninspired as well. Unchanged line-up, but Dollasse added an organ to his keyboard battery, and he (with bassist Berkers) sings much much much more than previously and on every track, which is certainly not helping MU's cause.
If the opening 9-mins title track offers pretty much what was available on Blitzkrieg (but not quite as well executed or well-written), the following Braintrain opens on a organ-driven hard rock, but halfway through the track, it suddenly changes with Dollasse singing (not well) over his piano, the track becoming quickly tiresome, partly because of the weak arrangement of a poor songwriting and uninspired melody line. The track slowly rebuilds to its original hard groove and even finishes heroically, but the damage was done and irreparable. Shakespearesque starts much like the title track, but stays for most of its duration in the quiet acoustic mode with Berkers singing (not really better than Dollasse, imho) and once it speeds up, it just goes awfully wrong with an atrocious synth sound aggravating this bad outro.
Opening the flipside, the 8-mins Dedicated to Mistery (SIC) Land is an organ-driven hard rocking with an interesting riff, but the track goes awry as soon as Dollase starts singing. Berkers sings (and mispronounces) Relics Of The Past, a folky tune that overstays its welcome by a few minutes. The closing Golden Antenna is a guitar-dominated messily written track, but it has the merit to entice some enthusiasm, something not often found on this sophomore effort.
Not long after the release of MU, Berkers will quit the group, Dollasse and Grosskopf participating in a few musical projects, including the then-famous Cosmic jokers, then back together with Barone will release their third Wallenstein album Cosmic Century with a very different sound, which was just about as well, given the dead end they were stuck in.
PROG REVIEWER

SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

PROG REVIEWER

PROG REVIEWER

The next track is features a wild instrumental intro which could not the cup of tea of many progheads but it needs to be investigated. It is almost hard to heavy rock and to my standards, it could have been developed as such but we'll get some symphonic parts instead (of which a vocal part that could have been skipped). The wild section (almost punkish!) gets back at the end of this crazy song. Another good moment though.
The pastoral and folkish "Shakespearesque" is somewhat weaker but the inspiration gets back with "Dedicated To The Mystery Land": again the intro is gorgeous and highly hard/psyche oriented.
Like during "Brainstrain", the song evolves into a more symphonic approach for a short while. Some great and frenzy guitar are topping the second part of this excellent track. The third highlight.
The two remaining songs are quite average and are dragging down my rating to three stars. Still, this is a good album that would need some more exposure.
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

Of course Wallenstein's crew was way too talented to offer a miserable album despite the huge problems around the band and now the frenetic styles of their debut was combined with some softer British-influenced early Prog Rock, similar to KING CRIMSON and CRESSIDA.So, the tracks are somewhat split between powerful Kraut-Rock pieces with heavy organ and punchy guitar parts and more elaborated Symphonic Rock with monster Mellotron themes and smooth piano lines.Lush orchestrations and atmospheric vocals are the basic components of the later tracks, which also feature some smooth interplays with piano, keyboards and guitars.The more energetic tracks are definitely more original with a nice dose of Classical influences mixed with melodic guitars and bombastic Kraut Rock grooves, led by piano, bass and drums.Some of the furious and messy breaks of the debut are completely gone, instead there is place for tracks like ''Relics of the past'', which was rather a step backwards for the group, offering hippy-styled Psychedelic/Folk Rock among more demanding and rich arrangements.Anyway, the album remains quite charming all the way with a high level of musicianship and mostly interesting material.
Needless to say this was the last album of Wallenstein with this line-up, a good work of Symphonic/Heavy/Kraut Rock with a flexible sound, that mostly works well but not always succesful.The top tracks though are pretty great and ''Mother universe'' deserves a warm recommendation.
Latest members reviews
I have to write something about a very pleasant music experience I have had when I listened to
this record: "Mother universe" by the German rock band Wallenstein. It was released one year
after their debut "Blitzkrieg", now 1972 and we can see an old lady with shining hair on the
cover. The de
... (read more)
Report this review (#1156839) | Posted by DrömmarenAdrian | Wednesday, April 2, 2014 | Review Permanlink
Does Wallenstein's "Mother Universe", their second album, hold it's own with their
astounding debut "Blitzkrieg"? My answer is yes. There are some differences in this second effort,
but also some continuity with it's predecessor, with the result being an album that holds it's own,
but is
... (read more)
Report this review (#951613) | Posted by presdoug | Monday, April 29, 2013 | Review Permanlink
Wallenstein´s second outing: "Mother universe" are an improvement on their first album..
In spite of the weak vocal (especially)on the higher notes..the music is top notch!!!
Filled with mellotron and otherwise wonderfull keyboards...the arrangements of the songs
seem to fill the room......these
... (read more)
Report this review (#19288) | Posted by Tonny Larz | Friday, March 19, 2004 | Review Permanlink
Post a review of WALLENSTEIN "Mother Universe"
You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.
MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE
As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.
You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).