WARRIOR ON THE EDGE OF TIME

4.5 stars

Last studio album with Lemmy Kimister, "Warrior On The Edge Of Time" marks the end of HAWKWIND's "classic" space stoner era, considered by many as their best period. The music combines the soft melodic side of "Hall of the Mountain Grill" and the heavier side of "In Search of Space" and "Doremi Fasol Latido". Keyboardist Simon House incorporates sounds effects quite futuristic at this time.

"Warrior On The Edge Of Time" is in fact a concept album based on Michael Moorcock's Elric cycles. Thus, like in "Space Ritual", some tracks are only spoken sentences, this time enunciated by the writer himself, with an ambient background. These three passages are "The Wizard Blew His Horn", "Standing at the Edge" and "Warriors". This collaboration between HAWKWIND and Moorcock won't be the least one.

"Assault And Battery" and "The Golden Void" can be considered as a long single song. An immediate boarding for stars, this cosmic mini-epic suite is a pure space metal little gem! The two tracks will often be played live consecutively. "Opa-Loka" is a nice space instrumental that reminds NEU! by moments. The beautiful "The Demented Man" is a cool enchanting tune with acoustic guitars and synthesizers, in the style of songs from "Hall of the Mountain Grill". Magic! However, the highlight of the album is undoubtly "Magnu". This futuristic space metal ritual with middle-eastern sonorities and saxophone is simply great, and like "Master of the Universe", will become a concert favorite, played at a faster speed.

The second half of the record is a little less remarkable. "Spiral Galaxy 28948" is the best instrumental of the disc, with its whirling keyboards and guitars. "Dying Seas" is also a good futuristic dark space rock with sci-fi sound effects, whereas "Kings Of Speed" is just an average hard rock song. This ender is the weakest track of the record, as it is a bit repetitive and out of place. Composed by Lemmy, the original violin version of "Motorhead" is included as a bonus track. Gorgeous! There is quite a gap between this version and the eponymous track on MOT'RHEAD first opus.

It's a pity the three "spoken" passages tend to break the flow and the listening immersion, because (almost) all tracks are excellent. "Warrior On The Edge Of Time" is a lesser-known HAWKWIND studio album, but as good and essential as the three previous ones. Afterwards, the line-up will change, and the band's releases quality will be less regular...

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