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Blitzkrieg > A Time of Changes - Phase 1 > Reviews
Blitzkrieg - A Time of Changes - Phase 1

Santa's gonna rape you! He's so sick! - 100%

Danthrax_Nasty, January 26th, 2006

Ya' like NWOBHM? Got any Blitzkrieg?

Well if not than you are missing out on one of the very best Heavy Metal acts to ever grace a stage. Thats really all I got to say,... but if you were interested in acouple "fun facts" here you go:

Don't look for alot of flashyness, don't expect a big budget production, don't seek anything but True 80's Metal,... just be ready to step back in history to "A Time Of Changes" when the English Metal scene was in full glory. A time long before the trapings of commercialism, money, and fame stagnated a market into a self made suicide. A time when Metal had just begun moving beyond its Hard Rock, Bluesy roots, and the musicians of the era were the fore runners to a sound that would soon explode across the planet like an "Inferno" (personal favorite Blitzkrieg song). Now of the many, many individuals, and bands which helped to make this scene, and era as great as it was there remains little doubt that Blitzkrieg was definitely one of those bands that really should have been bigger, and deservedly so. Blitzkrieg really SHOULD have been a much more successful NWOBHM act, and really should have done more (I'm not alone in that thought, and really I'm just reiterating it after I found that I completely agree)... sadly, beyond the intial acclaim they found nothing really took hold for the band, and it all just fell apart rapidly.

Forming in October of 1980, it would be a hell of a 15 month run till this first conjuration of the band would dissolve, and split. Contained on these two discs is all the material made publicly available during those 15 months, plus we are given 9 unreleased tracks (which are comprised of "classic, and lesser knowen material" as stated in the booklet), and as the typifying final statement of this era, of this legendary band, the "A Time Of Changes" album (1985, 3 years after the original lineup called it a day) is also included. Holding a sound very close to fellow NWOBHM band Holocaust, but with more mature melodic back-bone (centered around catchy rythms, but going no where near the likes of say, Grim Reaper) to all the songs, these tunes just about exemplify in near perfection (perfectly flawed some might say) the heavier spectrum of British Metal during the beginning years of the 80's.

For some the sound contained here may not hold the same awe inspiring, nostalgia soaked dynamics I find so clearly evident in each track, but no one can reproach the talent, and raw power here. Obviously not everyones gonna enjoy the rawness on some of these songs,... hell even the "A Time Of Changes" LP has a production flawed by time, and monetary constraints, and those songs in fact do carry the best sound quality on here, but theres something there... that "it" factor which you just cant diminish with bare production (as IMO, on here, like so many others, it is very much enhanced).

As far as the music is concerned, variety is present, but it seems to me that a continuity was wanted, and is held through out all of the music on both discs. The sound is essentially a continuation from the heavier 70's British Rock bands (just think of the awesomeness that was Ritchie Blackmore back then), but with less reliance on a traditional blues sound, and structure, and a more mondernized (well for 1980, but then again 50's American Rock was doing similar things rythmicly so take that for what you will) driving rythm. The rythm guitar parts fluctuate through out the songs (much like a typical NWOBHM band would) and contain portions of almost Punk type straight forward simple rythms (think The Ramones, Iggy And The Stooges... an almost Popish anti-Pop), which is accompanied by an appreciation of bluesy guitar heros of the 60's, and 70's heard through the harmonies, solos, and lead melodies. So with said, this is the sound which helped mold traditional Heavy Metal in the 80's, and offered ALOT of influence to many Thrash bands (if you cant hear this in Dave Mustaine's early work you need your ears checked!).

It would be impossible for me to pick the "stand out tracks", other wise I'd just break into a "track by track" review. The only down sides I can see for some is that some songs are repeated a few times per disc, but I mean this is a compilation of all of their early material, and if you find fault with that your just an being an idiot (IMO). With the only other down side being the production on some of these tracks... which I love, but I'll give it that some of you Maiden, and Priest fanboys might find it distastefull, or whatever (especially the vocals on "A Time Of Changes" on disc 2's "unreleased tracks"... I mean talk about raw, and under produced).

So in closing, what you'll find here is hard hitting NWOBHM... a youthfull sonic exuberance, a melodic realness in its delivery of ideals, and meanings, a nostalgic feel, and a from the streets, dirty, oldschool Rock n Roll tone... you'll find out why nothing can touch the NWOBHM sound thats found here. Get this album!!!!