Birth Control - Hoodoo Man (1972)

Birth Control - Hoodoo Man (1972)

Tracklist front / back album covers

Birth Control – Hoodoo Man (1972)

Tracklist:

1. Buy

2. Suicide

3. Get Down to Your Fate

4. Gamma Ray

5. Kaulstoss

6. Hoodoo Man

7. Die for Such a Long Time

Review:
With Hoodoo Man (1972), Birth Control fully stepped into the realm of heavy progressive hard rock, creating one of the most celebrated albums of the early German rock era. Building on the raw foundation of Operation, this record refines their signature blend of crushing riffs, hypnotic organ work, and socially conscious lyrics into a more cohesive and powerful statement.

Right from the opening track “Buy,” the band delivers a tight, riff-driven assault that showcases their darker and heavier direction. “Suicide” slows things down into a brooding, almost proto-doom atmosphere, proving that Birth Control could create tension as effectively as they created volume. The epic “Get Down to Your Fate” stands as the centerpiece — an 11-minute journey of shifting dynamics, expressive guitar solos, and swirling Hammond textures that feel both cinematic and confrontational.

“Gamma Ray” and “Kaulstoss” push into more experimental territory, mixing psychedelic transitions with progressive structures, while the title track “Hoodoo Man” offers a menacing groove that defines the album’s occult and apocalyptic mood. The closer “Die for Such a Long Time” wraps things up with emotional weight and a sense of finality, highlighting the band’s unique balance between heaviness and melody.

Musically, the album’s organ and guitar interplay remains its greatest strength. Fans of Deep Purple’s Machine Head, Uriah Heep’s early albums, and Atomic Rooster’s darker side will immediately recognize the spirit here — yet Birth Control’s sound is unmistakably German, earthy, and intense.

Overall, Hoodoo Man is widely regarded as Birth Control’s masterpiece, a cornerstone of early-70s European heavy prog and hard rock.

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Fun Facts & Trivia:

• Recorded at Dierks Studios, the same place where many classic Krautrock albums were born.

• The track “Get Down to Your Fate” is often cited as one of the greatest German heavy rock epics ever recorded.

• The album artwork reflects the band’s darker lyrical themes and fascination with social unrest and mysticism.

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Did You Know?

• Birth Control toured extensively across Europe after this release, helping spread German hard rock worldwide.

• “Gamma Ray” showcases some of their most complex rhythmic structures.

• Many collectors consider Hoodoo Man the heaviest Krautrock album of 1972.

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Selling / Collector’s Info:

Original German CBS pressings of Hoodoo Man are in high demand. Clean first editions can fetch between €120–€300+, especially with intact sleeves. Reissues are more accessible, but the 1972 first pressing remains the holy grail for Krautrock and heavy prog collectors.

Keywords: Birth Control Hoodoo Man review, German hard rock 1972, heavy prog Krautrock classics, Birth Control vinyl value, Hammond organ rock albums