Birth Control - Operation (1971)

Birth Control - Operation (1971)

Tracklist front / back album covers

Birth Control – Operation (1971)

Tracklist:

1. Stop Little Lady

2. Just Before the Sun Will Rise

3. Flesh and Blood

4. We All Will Die

5. Pandemonium

6. Let Us Do It Now

7. My Mind

8. A Few Years After

9. 
   

Review:
Birth Control’s Operation is a defining work of early-70s German hard rock and progressive heavy music. Released in 1971, the album captures the raw, Hammond-driven power that made the band pioneers of the Kraut-influenced heavy rock movement. Unlike their later, more polished releases, Operation feels urgent and dangerous — a product of the band’s live intensity and uncompromising songwriting.

The album opens with “Stop Little Lady,” a punchy statement that blends blues-based riffs with a fierce organ presence. “Just Before the Sun Will Rise” stretches into heavier territory, combining psychedelic textures with dramatic tempo changes. Meanwhile, “Flesh and Blood” and “We All Will Die” deliver some of the group’s darkest, most doom-laden grooves, showcasing their ability to merge melody with crushing heaviness.

What truly elevates Operation is its Hammond organ dominance, courtesy of Bernd Noske’s signature style. The interplay between organ and guitar gives the album a weight that rivals Deep Purple’s In Rock or Uriah Heep’s early material, yet it remains distinctly German in atmosphere and attitude. Tracks like “Pandemonium” and “My Mind” flirt with progressive complexity, adding layers of tension without losing the album’s driving rock spirit.

Overall, Operation stands as one of the heaviest and most influential German rock albums of the early ’70s, a must-hear for fans of vintage heavy prog and proto-metal.

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Fun Facts & Trivia:

• Operation was recorded at the legendary Dierks Studios, a key location in the German rock scene.

• Birth Control were among the first German bands to mix hard rock with political and social themes.

• The album is often compared to early Deep Purple, Atomic Rooster, and Uriah Heep, but with a darker tone.

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Did You Know?

• The band’s name “Birth Control” was controversial in 1971 and even led to some radio bans in conservative regions.

• “Just Before the Sun Will Rise” became one of their most enduring live staples.

• The album’s heavy Hammond-organ sound helped shape the future of European hard rock and early metal.

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Selling / Collector’s Info:

Original German pressings of Operation on CBS Records are highly collectible, especially in VG+ or better condition. Expect values between €80–€200, depending on sleeve and vinyl quality. Later reissues are more affordable, but the first pressing remains the ultimate prize for Krautrock and heavy prog collectors.

Keywords: Birth Control Operation 1971 review, German hard rock albums, Krautrock heavy prog classics, Birth Control vinyl value, early 70s Hammond organ rock