Blitz’s The Albums box set finally gives one of UK punk’s most important early-80s bands the archival treatment they deserve. Available now as a 5-CD clamshell box via Captain Oi! / Cherry Red, this collection brings together 90 tracks covering the full arc of the band’s recorded output, from their explosive beginnings to their later evolution.
Formed in 1980 in Derbyshire, Blitz emerged at a moment when British punk was hardening and fragmenting into sharper, more aggressive forms. Their debut album, Voice of a Generation, became an immediate landmark, reaching No. 27 on the UK charts and topping the independent chart. Songs like Voice of a Generation, Nation on Fire, and Warriors helped define a sound that was confrontational, melodic, and politically charged without slipping into cliché.
The box set opens with Voice of a Generation presented in full, followed by an expansive collection of singles, B-sides, demos, and compilation tracks that captures the band’s constant presence in the early-80s punk underground. Tracks such as Someone’s Gonna Die, Never Surrender, and New Age underline just how consistent Blitz were during their most productive years.
A full 1982 live recording sits at the heart of the set, documenting the band at peak intensity and offering a raw snapshot of what made them such a force on stage. The collection continues with Second Empire Justice, expanded to include key bonus singles like Telecommunication and Solar, before closing with The Killing Dream, the band’s 1990 comeback album, restored to its original running order.
The set is completed by a 20-page booklet packed with liner notes, period photography, sleeve art, and contemporary press clippings, providing essential context without overwhelming the music itself.
Blitz’s influence has long stretched beyond their original run. Their songs have been covered by bands including Rancid, Judge, Roger Miret & The Disasters, and Oxymoron, a testament to the band’s lasting impact across punk, hardcore, and street punk scenes worldwide.
The Albums is not just a collection for completists. It’s a clear, well-curated document of a band that helped shape the sound and attitude of UK punk at a crucial moment. For longtime fans and newcomers alike, this box set stands as the most complete and authoritative release of Blitz’s legacy to date.
What’s Inside the Box
The Albums is more than a simple greatest hits package. The five CDs are arranged to give listeners both depth and context:
Disc 1 – Voice of a Generation: The seminal 1982 album in full, featuring classics like Voice of a Generation and Nation on Fire. Disc 2 – Singles & Rarities: A 29-track collection of non-LP singles, B-sides, demos, and compilation cuts, including indie chart hits such as Someone’s Gonna Die, Never Surrender, Warriors and New Age. Disc 3 – Live 1982: A rare in-concert recording capturing Blitz in full flight during their early years. Disc 4 – Second Empire Justice: The follow-up LP that also charted in the indie top 5, here expanded with bonus singles Telecommunication and Solar. Disc 5 – The Killing Dream: The band’s comeback album from 1990, restored to its original order.
