The Blitz (Krokus album)

The Blitz
Studio album by Krokus
Released	22 August 1984
Recorded	Little Mountain Sound Studios, Vancouver, Canada
Genre	Hard rock, glam metal, heavy metal
Length	38:34
Label	Arista
Producer	Bruce Fairbairn
Krokus chronology
Headhunter (1983) The Blitz (1984) Change of Address (1986)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Martin Popoff	[2]

The Blitz is the eighth studio album by the Swiss hard rock band Krokus, released in August 1984.^[3] It became a gold album in the United States.^[4] The band hit the Billboard Hot 100 with "Midnite Maniac" from that album and became the first Swiss act to do so. While preparing to record it, Patrick Mahassen had been tapped to join the band on guitar, Mark Kohler having switched to bass. Mahassen did not join, and the album was recorded as a quartet; Andy Tanas played bass on the subsequent tour.^[5]

UK-based company Rock Candy Records reissued the album on CD in 2014.

In pop culture

A cover of Krokus' version of "Ballroom Blitz", originally performed by UK band Sweet, is featured as a playable track on Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Fernando von Arb and Marc Storace , except where noted. 

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Midnite Maniac"		3:59
2.	"Out of Control"		4:15
3.	"Boys Nite Out"	Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance, Storace, Von Arb	3:38
4.	"Our Love"		4:35
5.	"Out to Lunch"		4:20

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
6.	"Ballroom Blitz" (Sweet cover)	Nicky Chinn, Michael Chapman	4:00
7.	"Rock the Nation"		4:41
8.	"Hot Stuff"		4:36
9.	"Ready to Rock"		4:30

Personnel

Band members

• Marc Storace - vocals
• Fernando von Arb - guitars
• Mark Kohler - bass
• Jeff Klaven - drums

Additional musicians

• Doug Johnson - keyboards
• Jimi Jamison - backing vocals

Production

• Bruce Fairbairn - producer
• Bob Rock, Bob Ketchum - engineers
• Mike Fraser - assistant engineer
• Phil Burnett - mixing
• George Marino - mastering

Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1984	Billboard 200 (North America)[6]	36
	RPM100 Albums (Canada)[7]	83
	German Albums Chart[8]	55
	Swiss Albums Chart[9]	6
	Swedish Album Chart[10]	27

Singles

Year	Title	Chart	Position
1984	"Midnite Maniac"	Billboard Hot 100[6]	71

Certifications

Country	Organization	Sales
United States	RIAA	Gold (+ 500,000)[4]
Canada	CRIA	Gold (+ 50,000)[11]

References

1. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Krokus The Blitz review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
2. Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
3. Strong, Martin C. "The Great Metal Discography." Canongate Books Ltd. Edinburgh, Scotland. 1998. p. 177
4. "American album certifications – Krokus – The Blitz". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
5. Andy Tanas Biography
6. "The Blitz Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-08-12.
7. "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 41, No. 8, October 27, 1984". Library and Archives Canada. 27 October 1984. Retrieved 2012-08-12.
8. "Album – Krokus, The Blitz". Charts.de (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-08-12.
9. "Krokus – The Blitz". Hitparade.ch (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-08-12.
10. "Krokus – The Blitz (Album)". Swedishcharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-08-12.
11. "Gold Platinum Database - Artist: Krokus". Music Canada. Retrieved 2012-08-09.