Grave Digger - The Living Dead (2018)

I have to admit that when I first saw the title and cover for this new Grave Digger record my pulse started to quicken, as my single favorite of all their extensive catalog was one of their prior 'horror themed' efforts, The Grave Digger from 2001, devoted to the works of Edgar Allen Poe. Thinking this might be the Germans' opus to George Romero, I wound up slightly disappointed at the actual content, not because it isn't a solid effort in terms of the music, but because it didn't have quite the same sort of coherent concept. There are tunes here about zombies, sure, and a few other themes that verge on the horrific, but roughly half the album is dedicated to pretty standard heavy metal fare, like "The Power of Metal" which is about the musical medium itself.

So a bit of a letdown thematically, but beyond that The Living Dead is yet another in a long line of competent, professional, Grave Digger records. Their 18th studio full-length overall, if I did my math right and am skipping the re-recordings album they dropped a couple years back. Like a lot of its predecessors, stretching back to around 1993 (The Reaper) when they truly solidified the German power metal sound they are most known for, the record does feel like its carved out of a lot of typical riffing progressions that the band have used time and time again, 'paraphrasing' them slightly on each iteration. You could honestly jump back 25 years to that and not notice a great degree of difference, other than what Axel 'Ironfinger' Ritt has brought to the table during his tenure, which is a little more Rhoads-like flash and flair to the guitar work that helps shepherd it away from redundancy or from the dire predictability it might otherwise have grown into. He brings a fraction of uniqueness to the decisions here, like the speed picked battery that inaugurates "What War Left Behind", and lots of anthemic little melodies all over the tracks that give it somewhat of a distinct personality.

But similar to their countrymen Primal Fear, Blind Guardian or most directly Running Wild, they really don't require a lot of variation to kick your ass. You know what you're getting into when you pick up a Grave Digger effort, and there's some comfort in that, and some comfort in the fact that they are so committed, over such a long career to keep up the power level. The rhythm section here hits hard, an imbreachable foundation for Ritt's playing and Chris Boltendahl's gritty, unapologetic, accented timbre. The mix is quite good, putting the guitar right up front but not losing the swerving bass lines, the beats or the atmosphere brought in by the vocals. Speaking of Running Wild, you'll hear a number of cuts like "Fist in Your Face" which bring to mind the more layman's style of muscular hard rock Rolf & crew brought on certain songs on their first three discs, or the earliest Grave Digger albums like Heavy Metal Breakdown and Witch Hunt. But for my money there is this large chunk in the middle of the record, stretching towards the end, where its best tracks like "Hymn of the Damned", "What War Left Behind" and "Insane Pain" had me most pumped, the latter of which has a melodic guitar line nestled in there which sounded to me like "The Time Warp".

As for the album's single "Zombie Dance", while it's one of the few cuts that actually service the undead theme I was hoping for, it's more of a party polka folk tune that warps into chugging metal verses, and it's a little on the goofy side, which is obviously the point of it if you've seen the video (in which Chris plays a newscaster who looks like he's about to break down at any moment). I think if you've got a drunk or warm enough audience at some large European festival and break that out, people are going to have a blast swinging around to it, but it's just not the most serious tune here, even though it's far from awful, and develops a decent bridge-chorus. As the flagship for this album though, I might have made another choice, and there are several of them, because The Living Dead is yet another testament to why this band has the longevity it has. They rock the rotten soil off of your self-inflicted domestic coffin, crack it open and then kick your butt back to the land of the living. This is hardly their best album, even in recent memory, but apart from 1-2 tracks it's damn dependable.

Horror-meter: Four out of ten unnecessary sequels.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

https://www.grave-digger-clan.de/

Grave Digger - The Clans Will Rise Again (2010)

As with most veteran metal bands with 30 years under their belts, Grave Digger have had a series of peaks and valleys through their career. At the worst of times, Chris Boltendahl and his stable of prize horses would became laughable, as in their decision in the late 80s to drop the 'Grave' from the name and play commercial keyboard hard rock as the lame Digger. At the best of times, they have been nothing short of inspirational, as in The Reaper or the excellent Edgar Allen Poe concept album The Grave Digger. However, many would argue that their 1996 effort Tunes of War stands as their crowning moment, marrying Boltendahl's gruff vocal presence with solid anthems, a Braveheart gone power metal concept album that helped thrust the band back into the spotlight their peers Running Wild and Blind Guardian were enjoying in the mid to late 90s.

I am not part of that 'many', and while I enjoyed Tunes of War for obvious greats like "Rebellion (The Clans are Marching)" or "The Bruce (The Lion King)", I would not count it among their very best. Nevertheless, it is to the hills of Scotland and the events of William Wallace's native land that the German gods have returned to, just in time to celebrate 30 years of existence, so The Clans Will Rise Again is a sort of sequel that pulls the looking glass back a few leagues to examine Scotland as a whole. Riding on the coattails of Ballads of a Hangman, one of last year's most worthy power/traditional metal efforts, and seeing the introduction of Domain axe slinger Axel Ritt into the lineup, I build up a huge anticipation for this album, the 14th full length, and perhaps I set myself up for just a touch of disappointment.

No, this is by no means a bad or negative entry into the band's considerable discography, and in truth it's nearly an equal to Tunes of War, but I felt some of the songs were slightly less potent and consistent than its predecessor. Ritt fits the gauntlet very well here, easily dispensing the traditional Grave Digger riffs rooted so deeply in Judas Priest and Accept influence, and offering a healthy heap of shred without ever taking too far into the realm of self indulgence. Chris's vocals have their standard level of studio excellence, huge and dirty and distinct, proving that this genre does not solely belong to the shriekers and Lucio Pavarottis, and the rhythm section of Jens Becker and Stefan Arnold are so tight that they could probably step away from their instruments, and through the power of habit, they'd keep playing themselves efficiently. Add to this the careful addition of atmosphere through glorious, simple synthesizers, bells and other instruments which don't feel out of place in the Scottish realm, and you've got 53 minutes of solid, at times imperative material.

"Highland Farewell" feels like "Cat Scratch Fever" set on stun and sent careening through the highlands, with a lovely bagpipe intro and polished power metal visage, glorious chorus. "Rebels" generates a force akin to peers Primal Fear, U.D.O. and so forth with some familiar, melodic and desperate riffing. "Valley of Tears" is one of my clear favorites of the record, with a steady mid paced rock rhythm through which you can hear Ritt's strings sweating distortion, an almost dark jazzy texture to the melodic chords being slung below Boltendahl's verse. "Execution" takes a riff quite similar to "Painkiller" and then throws a little melodic twist on it, and "Coming Home" brings the roof down, with a bagpipe-gang vocal accompaniment that escalates into majesty, before the stolid weight of the finale "When Rain Turns to Blood".

The rest of the songs are engaging, but after a few listens, "Hammer of the Scots" and, say, "Spider" just felt like so many other Grave Digger songs of years past. Competent, the former with a nice battle segue, but ultimately not the sort I'll be skipping towards. I had expected "The Clans Will Rise Again" to be some epic monster anthem that rivaled the catchiness of its predecessor "Rebellion", but aside from the gravitas of the guitars and echoed vocals of the chorus, it's not highly entertaining. Thankfully, this is in the minority here, and hardly stands out as some sore thumb against the album's atmosphere. Speaking of which, the "Days of Revenge" intro is quite nicely done, as is "The Piper McLeod" interlude. Both serve to immerse you into the coming kick to the knees when the band begins to rage.

The Clans Will Rise Again is certainly enough to please the Grave Digger fanatic of The Reaper and beyond, and it stands above a few of their other concept albums like Excalibur or the mediocre Knights of the Cross, but the sweet kiss of masterpiece perfection still seems to elude them here. That said, anyone enamored of Scottish history and the strange fascinating this German band holds for their distant neighbor is unlikely to find metal music that better fits the place and concept, and there are at least half the songs here would be worth anyone's time. Anyone with ears, that is.

Verdict: Win [7.75/10]

http://www.grave-digger-clan.com/

Grave Digger - The Grave Digger (2001)

The Grave Digger is a lot of things for German power veterans Grave Digger. For one, it’s the very best of the band’s concept albums, easily trumping Tunes of War or anything else the band has offered since. The Edgar Allen Poe concept was a great idea to run with, and the dark and heavy edge to the tunes does it a service. Naturally, one would associate the writings of Poe with a gothic metal style, or perhaps black metal, but Christ Boltendahl succeed in living up to the theme.

The Grave Digger is also the band’s very best, track for track effort. Each and every track fucking rages, and though a number stand out from even this worthy company, you can count on this album whenever you want to bang your head and fist (don’t do it together!) The album has the same dark edge that made The Reaper so great, and this album goes one better, with a more consistent set of songs. The brooding “Son of Evil” creates a creepy, slow buildup for the rocking namesake of both the band and album. “Raven” delivers a stormy telling of the tale, and “Scythe of Time” is a big power metal with a riff that’ll have Accept and Primal Fear fans howling. But, as good as this first crop of songs is, none of them compare to what follows, the amazing dark anthem “Spirits of the Dead”.

Soulless creatures, bloodless shadows
Isolation all around
Spirits of the dead are calling
The unholy side by side
Bloody hope to mortals given
Spirits of the dead crawling through the night

The song had my jaw on the floor and my tongue wagging with blind, undying, newfound loyalty to these German maniacs, with riffing to die for and a catchy chorus that conjured both metal pride and tears. But let me warn you in advance…there is a BETTER SONG yet to come! But first, one must ‘suffer’ through the epic “The House”, the ball busting “King Pest”, and the churning grooves of “Sacred Fire”, to arrive at the badass “Funeral Procession”, with pretty much the best Grave Digger riff in history, and a chorus that truly beckons the dead from the earth!

Welcome to the other side
Where shadows live without pride
The fruit of poison takes control
And the mortals take it's toll
Blood stops running through your veins
And the death takes away your pain
On a bed of roses you're lying there
Motionless with this evil stare

And the album STILL isn’t over. “Haunted Palace” is an atmospheric speed metal anthem with some a nice, twisting verse riff. “Silence” is a big power ballad, but probably the weakest track on the album, especially when followed by the bonus “Black Cat”, which rocks.

Manni Schmidt’s playing is impeccable on this record, and Jens Becker holds it down with some great, grooving bass. The album sounds enormous, clunky and morbid, like a graveyard full of drunk 80s heshers surrounding a live band on the back of a pickup truck. I would probably pay Grave Digger a few hundred dollars to see them live in such a situation, and you should probably pay whatever you must to acquire this album.

Highlights: The Grave Digger, Spirits of the Dead, Funeral Possession, Haunted Palace, Black Cat

Verdict: Epic Win [9.5/10] (follow your obsession)

http://www.grave-digger-clan.com/

Grave Digger - Ballads of a Hangman (2009)

Proving yet again that they are one of the 'class acts' of European power metal, Grave Digger deliver another of their successful, historical concept albums in Ballads of a Hangman, a tour de force of catchy song-writing and gritty Boltendahl. It is easily the equal of any of the last few Grave Digger albums, in fact surpassing everything since The Grave Digger (which rocked). It turns out "Pray" (the first single which I reviewed earlier) isn't even one of the best songs.

The album opens with the grim chant "The Gallows Pole" which blossoms into the powerful title track, with its unforgettable vocal melody. "Hell of Disillusion" is pure classic Grave Digger, with a rocking German post-Priest power riff and some tasteful solo licks. "Sorrow of the Dead" reminded me of "Spirits of the Dead" in title, and it's another scorcher. "Grave of the Addicted" is a bold anthem with some kick ass riffing. "Lonely the Innocence Dies" opens with a sad string of melodies, you can really feel the doom of approaching that hangman on his scaffold to this. The rest of the album also rocks, with "The Shadow of Your Soul" being one of my favorites on the album.

The mix is once again fantastic, this band has been completely professional in that department for many years now. The songs here range from just great to perfect, it's pure heavy metal and the vocals of Kris have never sounded better. It's also very well paced, with enough rockers and a few slower pieces to break it up. Grave Digger is once again 'delivering the goods' like so many German power metal bands do, and this is a legacy far from over despite the graying age of the band members.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

http://www.grave-digger-clan.com/

Grave Digger - Pray CDS (2008)

2009 will bring a new album from Germany's Grave Digger, Ballads of a Hangman. It appears to be yet another concept album, but this is a formula which has worked well for Chris Boltendahl and crew for the past 7-8 albums so why change it now?

"Pray" is the first single from the album, and though it comes off rather pensive and somber for the band, it's a good one, with a catchy main riff and a workable chorus. The single contains a decent cover of Motorhead's "Overkill", with Chris doing a pretty good Lemmy impersonation. There are also two other originals here. "My Blood Will Live Forever" is a fairly average rocker, but "When the Sun Goes Down" is actually a pretty good track, on par with "Pray" and possessing a similar feel.

As everyone knows (or at least, you do now), I'm not a huge fan of the CD single format, but Grave Digger offers enough of a teaser here that it should tide over fans until the album drops. What I've heard here definitely gives me a positive feeling that we could be in for another good one.

Verdict: Indifference (6/10)

http://www.grave-digger-clan.com/