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Rating: Right during the release of the new Grave Digger album "Liberty or Death", while waiting to hear their latest effort, I revisited this self-titled album from 2001, truly very beautiful and well-played, the creators of the classic "The Reaper" (entered into the pantheon of heavy metal albums to be framed) deliver a compact album of heavy/power metal with the right speed metal deviations that's truly very expressive and charged, with quite a nice cover (even the aesthetic side wants its part).
A piano and an epic atmosphere anticipate the great speed/power guitar riff of "Son Of Evil" which has a good rhythm marked by precise and "hard" drumming, there is the typical vocal timbre of the singer, a sort of "growl" of power metal and a really enjoyable solo, a very respectable opener. The title-track follows immediately after and consists of "helicopter" drumming, typical of bands like Stratovarius, a truly powerful and anthemic chorus, a rousing rhythm that heavily emphasizes the speed of the song with haunting atmospheres and tasty melodic solos, continuing at high levels indeed. The beautiful (but unfortunately very brief) keyboard introduction of "Raven", another "standard" song in the style of Grave Digger, with a more restrained voice but which still resolves into an anthemic chorus and engaging riffs. More restrained rhythm for "Scythe of Time", which has decent bass parts and despite the heavy opening riff, transforms into a semi-ballad in its central parts while the chorus becomes heavier and anthemic, a solo with the typical power style that is melodic and fast.
The exciting speed riffs of "Spirits of the Dead" are beautiful, a song that might remind one of Helloween's productions and offers a good chorus. Guitar arpeggio introduces "The House", the voice is more poised, but almost immediately the song transforms into a majestic epic metal song that would make the best Manowar pale, from the cadenced performance one of the best of the lot, atmospheres in the background and acoustic breaks throughout the body of the song accompanied by excellent choirs and a prominent bass, the keyboards close this masterpiece. The following "King Pest" is to Grave Digger what the worker is to clocking in, with speed riffs and a driving drum, a predictable and repetitive piece. The vaguely hard rock riff of "Sacred Fire" has an epic chorus and choirs, a drummer playing fast, a solo of an exceptionally remarkable melody. The same goes for "Funeral Procession" as for "King Pest", although with particularly more appreciable riffs. Admirable riff for "Haunted Palace" which also features very fast double bass drum pieces, one of the many beautiful songs on the album.
"The Grave Digger" concludes with a beautiful acoustic ballad, "Silence", definitely influenced by the more "heavy metal" moments of Black Sabbath and the latest Stratovarius, beautiful guitar parts for a perfect song that closes a good album like this. The album also includes a bonus track which is "Black Cat", a song without infamy or praise, a bit distant from the typical style of Grave Digger and has a heavy rock flavor but features nice solos.
In essence, there is nothing new; Grave Digger are true "defenders" and reiterate their proposition in every album, but unlike other groups that end up becoming bad copies of themselves, the Germans represent in "The Grave Digger" their rock-solid and compact speed/power metal with professionalism and compositional charge. Highly recommended along with "The Reaper" for anyone wanting to start taking a look at this important band in German heavy metal.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
06 The House (05:43)
I'm riding through the night, a friend has called me
I see the moonless sky, the stars shine bright
The house before me, fog hangs over
I'm standing there alone in the dark
I ring the bell
He opens the door
He looks like death
No shadow on the floor
It seems life's gone out of his body
And madness now has taken control
Pale and grey
A weird mind
His sister is dead
And I'm so blind
Deep in the house
She's lying there
This bird of happiness
With long black hair
[Chorus:]
Silent screams out of the distance
It seems the walls would talk to me
Whispering voices out of the grave
It seems the house can't set me free
Horror running through my veins
As I see my friend going insane
Pale and grey
He's standing there
Scratching and moaning,
Disturbing the air
He knows that he buried his sister alive
But as he sees her he knows that he'll die
[Chorus:]
Silent screams out of the distance
It seems the walls would talk to me
Whispering voices out of the grave
It seems the house can't set me free
And it's burning...
08 Sacred Fire (04:11)
My heart is pounding, full moon is rising
My brain is crying, my eyes are staring
I know what will happen to my soul
Insanity will taken control
[Chorus:]
Sacred fire
Burning higher
Sacred fire
Is my desire
I feel the hunger, I feel the pain
I lick the blood, that's running through your veins
I bite your heart and lead you to death
Only the sacred fire can save your breath
[Chorus:]
Sacred fire
Burning higher
Sacred fire
Is my desire
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