Written by Tim van der Weyden at 2012-11-19 19:48:18
Album Reviews :: Grave Digger – Clash Of The Gods
Band: Grave Digger – Clash Of The Gods
Label: Napalm Records
Release: 4 September 2012
Line-up:
- Chris Boltendahl – zang
- Axel Ritt – gitaar
- Jens Becker – bas
- H.P. Katzenburg – keyboard
- Stefan Arnold – drums
Het album:
Grave Digger is a band that's been around for a long time. They got together in 1980 and they released their first album (‘Heavy Metal Breakdown’) in 1984. The band really has a sound of their own, which every metallover will recognize right from the start of a record.
But that turned out a little bit different when I started listening to their newest record ‘Clash Of The Gods’. Accordeon music and German vocals are the first sounds that come out of this album. I got the feeling I had landed in a small harbor village and it made me wonder if this was the right album. “God Of Terror” follows and it marks the bands return to the old familiar sound, with fast and strong riffs and great, raw vocals, accompanied by floating melodies and solo's. A sigh of reliefs follows from my part. The following tracks all sound like the familiar tracks of the band, released in previous years. But “Clash Of The Gods” does manage to be somewhat different, with some Middle-East inflouences and a slow rhythm.
Even though there are some good and powerful variations to be found on this record; like during the softer parts in “Walls Of Sorrow”, the whole thing is still really Grave Digger. This is great for a part of their fans who don't want them to change, for another part it might turn out to be more of the same. Even if the band doesn't really bring anything new to the table, they close the record strongly with “Home At Last”.
Conclusion:
It's obvious. Grave Digger has earned their spot, won't reinvent themselves, but are still great musicians. ‘Clash Of The Gods’ is an album for the fans, but will also be able to influence newer fans in a positive way as well.
Tracklist:
- Charon
- God Of Terror
- Hell Dog
- Medusa
- Clash Of The Gods
- Death Angel And The Grave Digger
- Walls Of Sorrow
- Call Of The Sirens
- Warriors Revenge
- With The Wind
- Home At Last
Links:
