- Product Code: JRR-BB003R
- You will get bonus-scraps: 40
- Availability: In Stock
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€ 39.90
- Price in bonus-scraps: 399
For the first time on vinyl, the first mini-album by legendary German Heavy/Speed Metal band.
The beginnings of Grave Digger date back to 1980. In 1983, they released their debut album “Heavy Metal Breakdown”, and the second album, “Witch Hunter”, in 1985. Festival appearances, a tour as the supporting act for Helloween, and a triple headlining tour with Celtic Frost and Helloween followed before the release of the third album “War Games” in January 1986, all on Noise Records. Then Uwe Lulis on guitar joined in 1987 and the band's name was changed to Digger, under which they released the album “Stronger Than Ever”. This album had anything in common with the earlier music of Grave Digger, and it was not accepted by fans. As a result, Chris Boltendahl declared the break-up of the band at the end of 1987…
…However, the band partially reformed in 1991. Chris Boltendahl and Uwe Lulis, along with two newcomers, Tomi Göttlich and Jörg Michael (Rage, later Running Wild, Stratovarius), released a comeback record, “The Reaper”, returning to the true Heavy Metal roots of Grave Digger. While most fans look to The Reaper as the archetypical return to form release, that wasn't necessarily the case regarding Grave Digger. While it conclusively swept the infamous Digger debacle under the rug, it actually consisted largely of past material previously composed for the "Hawaii Demo Bottles And Four Coconuts." The form had already been returned to some years earlier, it just took the band several years to effectively regroup. Through "The Reaper", the band exorcized the few demons that remained, and effectively wiped the slate clean to usher in a new, grand period. To Grave Digger's credit, a bevy of quality material still remained locked in "The Reaper"'s vault, and they amalgamated the remaining past cuts with the first throes of the modern Grave Digger formula we are familiar with today to bring us "Symphony of Death". “Symphony Of Death” followed in 1994, with the same line-up of “The Reaper”. As per it's place in the timeline, this obscure MLP bridges the incendiary Speed Metal architecture of "The Reaper" with the Epic, forward-thinking songwriting present on "Heart Of Darkness". Grave Digger's line-up around this period is certainly one to envy, as Michael is far and away the best technician on the kit that they have ever boasted amongst their nefarious ranks. Even without Becker, these guys have no problem shifting between riff-driven fist pounders to darker, more atmospheric romps that came to define the band proper.
This is one of the greatest MLPs ever. Fast, catchy, powerful, everything you'd want in German Speed Metal. Check it out for sure, if you're a fan of the genre, and if you're just getting into Grave Digger - this is the best place to start! Amazing piece of music, kindly licensed by Sony Music, available for the very first time on vinyl!
Limited to 100 copies Yellow Vinyl.
GUN Records/Sony Music Entertainment Italy spa/Jolly Roger Records/Blackbeard, 2021 (JRR-BB003R). Made in Italy. Pressed in Germany. Second press.
Tracklist:
Side A
1. Intro 0:57
2. Symphony of Death 4:26
3. Back to the Roots 4:27
4. House of Horror 3:36
5. Shout It Out 3:09
6. World of Fools 5:05
7. Wild And Dangerous 2:45
Running time: 24:25 min.
Side B
1. Intro 0:57
2. Symphony of Death 4:26
3. Back to the Roots 4:27
4. House of Horror 3:36
5. Shout It Out 3:09
6. World of Fools 5:05
7. Wild And Dangerous 2:45
Running time: 24:25 min.
Total playing time: 48:50 min.