GRAVE DIGGER

‘Ballads Of A Hangman’ is the latest album from long established German power metal band Grave Digger and comes soon after their recently released ‘Pray’ EP. ‘The Gallows Pole’ and ‘Ballad Of A Hangman’ provide the album with a superlative beginning. Both tracks have a more epic feel than the aforementioned EP, without losing the simplistic quality that made that release so impressive. The album continues in the vein of the openers and maintains its excellence with its relentless power and strong melodies evident in every track. Singling out any track is difficult as they are all of such a high standard but ‘Lonely The Innocence Dies’ is a gripping, intense, impassioned ballad, which features a lead riff that takes the song towards a cracking climax; simply awesome. ‘Funeral For A Fallen Angel’ features an intro that reminds me of Gibraltar's finest, Breed 77. The production, performance and songwriting on ‘Ballads Of A Hangman’ is nothing short of breathtaking. This just might be the first great album of 2009.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Napalm Records

Album

BALLADS OF A HANGMAN

Review by Dave Crewe

RUNNING TIME:

41:36

RELEASE DATE:

12th Jan 2009

TRACK LISTING

1) The Gallows Pole
2) Ballad of a Hangman
3) Hell of Disillusion
4) Sorrow of the Dead
5) Grave of the Addicted
6) Lonely The Innocence Dies
7) Into The War
8) The Shadow of Your Soul
9) Funeral for a Fallen Angel
10) Stormrider
11) Pray

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

Germany

"This just might be the first great album of 2009."