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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Grave Digger - Fields Of Blood + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Rls Date..2020-08-16 Encoder......LAME 3.100 ║ │
│║ Genre.....Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year......2020 Khz/Bitrate..44.1 / VBR kbps ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper....Anthem Songs........12 ║ │
│║ Source....CD Covers.......Yes ║ │
│║ Url..http://www.grave-digger-clan.de ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Grave Digger ║ │
│║ Album : Fields Of Blood ║ │
│║ Label : Napalm Records ║ │
│║ Cat.No : NPR928 ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ItÆs difficult to realize a great idea and then avoid ║ │
│║ returning to it, especially within a grand career that has ║ │
│║ spanned four decades. Whether it has been Running WildÆs ║ │
│║ recurring theme of swashbuckling pirates on the high seas ║ │
│║ or HelloweenÆs recurring tale of a hero wielding seven ║ │
│║ magical keys, there is something about a signature story ║ │
│║ that demands a continuation, even if itÆs not a proper ║ │
│║ sequel. For Grave Digger, one of the eldest Teutonic ║ │
│║ responses to the NWOBHM and a key progenitor of the German ║ │
│║ speed metal scene, their pivotal moment came a bit later in ║ │
│║ their career with the release of 1996Æs Tunes Of War, a ║ │
│║ bold conceptual work about the history of Scotland that was ║ │
│║ likely put into Boltendahl and companyÆs heads by the ║ │
│║ recent releases of films like Rob Roy and Braveheart. An ║ │
│║ eventual sequel would emerge fourteen years later in the ║ │
│║ riveting crusher The Clans Will Rise Again, all but setting ║ │
│║ the stage for yet another chapter to close out what was ║ │
│║ clearly an epic trilogy. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Roughly ten years to the day, the circle has now been ║ │
│║ completed with the arrival of Fields Of Blood, Grave ║ │
│║ DiggerÆs 20th studio LP and a riveting beast of a musical ║ │
│║ tale to boot. With the lionÆs share of this outfit flirting ║ │
│║ with their 60s and now reduced to four principle members, ║ │
│║ this colossal machine has lost none of its steam and puts ║ │
│║ the rest of GermanyÆs booming power metal scene on notice ║ │
│║ with an unrelenting collection of masterfully crafted, high ║ │
│║ octane steel. Likewise, though front man Chris Boltendahl ║ │
│║ has put his aging vocal chords through the proverbial ║ │
│║ ringer for about 40 years, his lion-like roar has all of ║ │
│║ the power and gravely charm of Lemmy Kilmister and still ║ │
│║ manages to come off as nimble and dynamic in spite of a ║ │
│║ fairly limited tonal range when compared to legion of ║ │
│║ Halford imitators associated with the style. One would also ║ │
│║ be remiss to discount the virtuoso guitar wizardry of 10 ║ │
│║ year veteran and lone axe man Alex Ritt, injecting ║ │
│║ occasional Neo-classical flourishes and bluesy swagger into ║ │
│║ this bandÆs rustic, no nonsense approach to things. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ While seemingly just another by-the-numbers affair from a ║ │
│║ band that has been about as prolific in the studio as ║ │
│║ Saxon, this album proves to be anything but for anyone that ║ │
│║ has stuck it out as a fan since the bandÆs early 90s ║ │
│║ reunion. A lot of the quirky asides into polka gimmickry ║ │
│║ and somewhat reductive throwbacks to 80s arena rock ║ │
│║ orthodoxy that have popped up over the past decade here and ║ │
│║ there are nowhere to be found on this conceptual offering, ║ │
│║ having given way to a consistent fit of power-infused ║ │
│║ metallic conceptual storytelling with some obvious nods to ║ │
│║ olden Scottish folk tunes. Obvious nods to the period being ║ │
│║ depicted in the bagpipe-steeped intro ôThe ClansmanÆs ║ │
│║ Journeyö, and the epic intro of the slow-marching fanfare ║ │
│║ ôThe Heart Of Scotlandö are merely the most blatant moments ║ │
│║ of an album that adapts the period musical practices of ║ │
│║ this albumÆs subject to the metal medium as brilliantly as ║ │
│║ Running WildÆs seminal offerings did with colonial sea ║ │
│║ shanties. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Pointing to a select group of songs as standout moments ║ │
│║ proves to be a highly daunting task, but there is a pretty ║ │
│║ clear delineation between this albumÆs various chapters, ║ │
│║ creating a sense of cadence to its pacing that is difficult ║ │
│║ to miss. Generally frenetic and biting speed metal anthems ║ │
│║ like ôAll For The Kingdomö and ôGathering Of The Clansö ║ │
│║ tend to be the order of the day here, being surpassed by ║ │
│║ borderline thrashing mayhem in ôFreedomö and ôUnion Of The ║ │
│║ Crownö and separated by varying degrees of more restrained ║ │
│║ yet highly memorable interludes. The ballad/duet ôThousand ║ │
│║ Tearsö provides a brilliant contrast of voice types between ║ │
│║ BoltendahlÆs signature husky baritone croon that he can ║ │
│║ surprisingly still call upon after shouting his head off ║ │
│║ with a Doro Pesch-like splendor out of Battle Beast ║ │
│║ vocalist Noora Louhimo, not to mention further exploiting ║ │
│║ the bagpipes for added vernacular realism. But it all comes ║ │
│║ home with the grand epic title song ôFields Of Bloodö, ║ │
│║ which is probably the most ambitious offering to ever come ║ │
│║ out of this bandÆs arsenal and showcases musician in this ║ │
│║ fold at their best. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ To say that this is the best work to come out of this band ║ │
│║ in more than a decade is by no means an understatement, nor ║ │
│║ does it serve to diminish what has been a highly consistent ║ │
│║ output since Alex Ritt first stepped in to fill two ║ │
│║ guitarist vacancies single-handedly a decade prior. It ║ │
│║ stands above the path both for its lyrical ambition, but ║ │
│║ more so for its musical prowess, which sees said guitar god ║ │
│║ fully stepping into the role and rivaling the likes of ║ │
│║ Chris Impellitteri and Steve Vai while being able to throw ║ │
│║ out a crunchy, textbook speed metal riff without resorting ║ │
│║ to excessive showboating. Calling this the best power metal ║ │
│║ album of 2020 may be a tad premature given that the halfway ║ │
│║ point of the year is a tad past its release date and a ║ │
│║ number of prominent bands have promising ventures scheduled ║ │
│║ before the 31st of December, but if this isnÆt a contender ║ │
│║ then it is impossible to know what would be. If one doesnÆt ║ │
│║ immediately become inspired to push the English back to the ║ │
│║ south of HadrianÆs Wall after hearing this, then one ║ │
│║ doesnÆt understand the meaning of metal. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Originally written for Sonic Perspectives ║ │
│║ (www.sonicperspectives.com) ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 1. The Clansman's Journey 1:27 │
│ 2. All For The Kingdom 4:11 │
│ 3. Lions Of The Sea 3:59 │
│ 4. Freedom 4:54 │
│ 5. The Heart Of Scotland 5:19 │
│ 6. Thousand Tears 4:58 │
│ 7. Union Of The Crown 3:59 │
│ 8. My Final Fight 4:09 │
│ 9. Gathering Of The Clans 3:57 │
│ 10. Barbarian 3:43 │
│ 11. Fields Of Blood 10:11 │
│ 12. Requiem For The Fallen 3:00 │
│ │
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│ Total Length : 00:53:47 │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
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│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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