Napalm Records
2009
1. The Gallows Pole (Intro)
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
Grave Digger were an early favorite of mine and still rank among my top bands, even if they didn't deliver all I'd hoped for on the last album, Libery Or Death. With a new Grave Digger release always comes the hope they can match the sheer awesomeness of albums like The Grave Digger, Excalibur, or Tunes Of War again. Hell, I'd take another Rheingold and it's not as though Liberty Or Death was a total flop.
Ballad Of A Hangman starts off the album in familiar fashion with a by the numbers sort of Grave Digger song after a typical short intro setup. The chorus is simple with just shouts of 'hangman', but all in all I like the song as it has good energy and a sound that most closely resembles Excalibur or Tunes to my ears. Lyrically and thematically I'd say Ballads Of A Hangman certainly follows the darker side of Grave Digger, but the music is what brings the fantasy/medieval era to mind. Hell of Disillusion, Sorrow of the Dead, and Grave Of The Addicted are likewise familiar, but once again I just plain like these tracks and good songs are good songs. There are some darker hints musically in Sorrow Of The Dead with it's melodic chorus and Grave Of The Addicted.
Lonely The Innocence Dies is where the album pulls a 180 and breaks the mold however as the music becomes somber and slowed and clean singing comes out of nowhere courtesy of Veronica Freeman of Benedictum. The atmosphere infused in this track is unreal and the combo of these two singers is like they were made for each other. Very dark, evil, and excellent making for the high point of the disc. After this track things more or less settle back into a familiar Grave Digger mold until the other surprise of the album, Pray which has some interesting riffing and structure which makes it sound more like a big arena rock anthem than a big epic power song. It totally works here though and all I can say is this song rocks big time. Seriously great build to a fist pumping chorus that will find this track a home next to Lonely The Innocence Dies in my new favorite Grave Digger songs. One final shout out before I close this atypical semi track by track would be to Stormrider which while familiar Grave Digger is a great representation of them with a lot of power.
At times Ballads Of A Hangman may be familiar, but when it is they do it well and when it isn't the band surprises me with some fresh song ideas that work superbly. This is a pleasing experience with a good breath of fresh air that doesn't take away from what Grave Digger's sound has been over the years. Maybe not all the songs grab me hard, but there's no weak point either and some highlights to boast.
Highlights: Lonely The Innocence Dies, Pray, Stormrider, Ballad Of A Hangman
Rating - 4.0/5
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
Grave Digger were an early favorite of mine and still rank among my top bands, even if they didn't deliver all I'd hoped for on the last album, Libery Or Death. With a new Grave Digger release always comes the hope they can match the sheer awesomeness of albums like The Grave Digger, Excalibur, or Tunes Of War again. Hell, I'd take another Rheingold and it's not as though Liberty Or Death was a total flop.
Ballad Of A Hangman starts off the album in familiar fashion with a by the numbers sort of Grave Digger song after a typical short intro setup. The chorus is simple with just shouts of 'hangman', but all in all I like the song as it has good energy and a sound that most closely resembles Excalibur or Tunes to my ears. Lyrically and thematically I'd say Ballads Of A Hangman certainly follows the darker side of Grave Digger, but the music is what brings the fantasy/medieval era to mind. Hell of Disillusion, Sorrow of the Dead, and Grave Of The Addicted are likewise familiar, but once again I just plain like these tracks and good songs are good songs. There are some darker hints musically in Sorrow Of The Dead with it's melodic chorus and Grave Of The Addicted.
Lonely The Innocence Dies is where the album pulls a 180 and breaks the mold however as the music becomes somber and slowed and clean singing comes out of nowhere courtesy of Veronica Freeman of Benedictum. The atmosphere infused in this track is unreal and the combo of these two singers is like they were made for each other. Very dark, evil, and excellent making for the high point of the disc. After this track things more or less settle back into a familiar Grave Digger mold until the other surprise of the album, Pray which has some interesting riffing and structure which makes it sound more like a big arena rock anthem than a big epic power song. It totally works here though and all I can say is this song rocks big time. Seriously great build to a fist pumping chorus that will find this track a home next to Lonely The Innocence Dies in my new favorite Grave Digger songs. One final shout out before I close this atypical semi track by track would be to Stormrider which while familiar Grave Digger is a great representation of them with a lot of power.
At times Ballads Of A Hangman may be familiar, but when it is they do it well and when it isn't the band surprises me with some fresh song ideas that work superbly. This is a pleasing experience with a good breath of fresh air that doesn't take away from what Grave Digger's sound has been over the years. Maybe not all the songs grab me hard, but there's no weak point either and some highlights to boast.
Highlights: Lonely The Innocence Dies, Pray, Stormrider, Ballad Of A Hangman
Rating - 4.0/5
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