Review Summary: The first step of a return to former glory.
Ever since they re-formed over two decades ago, Grave Digger seem to have focused solely on two concepts: Those concerning the mythical image of the reaper, and various myths concerning the Middle Ages. Whilst the more recent outputs have left quite a lot to be desired (The last decade or so certainly), Grave Digger still keep marching on like a horse on its last legs. Strangely enough however, Grave Digger seem to succeed relatively well every time they decide to put "Grave" or "Reaper" in an album title, both instrumentally and conceptually. Latest album
Return of the Reaper was released in 2014, and somehow you just know it's going to deliver, if not all the goods, then some of them.
Now we're talking about virtually the same line-up that gave us 2012's oh-so-mundane
Clash of the Gods, which left even the band's most devoted fans questioning their ongoing future. One thing's for sure however:
Return of the Reaper does remind us why we took an interest in Grave Digger in the first place. Now it has to be said that virtually half of the album's tracks are average, but the other half detail an all-round enthusiastic and energetic performance, at least more so than on
Clash of the Gods. The opening one-two punch of the ominous title track and "Hell Funeral" wastes no time in delivering solid, predictably metallic riffs before Boltendahl's vocal delivery threatens to ruin the whole first impression. The same can be said for "War God" and "Tattooed Rider" thankfully, yet once the album's mid-section begins you're wondering what happened during the songwriting process. Indeed, "Resurrection Day" and "Road Rage Killer" are completely forgettable after the first minute of being played, and the heavier, gnarlier "Season of the Witch" unfortunately doesn't divert from the fact that what we're hearing here is a very mixed bag.
In fact, from "Road Rage Killer" through "Dia de Los Muertos", it's almost as if Grave Digger had run out of juice halfway through the album's recording. On "Road Rage Killer" Boltendahl sounds completely bored with himself, and he's practically just slurring the lyrics with no real bite or passion amidst an average instrumental performance, where even Axel Ritt himself seems preoccupied by something else other than delivering the goods. "Grave Desecrator" and "Satan's Host" aren't quite as bad, but just can't be taken seriously because of the sheer silliness of the lyrics, which never match up to the usual sneering tone of Boltendahl's vocal style. It all makes for an ugly mess, essentially. However, just when you think the album gets worse, it gets so much better somehow. "Dia De Los Muertos" builds this path to a better performance, but it's really with penultimate tune "Death Smiles at Us"-Unbelievably, the album's definitive highlight-where the band regain a sense of urgency and actually sound like they're enjoying themselves. The same can be said for the partial closing ballad, "Nothing to Believe", which if anything proves Boltendahl can still vary his vocal delivery to suit whichever musical tone the song is going through.
Grave Digger's latest album certainly feels so much better than its predecessor,
Clash of the Gods, but it has to be said that certain songs will bore you to death before they're completed, and the others will simply allow you to nod along to the punishing power grooves of Axel Ritt's guitar style. It's really just a matter of whether or not you listen to the album in full or in pieces. One thing's for sure though-
Return of the Reaper certainly does not give the impression of a band on their last legs.
