Spread the words of freedom
Grave Digger is a mysterious band. The have a member who looks very similar to my grade ten science teacher. The have a member who reminds me of Dave Murray of Iron Maiden fame. They have a member who dresses as though he were raised by Darth Vader. Or something. Yes, they're quite mysterious in that aspect. But in terms of music, the German band is quite the opposite. Though definitely not as popular as their counterparts in Blind Guardian or Helloween, Grave Digger is one of the leaders of the German power movement, and has been at such a level for over a decade. As 2006 came to a close, Grave Digger had eleven albums to its name, and looked to add a twelfth as 2007 rolled around. And such an event occurred with Liberty or Death hitting store shelves around the world on January 12th and January 30th in North America. Chronicling the fight for liberty and freedom both politically and monetarily throughout history, the album has the band following up their not terrible, but ultimately disappointing The Last Supper album with one of their best albums in a few years.
The mighty and strongest will survive
Along with the likes of Gamma Ray, Rage, Running Wild, and Helloween, Grave Digger forms the core of the German power metal sound. And similarly to their countrymen in the aforementioned bands, Grave Digger is not one to drastically change its sound. They changed things up slightly with a more straightforward, traditional metal sound on The Last Supper, but they do not repeat such song writing antics here. Instead we get music in the vain of their 90's work. So what does this mean, exactly? Constant, metallic sounding riffing, heavy use of double bass, and stress on both melody and power are all elements that listeners of Liberty and Death are subject to. And while the musical qualities are not as sharp or strong as on albums such as The Grave Digger, Tunes of War, or Excalibur, they're still a step up from the disappointingly dull Last Supper album. Perhaps the best example of the strong, energetic riffing can be found in the song, Ocean of Blood. The main riff is among the best of the album, and is quite indicative of what the band is capable of.
The gates are opened, drums of death start to sound
While Liberty of Death does not begin with drums of death, the beginning is epic enough in its own right. The title track, which doubles as the opening track is one of the album's epic tracks. Ending with a runtime of 6:33, the track is home to mid-paced, yet inspiring riffs, catchy chorus, chilling choir vocals, and a haunting piano outro. Liberty and Death really sets the bar for what's to come. Another epic track to be found on the band's twelfth album is Highland Tears. As one would expect from a song with a title such as Highland Tears, the song is based on the battles fought between the Scottish clans and the English back some five, six hundred years. And who better than to cover such a topic that Grave Digger? Just as with their Tunes of War album, Highland Tears has a Celtic flavour to it and is an enjoyable listen from almost every angle (except for maybe vocals). The epic atmosphere is especially stressed through the bag pipes which help drive home the themes of the song exceedingly well. However, if any song proved to be the epitome of the power metal direction that Grave Digger employs on Liberty or Death, it would definitely be one of the shorter tracks, Ocean of Blood. The song opens with a catchy, energetic riff, perhaps the best off the album, a riff repeated several times throughout the track. It is here where Chris Boltendahl delivers his finest vocal deliveries, highlighted by a catchy, sing-along chorus which has the potential to become a crowd favourite. There are a few weaker, seemingly uninspired songs such as the Forecourt to Hell or the album's closing track, Massada, but for the most part the band has a splendid showing. And really, would you expect anything less from a band like Grave Digger?
Screams echoes from the hills
If anything can be counted on from Grave Digger, whether they take a stab at returning to their roots or not, it's the vocals of frontman Chris Boltendahl. If anything, this is the aspect which sets Grave Digger apart from its contemporaries. Rather than making use of the high falsetto which can be heard in most power metal bands (some better than others), Chris employs a grittier, lower range shout. Just as on any Grave Digger release, the efforts of the only remaining original member are quite difficult to get into. I would be lying if I said I liked them right away, as it took me several weeks (listening to various Grave Digger albums of course), to fully enjoy Boltendahl's shouts, and even then they can be someone difficult to listen to. That said, Chris' aggressive voice is very fitting for the powerful vibe the band stresses on the album. Chris is arguably the most consistent member in that while his vocals never especially impress or do anything out of the ordinary, they're never weak. Unless you're a long time listener of the band, you probably won't be too fond of the vocals, but give them a chance, they might grow on you.
Ancient legends will never die
With Liberty and Death, Grave Digger delivers an excellent platter of power metal. While definitely not one of the most original albums you'll ever hear, one of Germany's oldest power metal bands does not disappoint. With Liberty or Death, Grave Digger delivers more of the energetic, metallic riffing that they always have. They manage to create epic, inspiring and often catchy musical pieces without sounding cheesy and over the top, and while the lower ranged singing is not for everyone, Grave Digger's latest album is one which most metalheads should enjoy, especially fans of power or traditional metal. Liberty or Death wouldn't be the first album from the Germans that I would recommend (that would belong to either The Grave Digger or Tunes of War), but it is definitely a great album for somebody looking to tread deeper into the band's music. Great album.
Recommended Tracks:
Ocean of Blood
Until the Last King Died
Highland Tears
Liberty or Death
Shadowland
