  
Napalm/Sound Pollution
1980 marks the start of GRAVE DIGGER´S career. In 1983 they feature on a collection called “Rock from Hell” with the track “Heavy Metal Breakdown”. Remaining from this era is only vocalist/band leader Chris Boltendahl, the others have been replaced a couple of times. Album no. two (Witch Hunter) and three (War Games) came in ´85 and ´86 respectively. 1987 saw the band re-emerging as DIGGER, and a very commercial album “Stronger than Ever” saw the light of day. Things went from bad to worse, the album flopped and the band was laid to rest the same year. Chris resurrected his band in 1991, and brought along e.g. Jörg Michael (ex. RAGE, ex. RUNNING WILD) and “The Reaper” was recorded. More albums followed, before they released the predecessor of this album, “Tunes of War” in 1996. Hey presto and Germans had dealt with Scottish history. The album has become a classic and is now given a follow-up, in the shape of GRAVE DIGGER studio album number 16 if I´m not mistaken.
The intro “Days of Revenge” opens better than the Glasgow Home Guard did outside my bedroom window almost every Sunday back in 1995. But it is not quite as clad in plaid as Cock-a-Leekie, more like the fake tartans in Royal Mile. The riff of “Paid in Blood” feels very GRAVE DIGGER though. Chris sings as expected and the refrain will no doubt bring any house down. New guitar player Axel Ritt keeps the pace and “Hammer of the Scots” will not disappoint any fan. They recreate 1996 with songs like “Paid in Blood”, “Highland Farewell”, “Rebels”, “Valley of Tears”, “Spider” and “Coming Home”. Heavy metal meets Scottish-ness of sorts and a lot of melody. The laid-back songs “Whom the Gods Love” and “When Rain Turns to Blood” are not quite up to par, and “Execution” is a drag. But as a whole this album shows a mature band and almost reaches to par with its famed first part.
Track List
Days of Revenge
Paid in Blood
Hammer of the Scots
Highland Farewell
The Clans Will Rise Again
Rebels
Valley of Tears
Execution
Whom the Gods Love
Spider
The Piper McLeod
Coming Home
When Rain Turns to Blood
www.napalmrecords.com www.myspace.com/gravediggerclan
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