Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Grave Digger
Label: G.U.N. Records
Released: 2002
Length: 65:21
Rating: 3.5/5
Aha, there it is. The first live record from the gravediggers. And how damn alive it is! That’s why it’s a must for every fan to add it to their collection. Recorded smack in the middle of Wacken Open Air last August. The taped intro is backed by the Arnold/Becker rhythm section, so don’t crank it too loud (though I know there’s no such thing as too loud in metal), because when Manni’s guitar kicks in on “Scotland United” it’ll blow your head clean off.
Once the contract with G.U.N. Records ran out, the band had just one last obligation to fulfill: a live album. “Tunes Of Wacken” means two things. The band seized the chance to record their Wacken show in one go, in front of the wild home crowd. And the word “Tunes” points to the setlist, which is mostly (intro included) made up of songs from the album “Tunes Of War”. Of course Chris talks to the crowd in German, and the people sing along and join in like crazy. The whole show is a perfect fusion of band and audience into pure, total metal.
Of course, the question burning in everyone’s mind right now is how Chris Boltendahl sounds live. Holy cow, I can’t believe it, just like on the studio records. He only struggled a little with the growling in the higher parts of “Knights Of The Cross”, where a generous crowd jumps in to help him with the verses in the chorus. Another tough nut awaited Chris on “Lionheart”, where his voice gives out a touch for a moment on a few lines. But so what, who has anything to fear with that kind of crowd behind them? Wherever Chris lets a word drop in the verses, a fantastic audience has his back.
And anything older? Well, “Heavy Metal Breakdown” barely sneaked into the one-hour pick of songs, and played live it really does mean a “heavy metal breakdown”, literally.
“The Ballad Of Mary (Queen Of Scots)” cools down the properly hellish atmosphere. The band takes a breather. Manni rests on acoustic guitar, and keyboardist H.P. Katzenburg takes the lead in the song. Chris’s voice keeps its trademark character even while his vocal cords cool off over the whole song.
Manni played only the beginnings and endings of the solos in the style of his predecessor Uwe Lulis, which is of course a must. The tightness of the whole band at live shows depends on it. Otherwise the guy took total freedom, meaning he played the solos the way every musician should. His own way! Welcome back among us, Manni.
“Lionheart”, which follows the ballad, has no acoustic intro (like the original studio version). No time for Manni to step on the footswitch, he just fired off the intro straight through distortion! What, that mellow number a minute ago was plenty. Then comes the first encore, which closes with “Rebellion (The Clans Are Marching)”, and the band comes back on stage once more in fast-forward and saws through the “Heavy Metal Breakdown” from their debut of the same name.
So, a true hell without equal, which keeps incinerating every crawling, creeping thing, and on that dog-day August afternoon in 2001, plenty of creatures already staggering around bright and early. Too bad, guys. I know it didn’t go as planned and that this release was somewhat forced by your former label. The miserably put-together CD jewel case confirms it too. The gravediggers will surely treat us in the future to a proper double live album, without label nagging about which albums the songs have to come from and which they don’t and so on… until then, let’s give in to the pleasure of Wacken boiling over, swallowed by the wild fiery tongues of the one-of-a-kind music of “Grave Digger”.
Line-up
Chris Boltendahl – vocals
Manni Schmidt – guitar
Jens Becker – bass
H.P. Katzenburg – keyboards
Stefan Arnold – drums
Track list
1.Intro
2.Scotland United
3.The Dark Of The Sun
4.The Reaper
5.The Roundtable
6.Excalibur
7.Circle Of Witches
8.The Ballad Of Mary (Queen Of Scots)
9.Lionheart
10.Morgane Le Fay
11.Knights Of The Cross
12.Rebellion (The Clans Are Marching)
13.Heavy Metal Breakdown
