Grave Digger - Healed By Metal (2017) [Hi-Res]

Has anybody else noticed that this was the longest we've had to wait for a proper Grave Digger LP since their return in '93? Being a mere three years, that fact itself stands testament to these Germans' incessant persistence, to say nothing of the surprisingly decent throwback Exhumation (The Early Years) released in the interim. This brings us to Healed by Metal, an album with fairly big shoes to fill due to Return of the Reaper's cracking "back to the roots" appeal. Featuring the same basic lineup (sans longtime keymaster H.P. Katzenburg), there honestly aren't too many surprises here. If you aren't a fan of Ritt's riffing style, Healed by Metal certainly won't win you over.

What might, however, is Boltendahl, whose voice has deepened with age into a grimy, coarse bellow that gives him a lot more low-end power than before. Listen to tracks like "The Hangman's Eye" and "Lawbreaker;" Chris is a monster on this record, providing a blanket of grave dust atmosphere to the entire affair, since the riffs feel a bit "been there" in spots. Still, the title track is a fret-snapping mid-paced rocker worthy of the requisite music video. "Lawbreaker" reminds me of "Tattooed Rider" and has a monster chorus, saving the song from the otherwise mediocre main riff. Other songs suffer in similar manners, but they are all compact enough to skirt by without inducing heavy eyelids, which is welcome.

Other standouts include "Free Forever." I'm not sure what band these guys are paying homage to on this one but I've never heard Grave Digger attempt a song like it before. A very memorable, upbeat chorus with a shuffling beat - it's a melodic standout for sure. "Hallelujah" also has a rousing refrain, even if they lean on it a bit too much. Other tracks have their moments, but Ritt's style really starts to grow thin on a lot of them. Same overuse of pinch harmonics, riffs always in the same tempo and key. Plus Boltendahl isn't going to experiment much, so tracks like "Kill Ritual" feel fairly pedestrian.

Either way, Healed by Metal is a worthy addition to this Teutonic institution, and a compact-enough listen to warrant a few spins. Like most Grave Digger albums, I'll find continued use of a few of these tracks, but I'd like to see the new keyboardist featured a bit more. Furthermore, a sprinkling of epic flair ala "Rebellion (The Clans Are Marching)" would be more than welcome, because the band's more basic approach really begins to stretch Ritt's capabilities. Either way, another keeper.