On disc: Rage

 
 Black In Mind
 
- Volker Raabe -
 
 


 
 End Of All Days
 
- Volker Raabe -
 
 


 
 Ghosts
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Welcome To The Other Side
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Welcome To The Other Side
 
- Volker Raabe -
 
 


 
 Soundchaser
 
- Amir Djawadi -
 
 


 
 Speak Of The Dead
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Gib dich nie auf (EP)
 
- Wolfgang -
 
 


 
 Strings To A Web
 
- Umberto Mino -
 
 

Strings To A Web

(Nuclear Blast - 2010)



 
 

 

I always appreciate the fact that Peavy Wagner has never stopped his activity when big problems face his run with Rage, and destiny (or managers) just give him a hand when Mr Smolski has joined the band. His talent gives Rage new blood and songs and new way to a new sound. Sometimes more orchestral, sometimes heavy, sometimes suites.... Rage have two options to create new sounds, and my question is this: Why they're so many possibilities to create so much and also this time they gave us an(other) album full of songs (good songs) well played, but without that flame that burns our ears???

That was only an opinion of a huge fan (me), I love how Rage grow up and up during the years from Reign Of Fear to End Of All Days, always heavy and so different album by album. Now also this new one Strings To A Web contains a lot of nice songs like the single Into The Light and Hunter And Prey and the suite Empty Hollow, but sometimes I cannot recognize the new songs from their latest jobs like Speak Of The Dead or Soundchaser. To me it seems like Rage drive a car with brakes on..... Come on Peavy, please push the accelerator!!! Have no fear...

Strings To A Web is a nice album, sounds good, but if you have their latest albums you know what there's inside.......
 
 










Umberto Mino


  
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Gib dich nie auf (EP)

(Nuclear Blast - 2009)



 
 

 

The German metal institution Rage and mastermind Peavy Wagner present these days a new EP which is called Gib dich nie auf. Its been awhile since their last EP and so this EP is very welcome - and it shortens the time til the new album is in the stores. They kick off with the German title track, the German Gib dich nie auf, some fans might know this one already, coz it's the song which will represent North Rhine-Westphalia at Bundes Vision Song Contest, a contest started by German TV show TV Total. A great tune with a catchy hook and cool lyrics which cheer you up to have a more positive perspective in times of a world-wide economic crisis. With Vollmond there is another German tune, but this one was previously released at the limited edition of Speak Of The Dead. Never Give Up is the English version of the title track, but its a bit longer and more melodic. At Terrified drummer André Hilgers gives his debut on a Rage disc. Next in line you get a previously unreleased classic version of Lord Of The Flies off Carved In Stone. Last, but not least you get a beautiful ballad called Home which is written by Victor. Home is a very emotional tune which you shouldn't miss! A great start into the next 25 years of Rage!
 
 










Wolfgang
(guest writer)


  
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Speak Of The Dead

(Nuclear Blast - 2006)



 
 

 

The new Rage album can be splitted into 2 parts. One is orchestra-based and has similarities to Lingua Mortis. The second part is more typical Rage.

The Lingua Mortis part offers several instrumentals where the band shows that they have more to offer then metal tracks. Prelude Of Souls is based on some classical theme, but has partly a funky groove and very complex parts. I'm not sure, if every metalhead will like this excursion, but when it fades into Innocent then it shows the typical Rage sound. These tracks give guitarist Victor Smolski a wide range to show his ability.

The Suite Lingua Mortis - as they call it - has 8 tracks including 5 instrumentals. The last track is called Beauty and is a slow one, a balladesque song. The soft side of Rage, even if to the end of the song an orchestra joins in heavily.

With No Fear they go full speed ahead. A really fast track with aggressive guitar riffs and mid-temp parts the headbanger a short break here and there. Distorted vocal parts give the song a modern touch. With Soul Survivor they recorded a song which has all the trademarks of nowadays' Rage sound. Even if Smolski add some non-metal guitar lines and sounds. But isn't that what makes Rage differ from other power metal bands?

Full Moon starts slow and you think "They can't be serious? This isn't Rage, right?" But its Peavy's voice and after a few moments they return to their power metal roots. A heavy rocker with a grooving guitar riff. Breaks and a short guitar solo. A bit more thrashy is Kill Your Gods, but its obvious that the band grow musically during the last years. Actually since Peavy teamed up with Victor Smolski and Mike Terrana. They don't let anyone limit them. They discover new sounds and elements and include them into the Rage-style. With the title track the album ends. This one will be in their live set for awhile, I think. Fast headbanging parts and a catchy chorus. This is what Rage fans love.

Traditionalists, especially if they disliked Lingua Mortis, should check the album out first. People who enjoyed the Lingua Mortis stuff, can pick it up and listen to it at home. For collectors I should add that there are several versions available. The digi-pack comes with La Luna Reine - also bonus at the American version - which is a Spanish version of Full Moon. While Vollmond  - German version of Full Moon - is at the digi-pack and the Russian version. The Japanese edition comes with a different track - as far as I know - and I guess it's a Japanese version of Full Moon. But that's only a guess... Anyway, it's interesting to hear the song in different languages.
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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Soundchaser

(Steamhammer - 2004)



 
 

 

What a sorrowful time was it for die-hard Rage fans when band leader Peavy Wagner decided to change the band line-up drastically after the release of metal milestones Lingua Mortis and XIII - where Rage combined German metal with an orchestra. The established metal band from Germany was replaced by an international trio. Mainman still is and always was founding member Peavy Wagner. The new drummer is known by the metal fans around the world... It's Mike Terrana! And the White-Russian guitarist Viktor Smolski completed the line-up. As a trio the band had to face the skepticism of fans and critics, but soon the trio convinced the media and fans with their new material. The last two studio releases and the live shows convinced the skeptics and in my opinion Soundchaser is the latest milestone in the career of Rage. The album opener War Of Worlds - presented live at Wacken 2003 - is a killer. Straight ahead with full power the bands presents their new songs, but with the title track they slow down and become more reflective, but it don't lack power.

The very positive first impression didn't deceive. The 10 tracks of Rage's new opus grow with every spin. This is a must-buy for Rage fans! Metal fans who were disappointed after the lien-up change will know forget about it.

Btw, on the limited digi-pack you can find the bonus track French bourree.

A good reason to look forward to the coming tour with Germany's metal flagship Helloween...
 
 










Amir Djawadi
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
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Welcome To The Other Side

(G.U.N. Records - 2001)



 
 

 

This is the first real album of the new Rage! And I think it will fulfill the expectations of the fans. This album is a lot heavier than the predessessor, perhaps this is could be described as what should have come after End Of All Days on a higher technical standard with some orchestral elements of the Lingua Mortis phase (Tribute To Dishonour)... Lyrically mastermind Peavy dealed again with the death and life after death, but it's no conceptual album!

To give a clue... I'm Crucified is a mid-tempo song opening with a spoken words part done by Mike Terrana. No Lies is a fast one. Deep In The Night is a slow track, almost a ballad...

It's obvious that the technical skills of guitarist Victor Smolski and drummer Mike Terrana made Rage a lot stronger. With this album a new era began!!!!
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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Welcome To The Other Side

(G.U.N. Records - 2001)



 
 

 

Well, this is the first album of the new Rage line-up. Everybody who expected a weak album, I have to disappoint you! How can you expect weak album from musicians like Victor Smolski and Mike Terrana? Okay, let's talk straight. Rage have reduced the orchestral sounds to the minimum and so the pure Rage power is back. Even if there are string section parts here and there, but there they fit 100%! This one rocks the house! Double bass drum attacks like The Mirror In Your Eyes, No Lies, the emotional Deep In The Night and the rocker Straight To Hell show the influences the new members added to the Rage sound. Musically this is the best Rage album ever! And so we can hope that more gems will follow. This is a great foundation for the future of the band! The raw, aggressive and powerful exe­cutioners are on their way! Fantastic!!!!
 
 










Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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Ghosts

(G.U.N. Records - 1999)



 
 

 

Ghosts is a conceptional album which wasn't planned... It just happened, Peavy said. With XIII and Lingua Mortis Rage showed their symphonic side, now they are playing a mixture of the heavy stuff combined with the symphonic side. During the last years they might loose same old fans, but got a lot of new ones. In my opinion the lates release a good combination of both sided. I guess that everyone knows about the line-up changes... So this album is not really representative for the current line-up. Mastermind Peavy is responsible for most of the music and all the lyrics. The new members hadn't a chance to take influence on this one! So we have to wait and see...

Tracks I would recommend to listen to: Back In Time, Wash My Sins Away, Love And Fear Unite and Vanished In Haze.
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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End Of All Days

(G.U.N. Records - 1996)



 
 

 

A full dozen of albums the metal heads of Rage released including this one. Peavey & co. wrote again mid-tempo rockers and metal hymns at the highest level. But there are 2 points of critic. First, Deep In The Blackest Hole which is probably the best song on the album, but it sounds too much like Metallica's black album. Second, Desperation which is the weakest track of Rage for years. In the middle of the song there is a riff which sound like Rock You Like A Hurricane - remember the Scorpions?!? - something which isn't on the level of the power metallers. But killer songs like Higher Than The Sky, Frozen Fire and the title track End Of All Days make you forget the points of critic. The album has 16 songs including the Iron Maiden cover The Trooper and so the album won't disappoint the fans. Value for money!

It's just a pity that other bands release weak albums, but sell much more copies. So, Rage against the machine....
 
 










Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
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Black In Mind

(G.U.N. Records - 1995)



 
 

 

The German executioners are back! Since they signed to G.U.N. Records they are more motivated it seems. The Herne-based band shows what metal is about with the first two tracks of the album which are the title track Black In Mind and The Crawling Chaos. And the rest of the songs has also the quality we expect from Rage.

As a bonus the first 10,000 copies have a second CD with the legendary Avenger albums Depraved To Black and Prayers Of Steel. With Grave Digger's Heart Of Darkness this is one of the best releases this year.
 
 










Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
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