Grave Digger is a German heavy metal band from Gladbeck.
Grave Digger is formed in November 1980 in Gladbeck>. Although he can undoubtedly be ranked among the biggest of the heavy metal scene, his commercial success has never testified. After a few frivolous appearances in various festivals, the group, then composed of Chris Boltendahl, Peter Masson, Willi Lackmann and Albert Eckardt, records a song for a compilation named Roch For Hell , 1983. A year later, the band released their first studio album, Heavy Metal Breakdown . They then work on their second album, Witch Hunter , in 1985. When this album was ready, Lackmann left the group and was replaced by C. F. Brank.
The band returns to the stage at a few festivals, during which it even performs the first parts of Helloween and Celtic Frost. These tours ended with the release of their third studio album, War Games , in January 1986>. This album is criticized at its release by the fans of the first hour, who accuse the group of commercial drift>. Shortly after the release of the album, Peter Masson gives way to Uwe Lulis. In 1987, Chris and his friends decide to rename the group. So, it's simply called Digger. Under this new name comes the album Stronger than Ever . This album, by its aggressiveness, could have recalled a few albums of the beginnings of the band Grave Digger. In fact, because of the production, the clean sound of this album was a bit in the vein of powerful but melodic hard rock bands such as Europe or Van Halen (in their most melodic and commercial period). In spite of the good quality, Stronger than Ever is a commercial failure. The result is the clash of the group, which leads to the separation of its members, as Chris said at the end of 1987.
The group partially reformed in 1991>. Chris Boltendahl and Uwe Lulis, supported by two newcomers, Tomi Göttlich and Jörg Michael (who was also the drummer of Rage, Stratovarius, and Running Wild), released their fourth album: The Reaper . This album disappoints a lot of fans. He was the real homecoming they had hoped for. The same year the album comes out "Best of the Eighties , a best-of grouping their best titles. The album Symphony of Death immediately follows The Reaper in 1994 The titles that compose it are from the falls of the previous album. In the wake, the group continues with a memorable tour in Germany, with Frank Ullrich, a new recruit to the post of drummer, tour during which they even assured the first part of Manowar. In 1995, Heart of Darkness was born. It is a very dark album, granting itself even some influences of the first works of Annihilator.
