The Reaper (The Reaper - Grave Digger)

Member Name: Frankingsteins

Product:	The Reaper - Grave Digger
Date:	14/07/08 (11 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fine return to form.

Disadvantages: Achieves nothing new.

'The Reaper' is Grave Digger's first album of the 1990s, and their triumphant return after admittedly selling out at the end of the previous decade with a brief stint as glam metal band Digger. Returning to their old moniker and speed metal style, in the vein of Running Wild and Accept, Grave Digger reprise their excellent, fast, shrieking heavy metal sound and even apologise to their fans in the celebratory title track.

A return to form was a step in the right direction, but it does bring the problem of originality, which this album doesn't concern itself with to any extent. The sound is almost entirely based in Judas Priest of the early 1980s with more than a couple of choruses and guitar riffs directly traceable to the 'Screaming for Vengeance' album (especially in 'Ride On'), but this will only make it more approachable for old-school fans.

There's some degree of variation with the dark narrative of 'Wedding Day' and acoustic ballad elements of 'And the Devil Plays Piano,' but in contrast to the roaring speed metal elsewhere, these sadly end up sounding boring more than anything.

1. Tribute to Death
2. The Reaper
3. Ride On
4. Shadows of a Moonless Night
5. Play Your Game (And Kill)
6. Wedding Day
7. Spy of Mas'On
8. Under My Flag
9. Fight the Fight
10. Legion of the Lost (Part II)
11. And the Devil Plays Piano
12. Ruler Mr. H
13. The Madness Continues

Summary: Grave Digger's fifth album (1993).