Grave Digger

Grave Digger is a German heavy metal band from Gladbeck, Germany, active since 1980. The group is associated with heavy metal, power metal, speed metal and thrash metal, and is regarded as part of the German classic and speed metal scene. It forms part of the same 1980s scene as bands such as Helloween, Rage and Running Wild.

History

The band forms in 1980 around vocalist Chris Boltendahl and guitarist Peter Masson. Early recordings include two tracks for the compilation Rock from Hell in 1983. The debut album Heavy Metal Breakdown follows in 1984 with Boltendahl, Masson, bassist Willi Lackmann and drummer Albert Eckardt.

After Lackmann leaves following the first album, Grave Digger records and releases Witch Hunter in 1985, with bassist C.F. Brank joining after the recording is complete. The band tours with Helloween and releases War Games in January 1986, then tours with Celtic Frost and Helloween. Masson later leaves and is replaced by Uwe Lulis.

In 1987 the group adopts the name Digger and releases Stronger Than Ever, which does not succeed commercially. The band later disbands, while Boltendahl and Lulis continue under the name Hawaii in 1988. Grave Digger reforms in 1991 with Boltendahl, Lulis, bassist Tomi Göttlich and drummer Jörg Michael.

Albums and themes

The comeback album The Reaper appears in 1993, alongside the compilation The Best of the Eighties. The EP Symphony of Death follows in 1994, and the band tours Germany as support for Manowar. Frank Ullrich becomes drummer during this period, and Heart of Darkness is released in 1995.

Stefan Arnold joins on drums in 1996 and the band releases Tunes of War, a concept album about Scottish history. This begins the so-called Middle Ages Trilogy. Knights of the Cross follows in 1998, centred on the Knights Templar, with bassist Jens Becker in the line-up. The trilogy ends with Excalibur in 1999, based on the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Keyboardist Hans-Peter Katzenburg joins the touring line-up shortly afterwards and later becomes a permanent member. In 2000 the band marks its 20th anniversary with a concert at the Zeche in Bochum. Around that time Uwe Lulis leaves and later forms Rebellion, and former Rage guitarist Manni Schmidt replaces him.

The Grave Digger is released in 2001 on Nuclear Blast and draws on the work of Edgar Allan Poe. Tunes of Wacken, a live album and DVD, appears in 2002. Rheingold follows in 2003 and is based on Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen. The Last Supper comes out in 2005 and is not a concept album, though several songs concern the final days of Jesus Christ.

In 2005 the live DVD 25 to Live is issued, recorded in São Paulo to mark the band’s 25th anniversary. Liberty or Death follows in 2007, along with a co-headlining tour with Therion and an appearance at Wacken Open Air.

Work on Ballads of a Hangman begins in 2008. It is released in 2009 on Napalm Records and is the first Grave Digger album to feature twin guitars, with Thilo Hermann taking part in the recording sessions. Hermann leaves in 2009, and later that year Manni Schmidt departs. Axel Ritt joins as guitarist in 2010.

The Clans Will Rise Again appears later in 2010 as a thematic successor to Tunes of War. The band releases the EP Home at Last and the album Clash of the Gods in 2012, then Return of the Reaper in 2014. H.P. Katzenburg leaves later that year and is replaced by Marcus Kniep, who performs as “The Reaper”.

Exhumation - The Early Years follows in 2015 with re-recorded early material. Healed by Metal appears in 2017, and the band tours North America as support for Blind Guardian. The Living Dead is recorded in 2018 and released that September. Stefan Arnold leaves in June 2018 and is replaced by Marcus Kniep on drums.

The twentieth studio album, Fields of Blood, is released in 2020 to mark the band’s 40th anniversary. Symbol of Eternity follows in 2022. Axel Ritt leaves in 2023 and is replaced by former Orden Ogan guitarist Tobias Kersting. The twenty-second studio album, Bone Collector, is released in 2025 for the band’s 45th anniversary, and the standalone single “Bark to Hell” follows later that year.

Line-up

Across its history, Grave Digger includes Chris Boltendahl, Willi Lackmann, Albert Eckardt, Chris F. Brank, Thomas Göttlich, Jörg Michael, Frank Ulrich, Stefan Arnold, Hans Peter Katzenburg, Jens Becker, Manni Schmidt, Thilo Herrmann, Axel Ritt, Marcus Kniep and Uwe Lulis.