IRON ANGEL
Iron Angelhttp://www.iron-angel.com/
http://www.myspace.com/ironangel666
was a speed metal band from Hamburg, Germany that was active during the mid 1980s and the early 2000s. They started out in 1980 as a school band called "Metal Gods" (a song by Judas Priest) being renamed Iron Angel few years later later inspired by a novel about a spirit hunter. Their first Demo was released in 1984, being called Power Metal Attack. They disbanded in the late 80s;
However, they were the first to mix the obscure lyrics from extreme metal bands to the speed and melody of the other German bands. This mix was called Speed Metal, and their first demo tape, POWER METAL ATTACK, was one of the first German Speed Metal recordings ever. After gaining some recognition in the metal underground scene and releasing the LEGIONS OF EVIL demo, the band resleased their first album HELLISH CROSSFIRE. HELLISH CROSSFIRE showed a fresh and a raw sound, based on speed, killer guitar riffs and inteligent dark lyrics. This unusual approach would become the seed for a whole new Thrash Metal wave from Germany, where brilliant bands like Sodom, Kreator and Destruction were born. Songs like THE METALLIAN, RUSH OF POWER and HEAVY-METAL-SOLDIERS put IRON ANGEL on the heavy metal world map. It was only the beginning... After the release of HELLISH CROSSFIRE, IRON ANGEL started writing songs for an upcoming album. The result was WINDS OF WAR, a much more melodic and accessible album. The songs were very technical and the lyrics had little in common with the previous album.
However, the changes in both bands sound and lyrics made the members start having different opinions about the bands future. Some wanted to keep the HELLISH CROSSFIRE sound, while the others intended to change even more, adopting a more Glam / Hard Rock oriented style, so that they could reach the American market. Due to these huge differences, the band broke up shortly after the release of the second album.
After almost 15 years away from the scene, the band got together and started recording a new album, to be called THE REBIRTH, in 2000. Unfortunately, a car accident killed guitarist Peter Wittke, putting off these plans. After this, the band release 2004 two live-albums with old live-recordings from a germany tour with King Diamond, called THE TAPES, and a limited edition album, called RUSH OF POWER.
IRON ANGEL could have become a heavy metal legend, but unfortunately they didnt get the recongnition they deserved, becoming a cult band as the years passed.
At the moment drummer Mike Matthes and vocalist Dirk Schroder still have plans to record a new album, called METAMORPHOSIS, to be hopefully released in 2006. But first, the band will relase a four-track-demo-ep with the titled "....back from Hell".
NOTA Jürgen R. Blackmore, the son of Ritchie Blackmore, founded the band Superstition together with Iron Angel vocalist Dirk Schröder and drummer Mike Matthes.
Members and former members
* Jürgen R. Blackmore - guitars
* Dirk Schröder - Vocals
* Mike Matthes - Drums
* Thorsten Lohmann - Guitar
* Gunter Moritz - Guitars
* Sven Strüden - Guitar
Discography
* Power Metal Attack (1984)
* Legions of Evil (1985)
* Hellish Crossfire (1985)
* Winds of War (1986)
* Rush of Power (2000) - First demo on LP
* The Tapes (2004) - Live 1986, Germany tour with King Diamond
Re-Released by Painkiller Records 2005
* Rush of Power (2004) - Live 1985 Warpke open Air
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