On disc: Metalium

 
 Millennium Metal - Chapter One
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 State Of Triumph - Chapter Two
 
- Katja Henning -
 
 


 
 Metalian Attack (DVD)
 
- Jörg Petersen -
 
  


 
 Hero-Nation - Chapter III
 
- Jörg Petersen -
 
 


 
 Hero-Nation - Chapter III
 
- Volker Raabe -
 
 


 
 Grounded - Chapter 8
 
- Thomas Gröblinghoff -
 
 

Grounded - Chapter 8

(Massacre Records - 2009)



 
 

 

Metalium have a new studio album called Grounded Chapter 8 - and what can I say, it's a typical Metalium album. So, if you like Metalium you won't be disappointed, but it isn't a very strong one. You get some quite good songs, but it lacks some killer tracks.

Henning Basse is an extraordinary singer and he shows that one more time. Like the last releases the vocals are great, the rest is average. Die-hard Metalium fans will love the album, everybody else, check it out - but it isn't a must-have. It's a pity, but it seems that they won't get close to what they achieved with Chapter One - I guess, you can blame songwriter Lars Ratz for this....
 
 










Thomas Gröblinghoff

(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
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Hero-Nation - Chapter III

(Massacre Records - 2002)



 
 

 

The 3rd chapter of the story about Metalian. On the cover you see the Metalian posing like the Greek hero Atlas. He carries the world on his shoulders, but the Metalian is proud of his task and it seems that nothing can bring him down.

In the new chapter the Metalian comes to life in the person of Rasputin, Odin as well as the female Loreley and freedom fighter Jeanne D'Arc.

Musically mastermind Lars Ratz stick to his roots. But another line-up change he had to face. Guitarist Matthias Lange can now show all his talent and is no longer in the shadows of former, more known colleagues like Chris Caffery of Savatage who played on the debut or his follow-up Jack Frost (Seven Witches, Savatage). But again Mr. Ratz could hire some famous guys to play on this one. This time they got joined by Don Airey known for his work with e.g. Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Silver. Also Uriah Heep Ken Hensley helped out on Chapter III. Vocalist Henning Basse is doing a great job - again, but still the high-pitched vocal parts are not my cup of tea and I would hope that he'll leave them behind. At Infinity Love female vocals were required and so they hired Carolin Fortenbacher. Can't tell you anything about her, but here she sounds great.

A decent production, but still the Hamburg-based band can't keep up with their debut Millenium Metal - Chapter I. Not bad, but they can't re-create the magic they had on their debut.
 
 










Jörg Petersen

(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
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Hero-Nation - Chapter III

(Massacre Records - 2002)



 
 

 

This is the 3rd strike of Metalium! The band of mastermind Lars Ratz present their latest opus called Hero-Nation. Let's check it out! The album starts with an intro of spoken words - a male and a female voice - which leads into Revenge Of Tizona a fast track with a great riffing. Singer Henning Basse's vocals are a trademark. He shows his vary vocal style on the hymn In The Name Of Blood, as well as on the impressive title track which is more then 11 minutes long. Or at the brutal Fate Con­quered The Power or the hyper-fast Throne In The Sky. This guy is a killer!

The album is produced very powerful and the cover artwork is great. With this album Metalium have established themselves in the premier league. The future looks bright for them!
 
 










Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
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Metalian Attack (DVD)

(Locomotive Music - 2001)



 
 

 

The package contains a CD - 33 min. running time - and a DVD with live footage and off stage material. Additionally there is a comic with the story of Metalian. Sounds good, right? Unfortunately the packages Metalian Attack don't fulfil the expectations!

First surprise when I started the DVD... A Spanish introduction! I don't speak Spanish and from an international release I expect an English introduction, probably additionally in another language... Even if the DVD was produced in Spain. Okay, let's go on!

The menu is a bad joke! The background image shows the Metalium logo, but it looks like it's done from a small print or it's just badly scanned. On the logo are yellow edged letters. Nice. It lists the 28 parts (listing see below) of this DVD. It's good that there is a live CD included, coz so you can enjoy t more. Changing the locations during the songs is annoying, coz they mixed festival performances with club shows. Why that?

Next I have to criticize the realization of the travel through the bands history. Okay, it's very detailed and gives a lot of information. It's only in one language. Mainman Lars Ratz speaks English. Why not using more tracks? Why isn't the image synchronized with the sound? Anyway, the sound is quite good. The camera moves and the fading in and out is not very convincing. Only the parts which were recorded in New York and during the recordings can convince me. Another nice piece is the part about the 'making of' the cover artwork of Metalium.

On other DVDs you find some words from the band, a photo section and sometimes even more stuff. Anyway, my rèsumé is that you can spend your money on better DVDs! Sorry guys, but there are hundreds of bands who did a better job! Not a waste of money at all, but.... 




Beginning
Fight
Story Of Metalium
Break The Spell
Studio First Album
Smoke On The Water
Studio Recording Session
Studio Hamburg
European Tour 1999
Dream Of Doom
First Sex Lesson With Jack Frost
Last Show Tour 1999
European Tour 2000
Metalium
Second Sex Lesson With Jack Frost
Rock Machina 2000
Metalians
Metalian Signing Fans
Third Sex Lesson With Jack Frost
Heavy Metal Bunker
Stygian Flames
European Tour  2001
Years Of Darion
Concept & Lyrics
Steel Avatar
Forever Free at Wacken 2001
Credits

 

 






Jörg Petersen

(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
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State Of Triumph - Chapter Two

(Massacre Records - 2000)



 
 

 

To tell you right away, this album is not as good as Millenium Metal in my opinion. But keep reading! The first tracks are a bit more heavy and straight forward. What makes the difference is that Henning Basse sings higher... Too high for me. Actually I think he's one of the best German metal vocalsist, but here he can show his quality. With track no. 7 - Prophecy - this changes a bit. Prophecy is a bit slower, but with Eye Of The Storm, Inner Sight and Metalians Triumph they speed up again. On this tracks Henne can show his talent. But my favorite is the cover version of John Miles' Music Was My First Love. The cover is close to the original, just harder and the vocals make you shiver!
 
 










Katja Henning
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
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Millennium Metal - Chapter One

(Massacre Records - 1999)



 
 

 

The album Millennium Metal - Chapter One is the first sign of life of the American-German cooperation called Metalium. But who are they? A project with Chris Caffery (Savatage)? No! Metalium is a band, which presents power metal and is on their way to conquer the world by storm. The conceptual album offers a mixture of fast and mid-tempo tracks (Revelation) and with Metamorphosis they have the obligatorily ballad. These days there also have to be a cover version and so they recorded Deep Purple's Smoke On The Water.

The powerful production support the tight rhythm section of Mike Terrana (Axel Rudi Pell, etc.) and Lars Ratz (ex-Velvet Viper, ex-Zed Yago) which builds the perfect playground for the aggressive and emotional guitar riffing of Chris Caffery who got supported by Matthias Lange on rhythm guitar. Singer Henning Basse many might known from his tour with Brainstorm... Anyway, Henne is one of Germany's best power metal shouters and is beside Chris' guitars (which reminds me more of Doctor Butcher then Savatage) the trademark for the sound of Metalium.

The 11 tracks of the concept tell the beginning of the story about the metal fan Michael. It's planned to continue this story as well as to tour, but before hitting the roads they will play a few festivals this summer.

High class power metal and stuff for fans of Savatage, Doctor Butcher, Iced Earth and Jag Panzer.... Just to name a few....

Definitely one of my personal highlights in 1999!
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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