Grave Digger "Excalibur (Japan, Victor Entertainment, VICP-60868)"

Excalibur is the ninth studio album by German heavy metal band Grave Digger. It is the final album of the Middle Ages Trilogy, as well as the last to feature guitarist Uwe Lulis. It tells about the story of King Arthur and the knights of the round table.

Track listing

All lyrics by Chris Boltendahl and Yvonne Thorhauer. Music by Boltendahl and Lulis except where noted.

1. "The Secrets of Merlin" 2:38
2. "Pendragon" 4:20
3. "Excalibur" 4:45
4. "The Round Table (Forever)" 5:10
5. "Morgane le Fay" 5:16
6. "The Spell" 4:38
7. "Tristan's Fate" Boltendahl, Lulis, Becker 3:38
8. "Lancelot" 4:45
9. "Mordred's Song" Boltendahl, Lulis, Becker 4:00
10. "The Final War" 4:02
11. "Emerald Eyes" Boltendahl, Katzenburg 4:04
12. "Avalon" 5:50
13. "Parcival" 4:59

Total length: 58:05

• The album is about the King Arthur's mythology.
• "Pendragon" is about Uther Pendragon, father of Arthur.
• "Excalibur" is about the powerful sword handled by Arthur.
• "The Round Table (Forever)" deals with the principles of the Knights of the Round Table.
• "Morgane Le Fay" is about the witch Morgane.
• "The Spell" is about the enchantment that Nimue used on Merlin to gain his powers, after a promise of sex and love.
• "Tristan's Fate" is about the tragic history of Tristan and Isolde. Tristan here is a knight of the round table. (In some tales, he's not even connected to Arthur)
• "Lancelot" is about the love of Lancelot (Arthur's knight) for Guinevere (Arthur's wife).
• "Mordred's Song" is about the treachery of Mordred.
• "The Final War" is about the last battle of Arthur and Mordred. Arthur ends mortally wounded.
• "Emerald Eyes" is Arthur's last words to Guinevere.
• "Avalon" is about the fantastic island that Arthur went, where he died.
• "Parcival" is about the knight Parcival and his quest for the Holy Grail.

Recording information:

Recorded and mixed in May and June 1999 at Principal Camelot Studios in Senden, Münster, Germany.

Mastered at MasterDisk in New York City, New York.

Markus Mayer - cover art

Jens Rosendahl - photography

Chris Boltendahl - producer

Uwe Lulis - producer, mixing, engineering

Suno Fabitch - mixing, engineering

Roger Lian - mastering

Grand Prix "Samurai [1993 Reissue, Remastered, Japan, BURRN! Legendary Masters Series, Chrysalis, TOCP-8086]"

Grand Prix were an English hard rock and pop rock band, active between 1978 and 1984 and notable for featuring two future members of Uriah Heep.

Grand Prix were founded in 1978 under the name Paris. They changed their name to Grand Prix in 1980 with the lineup of Bernie Shaw on lead vocals, Michael O'Donoghue on guitar, Ralph Hood on bass, Andy Beirne on drums and Phil Lanzon on keyboards. All five members performed harmony vocals, while Lanzon would contribute the occasional lead vocal, as illustrated on such songs as "Which Way Did the Wind Blow?".

Samurai is their third album, released in 1983.

Tracklist:

1. Give Me What's Mine ギヴ・ミー・ホワッツ・マイン 2:57
2. Shout シャウト 3:05
3. 50 / 50 フィフティ・フィフティ 4:14
4. Here We Go Again ゴー・アゲイン 4:18
5. Countdown To Zero カウントダウン・トゥ・ゼロ 4:38
6. Somewhere Tonight トゥナイト 3:39
7. High Time ハイ・タイム 3:38
8. Never Before ネヴァー・ビフォー 4:03
9. Freedom フリーダム 3:12
10. Samurai サムライ 7:17

Recording information:

Produced by: John Eden

Mixed by: Grand Prix, Guy Bidmead & John Eden

Recorded at: Highland Studios, Inverness, UK.

Grand Magus "Wolf God (Japan, Ward Records, GQCS-90704)"

Grand Magus ninth album, Wolf God, was released on 19 April 2019. The band had scheduled a European tour for March/April 2022, but due to COVID, they called off the tour and will instead spend the year recording a new album, to be released in 2023 and supported by a different tour that year.

Tracklist:

1. Intro: Gold and Glory 02:18
2. Wolf God 03:49  
3. A Hall Clad in Gold 05:02   
4. Brother of the Storm 03:16   
5. Dawn of Fire 05:12  
6. Spear Thrower 02:55
7. To Live and to Die in Solitude 03:41
8. Glory to the Brave 05:15  
9. He Sent Them All to Hel 03:37   
10. Untamed 03:46  

Time:  38:51  

Recording information:

Recorded at The Sweetspot Studio, Sweden, October/November 2018.

Track 1 mixed at Big Island Sound Studio 1, Stockholm, Sweden.

Mastered at Finnvox, Helsinki, Finland.

Grand Magus "Sword Songs (Japan, Chaos Reigns, GQCS-90147)"

Grand Magus' eighth album, Sword Songs was released on 13 May 2016. The songs were recorded during the midwinter months of 2015–16, produced by Nico Elgstrand. On the lead-up to the release, JB commented: "We put all of our sweat, blood and tears into this new album and I think that you can hear that. For me, Sword Songs is the best Grand Magus album ever! The new songs are faster and more aggressive than on Triumph and Power — and we have also included some more extreme and harder stuff. I’m convinced that there are some future classics on the disc!" 

A cover version of Deep Purple's "Stormbringer" was included as a bonus track on the limited edition CD version, the first cover released in the band's history.

Tracklist:

1. Freja's Choice 04:00  
2. Varangian 03:40   
3. Forged in Iron - Crowned in Steel 05:38  
4. Born for Battle (Black Dog of Brocéliande) 03:41  
5. Master of the Land 03:51  
6. Last One to Fall 04:01
7. Frost and Fire 03:16   
8. Hugr 02:07  
9. Every Day There's a Battle to Fight 04:31
10. In for the Kill 03:36   
11. Stormbringer (Deep Purple cover) 05:05  

Time:  43:26  

Recording information:

Recorded during mid-winter 2015-2016 at various studios:

　－Drums at Top Floor Studios in Helsinki, Finland.

　－Guitars, bass and vocals at Studio Supa in Stockholm, Sweden.

Assistant engineering at Top Floor Studios in Helsinki, Finland.

Mixed at Oral Majority Recordings in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Mastered at Chartmakers, Espoo, Finland.