Rebellion was formed in 2001, by ex Grave Digger members Uwe Lulis and Tomi Göttlich. So, it is no surprise that the Grave Digger style comes through strongly in Rebellion’s music. The band has had a varied lineup of musicians over the years, but have maintained their distinctive brand of heavy metal throughout.
The new album “We are the People” is their 9th full album, and is a concept album, which sends a clear message about the senselessness of war and racism. It provides a human perspective of the effects of war, from both the men in battle and their families.
Produced by Uwe Lulis, who left Rebellion in 2010 and now plays guitar for Accept, the album has a modern heavy metal sound where every instrument can be heard with clarity. Lulis also wrote and played the guitar on the track World War II.
Heavy driving riffs, furious drumming, raw vocals and tasteful solos make the album an interesting listening experience. But then you also add the lyrical content and there becomes meaning behind each track which encourages the listener to stop and think about the story and considers the devastation of war.
The song “World War II” is 5.25mins in length, and at first, listen, it did seem to be quite repetitive, but listening along with the lyrics, gave it a lot more context and it made sense when you could take in the story behind it.
The subtle changes in the music work very well within the story being told and I found myself being stirred by the lyrics and the message.
“Ashes of Light” is the standout track for me, fast and frantic, with a catchy chorus, and a wonderful surprise of a wicked scream to end the song. I would love to have heard more of those screams and higher vocals throughout the album as it provides a great contrast to the more usual gravelly vocal style of Michael Seifert.
There is no mistaking the musicianship and pedigree of this band, and overall the album is full of elements that lead to headbanging, fists in the air heavy metal!
Would recommend the album for fans of Grave Digger and similar traditional heavy metal, and would advise listening to a few times with lyrics to really understand the message behind the music.
Lineup
– Michael Seifert / Vocals
– Tomi Göttlich / Bass
– Martin Giemza / Guitars
– Fabrizio Costantino / Guitars
– Sven Tost / Drums
Tracklist
- Voices of War
02. Risorgimento (Tear Down the Walls)
03. Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité
04. Sweet Dreams
05. Vaterland
06. Verdun
07. Ashes to Light
08. Gods of War
09. Shoa (It Could Have Been Me)
10. World War II
11. All in Ruins
12. We are the People
Rebellion: Facebook
Release Year: 2021
Label: Massacre Records
Category: Album
Country: Germany
Reviewed by ForsakenMisery
