music album

German power metallers GRAVE DIGGER have set "The Clans Will Rise Again" as the title of their new album, due in Europe on October 1 via Napalm Records. The CD was recorded between mid-May and mid-July at the Meadow Studios, which is owned by GRAVE DIGGER's new guitarist Axel Ritt, and Principal Studios, where all of GRAVE DIGGER albums since 1995's "Heart Of Darkness" have been tracked. It was produced by Chris Boltendahl and mixed by Jörg Umbreit.

According to a press release, "Chris Boltendahl, Jens Becker, Stefan Arnold, HP Katzenburg and Axel Ritt offer an explosive mixture of the typical GRAVE DIGGER riff metal, combined with awesome epic chorus hooks, which will fascinate the fans from the very first note.

"'The Clans Will Rise Again' is a loose sequel of the 'Tunes Of War' album, but this time not a concept album about the Scottish history, rather a work about Scotland, its mysticism and its people."

"The Clans Will Rise Again" track listing:

01. Days Of Revenge
02. Paid In Blood
03. Hammer Of The Scots
04. Highland Farewell
05. The Clans Will Rise Again
06. Rebels
07. Valley Of Tears
08. Execution
09. Whom The Gods Love Die Young
10. Spider
11. The Piper Mcleod
12. Coming Home
13. When Rain Turns To Blood

GRAVE DIGGER will celebrate its 30th anniversary at this year's edition of the Wacken Open Air festival, set to take place August 5-7, 2010 in Wacken, Germany. The band will perform its seventh and most successful album, "Tunes Of War" (1996), in its entirety at the event and will be accompanied by "illustrious guests," such as the 20-headed BAUL MULUY PIPES & DRUMS BAND from Hamburg, German metal queen Doro Pesch, BLIND GUARDIAN lead singer Hansi Kürsch and the metal a capella ensemble VAN CANTO. There will also be a special elaborate stage set with an extraordinary pyro show.

Wacken Open Air will mark the first and final time GRAVE DIGGER will play the entire "Tunes Of War" album live. The band will also perform some of its other "greatest hits," such as "Ballad Of A Hangman", "Heavy Metal Breakdown" and "Excalibur" at the end of its set.

GRAVE DIGGER's latest album, "Ballads Of A Hangman", was released on January 9, 2009 via Austria's Napalm Records.