"Hellish Crossfire" is the first official full-length album by the German Thrash Metal band: "IRON ANGEL". This album was produced by Horst "Hoddle" Muller (who has also produced albums for bands like:Destruction, Running Wild, Warrant, Celtic Frost). "Hellish Crossfire" was recorded at the Caet Studio Berlin, the album was originally released in 1985 and re-issued in 2014.
This album comes in Gatefold/FOC (Fold Open Cover) Album Cover Design with liner notes and track reviews on the inside cover pages
Music Genre: |
Thrash Metal / Heavy Metal / Speed Metal |
Album
|
|
Record Label Information: |
Hammerheart Records HHR2014-05 |
Media Format: |
12" LP Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: 230 gram |
Year and Country: |
2014 Made in Netherlands |
Transcript of the liner notes:1980. NWOBHM echoes could be heard everywehere and bands like Iron Maiden, Saxon, Def Leppard and Judas Priest made England the Heavy Metal Mecca. But not only there Metal was becoming a youth phenomenon. At the same time five young German boys got together to play the same kind of music their english heroes played. They didn't take themselves very seriously and just wanted to play their mix of Kiss, Motorhead and Judas Priest in schools around their city. Their band was called Metal Gods, a clear homage to Judas Priest. Later the band was rebaptized IRON ANGEL. At that time, there weren't many German Hard Rock / Heavy Metal acts. Scorpions, featuring the Schenker brothers, had some success with their melodic rock and Accept followed a more traditiona english style, where Udo Dirkschneider's unusual vocals were a highlight. However, there was a brand new underground scene willing to breakthrough and show the world a new style, heavier but still influenced by all those classic bands. Everywhere in the world, new bands started popping up, each one adding new feature to Heavy Metal. Some Of these (Such BS the swedish Bathory and the Swiss Hellhammer) followed the steps of the english Venom, a band that became a reference in extreme and Satanic metal. Soon, new bands that differed a lot fom the english sound and look started appearing in Germany. Running Wild and it's unusual lyrics, Avenger, who would soon become Rage, and the ultra fast and melodic Helloween were some of these new German bands. All of them had something in common, and they were pretty different from the traditional english bands, so the term Power Metal started being used to describe their sound. IRON ANGEL was born in this first Power Metal wave. 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, LEGIONS OF EVIL, was one of the first German Speed Metal recordings ever. After gaining some recognition in the metal underground scene and releasing some other demos, 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 th seed for a whole new Thrash Metal wave from Germany, where brilliant bands like So-dom, 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... HELLISH CROSSFIRE track review: SINNER 666: Although the excellent guitar work in the beginning of the track, Dirk Schroder's excellent vocal performance is the highlight of this song. It's impossible to forget the chorus "Cause I'm a sinner"! BLACK MASS: The drums are very loud in this track. Slower than the others, this is the track for the fans to sing along with the whole band the amazing chorus. THE CHURCH OF THE LOST SOULS: Pure power! This is real Speed Metal. Fast riffs and even a smal drum solo make this song one of the of the album. HUNTER IN CHAINS: After a riff that reminds me of Deep Purple's "Burn", you'll find all the elements of IRON ANGEL's sound. RUSH OF POWER: Perfect song for mosh pits. After the technical intro, power and force take over and rule the track. LEGIONS OF EVIL: Remember NY's WHIPLASH? This song's intro reminds me of the classic "The burning of Atlanta". But this is their only similarity. IRON ANGEL's song is outstanding, specially the chorus, sung by the whole band. WIFE OF THE DEVIL: Thrash Metal! Kudos to drummer Mike Matthes! NIGHTMARE: The calm beginning may make you think this is a ballad. Even if it's the slowest song from the album, it's far from being one.
HEAVY-METAL-SOLDIERS: This song is something special, with galloping guitar riffs and a slightly different vocal approach. The guitar duel in the solo is fantastic. |
Personnel/Band Members and Musicians on: IRON ANGEL Hellish Crossfire |
|
Complete Track-listing of the album "IRON ANGEL Hellish Crossfire" |
The detailed tracklist of this record "IRON ANGEL Hellish Crossfire" is:
|
High Quality Photo of Album Front Cover "IRON ANGEL Hellish Crossfire" |
|
Album Back Cover Photo of "IRON ANGEL Hellish Crossfire" |
|
Inner Sleeve of "IRON ANGEL Hellish Crossfire" Album |
|
Photo of "IRON ANGEL Hellish Crossfire" Album's Inner Sleeve |
|
Enlarged & Zoomed photo of "IRON ANGEL Hellish Crossfire" Record's Label |
|
Photo of "IRON ANGEL Hellish Crossfire" 12" LP Record - Side One: |
|
Photo of "IRON ANGEL Hellish Crossfire" 12" LP Record - Side Two: |
|
Note: The images on this page are photos of the actual album. Slight differences in color may exist due to the use of the camera's flash. |
Iron Angel is a legendary German metal band that has made a significant impact on the heavy metal genre. Their aggressive sound, intense live performances, and influential debut album "Hellish Crossfire" have cemented their place in metal history. With four albums spanning four decades, Iron Angel has proven that they are a force to be reckoned with and continue to inspire new generations of metalheads.
Iron Angel is a German heavy metal band that formed in 1980. The band is known for their aggressive sound and intense live performances. Over the years, Iron Angel has gone through several line-up changes but has continued to release music and tour.
History
Iron Angel was formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1980 by Dirk Schröder (vocals), Peter Wittke (guitar), Sven Strüven (drums), and Volker Rummel (bass). The band quickly gained attention in the local metal scene and released their debut album "Hellish Crossfire" in 1985 on Steamhammer Records. The album received critical acclaim and helped establish Iron Angel as one of the prominent German metal bands of the 80s.
In 1986, Iron Angel released their second album "Winds of War" which showcased the band's musical progression and maturity. The album also featured a new line-up with Dirk Schröder being replaced by new vocalist Dirk Schumacher. However, despite the success of "Winds of War," the band dissolved in 1987 due to internal tensions.
In 2004, Iron Angel was resurrected with a new line-up and released their third album "The Revenant" in 2014. The band has continued to tour and release music, including their latest album "Emerald Eyes," which was released in 2020.
Discography
Iron Angel's discography spans four albums over four decades. Their debut album "Hellish Crossfire" is considered a classic of the speed metal genre and is a favorite among metalheads. "Winds of War" is another essential album in the band's discography and showcases their growth as musicians. "The Revenant" is a solid comeback album that re-established Iron Angel's place in the metal scene. "Emerald Eyes" is the band's latest offering and shows that they still have plenty of fire left in them.
Impact
Iron Angel's impact on the heavy metal genre can't be understated. Their debut album "Hellish Crossfire" was a game-changer for the speed metal genre and inspired countless bands to follow in their footsteps. Iron Angel's aggressive sound and intense live performances also helped to define the German metal scene of the 80s. The band's influence can be heard in many of the prominent metal bands that emerged in the years following their formation.
SteamHammer SH 0032 , 1985 , Germany
Iron Angel's "Hellish Crossfire" German release 12" vinyl LP album is a thrash metal masterpiece. Produced by Horst "Hoddle" Muller and recorded at Caet Studio Berlin in May 1985, it delivers relentless aggression and blistering guitar work. With album photography by Joachim-Peters-Schnee and cover design by Edda & Uwe Karczewski and Peter Wittke, the visual presentation matches the intensity of the music. Featuring the talented lineup of Dirk Schroeder, Sven Struven, Mike Mattes, and Thorsten Lohmann.
Learn moreHammerheart Records HHR2014-05 , 2014 , Netherlands
"Hellish Crossfire" is the first official full-length album by the German Thrash Metal band: "IRON ANGEL". This album was produced by Horst "Hoddle" Muller (who has also produced albums for bands like:Destruction, Running Wild, Warrant, Celtic Frost). "Hellish Crossfire" was recorded at the Caet Studio Berlin, the album was originally released in 1985 and re-issued in 2014.
Learn moreSteamHammer SH 0047 , 1988 , Germany
"Winds of War was recorded in April 1986 at Karo Music Studio, Munster, Germany. It was produced by Kalle Trap (Kalle Trap being producer for many of the leading German Thrash Metal bands during he 1980s) and engineered by Uwe Ziegler. Artwork was done by Edda & Uwe Karczewski , best known for the album covers of "Helloween".
Learn more