GRAVESTONE – BACK TO ATTACK 12" Vinyl LP Album

- A 1985 German Heavy Metal Classic Produced by Gravestone & GAMA Musikverlags GmbH

Album Front Cover Photo of Gravestone – Back to Attack Visit: https://vinyl-records.nl/

Gravestone’s Back to Attack (1985) is a striking relic of the German heavy metal underground — forged in the fires of the mid-’80s metal scene and produced in collaboration with GAMA Musikverlags GmbH. Recorded at Spygel Studios and mixed by Dirk Steffens, the album delivers a raw, melodic intensity through twin guitars, dynamic vocals, and defiant energy. Featuring fan-favorites “I Love the Night” and “Back to Attack,” it remains a cult essential for collectors and metal purists alike.

Table of Contents

"Back to Attack" Album Description:

Vinyl collectors and heavy metal enthusiasts, gather around, because we're diving deep into the heart of classic German heavy metal with Gravestone's album, "Back to Attack". Released in the golden era of metal, this 12" vinyl LP is a treasure trove for fans of bands like Stormwitch, Tyrant, and Accept — anyone who craves the authentic sound of mid-1980s German steel.

Background

Gravestone, a German heavy metal band formed in 1977, found their stride with "Back to Attack" in 1985. The album marked a strong moment in the band's evolution, showcasing their tight musicianship and melodic power. With razor-edged riffs, solid rhythms, and soaring vocals, Gravestone carved a respected place in the pantheon of traditional German metal.

The Making of "Back to Attack"

The album’s production was a collaborative effort between Gravestone and GAMA Musikverlags GmbH, allowing the band to shape every aspect of the record according to their own vision.

Sound engineer Batze Kramer captured the band’s raw energy during recording sessions held in March and April 1985 at Spygel Studios in Kirchheim/Teck, Germany. This period was an intense creative stretch, as the band poured their passion into each track. The result was a powerful and polished heavy metal statement that still resonates today.

Mixing was handled by Dirk Steffens at Soundhouse Studios in Hamburg. Known for his meticulous ear and work with other German rock acts, Steffens brought clarity and punch to "Back to Attack", ensuring each instrument and vocal line locked perfectly into the mix.

The Sound of "Back to Attack"

"Back to Attack" delivers a high-energy set of heavy metal anthems. From the first needle drop, the listener is met with tight guitar harmonies, driving basslines, and forceful drumming. Tracks like "Master of the Earth" and "I Love the Night" highlight Gravestone’s balance of melody and aggression, combining power with precision.

The album’s twin-guitar assault by Mathias Dieth and Klaus "Doc" Reinelt provides searing solos and intricate leads. Berti Majdan anchors the sound on bass, while Rainer "Mampi" Garattoni drives the songs with his dynamic drumming. Vocalist Alfried Schütz adds a commanding presence, his voice cutting through the mix with both grit and melody.

Legacy and Influence

"Back to Attack" stands as a cult classic within the German heavy metal underground. Though it never reached mainstream fame, it remains admired by collectors and genre purists for its craftsmanship and the sheer conviction of its performance — a genuine snapshot of the country’s vibrant mid-’80s metal scene.

Album Key Details: Genre, Label, Format & Release Info

Music Genre:

Hard Rock / Heavy Metal

Traditional German Heavy Metal, characterized by melodic twin-guitar harmonies, tight rhythm sections, and strong, high-register vocals. A style closely aligned with the 1980s German metal wave that included Stormwitch and Tyrant .

Label & Catalognr:

GAMA Musikverlags GmbH / New Records – Cat#: NW 2305

New Records was a small German label active in the mid-1980s, often collaborating with GAMA Musikverlags GmbH to release hard rock and heavy metal bands. It specialized in underground acts such as Gravestone and Tyrant, pressing high-quality vinyl editions that became sought-after among collectors of classic German heavy metal.

Album Packaging:

Standard 12" LP sleeve with printed back cover credits and artwork by Uli Allgaier.

 

Media Format:

Record Format: 12" Vinyl Stereo LP
Total Weight: 230g

Year & Country:

1985 – Made in France

Production & Recording Information:

Producers:
  • Gravestone – Band Production
    The German heavy metal band Gravestone handled much of their own production during the mid-1980s, giving their albums a raw and authentic sound that resonated with underground metal fans across Europe.
  • GAMA Musikverlags GmbH – Co-Production
    GAMA was an influential German record company and production house active during the 1980s, supporting and releasing numerous hard rock and metal acts such as Tyrant, Stormwitch, and Veto, helping define the sound of the German heavy metal scene.
Sound & Recording Engineers:
  • Walter "Batze" Kramer – Sound Engineer
  • Walter "Batze" Kramer – Sound Engineer

    That name I keep spotting in 1980s German metal credits, usually right when the guitars start sounding like they could peel paint.

    Walter "Batze" Kramer, is one of those behind-the-console heroes who helped lock in that mid-80s German heavy metal bite without sanding off the danger. His name shows up right in the hot zone: engineering/recording for Bloody Six (1984), Tyrant (1984–1985), Gravestone (1985), and Stormwitch (1985–1986), then rolling through sessions tied to bands like Maniac and Restless (1985), Sacrifice, Vampyr and S.D.I. (1985–1986), plus Necronomicon, Veto, and others in 1986. Metal Archives even lists him as R.I.P. with the date unknown, which is both eerie and, frankly, the least helpful kind of "known." Walter "Batze" Kramer Biography

    Walter "Batze" Kramer Wiki
Recording Location:

Spygel Studios – Kirchheim/Teck, Germany
Recorded March/April 1985

Spygel Studios was a favored recording site for several South German rock and metal acts of the 1980s, known for its warm analog acoustics and the hands-on technical approach of its engineers.
Mixing Studio & Location:

Soundhouse Studios – Hamburg, Germany

  • Dirk Steffens – Record producer & audio engineer

    One of those names you spot in the small print and think, “yeah… that explains why this record hits like it does.”

    Dirk Steffens, I first noticed him the boring way: squinting at a sleeve under a lamp because the credits were printed in that tiny “good luck, red colour, grandpa” font. And there it was again. That’s his whole thing—he’s not the poster on the wall, he’s the reason the wall shakes. Before he settled behind the desk, he did the band grind: Beathovens (1969–1971), then he kicked off Pennywonder (from 1971), then a quick, real stretch with Birth Control (July 1973–January 1974). After that he didn’t “transition” into production like a LinkedIn fairy tale—he just went where the work was, where the hours were long, and where the sound either gets disciplined or gets embarrassing. I tend to trust producers who’ve actually played in bands; they don’t romanticize the mess, they fix it. For the neat timeline (and the extra rabbit holes), here’s the Dirk Steffens Wiki

    • Soundhouse Studios in Hamburg gained a reputation for its clean yet powerful mixes, hosting sessions for numerous European metal and hard rock artists throughout the 1980s.
    Album Cover Design & Artwork:
    • Uli Allgaier – Artwork
      Uli Allgaier’s design work defined the visual flair of many GAMA-label metal releases, balancing fantasy-inspired themes with the sharp typography and airbrush style typical of mid-1980s German heavy metal.
    • Gravestone – Cover Concept
      The band’s visual concept for Back to Attack reflected their music’s determination and fiery tone — a visual representation of their drive to stand tall within Germany’s fiercely competitive metal scene.
    Photography:
    • Fotokommunikation Stuttgart – Band Photography
      Fotokommunikation Stuttgart specialized in promotional and album photography for German rock and metal acts during the 1980s, providing high-contrast imagery used in magazines, LP sleeves, and posters.

    Band Members / Musicians:

    Band Line-up:
    • Alfried Schütz – Vocals
      Alfried Schütz delivered Gravestone’s trademark vocal power — melodic yet commanding. His expressive range defined the band’s sound through the early and mid-1980s and became a staple of German heavy metal vocal delivery.
    • Mathias Dieth – Guitar
      Mathias Dieth later gained greater recognition for his work with U.D.O. and Sinner. Known for his technical precision and fluid soloing, he became one of Germany’s most respected heavy metal guitarists of the era.
    • Klaus "Doc" Reinelt – Guitar
      “Doc” Reinelt’s rhythm and lead interplay with Dieth gave Gravestone its layered, harmonic guitar tone. His disciplined style balanced melody and aggression, anchoring the band’s signature twin-guitar sound.
     
    • Berti Majdan – Bass
      Berti Majdan’s solid and driving bass work provided the rhythmic foundation for Gravestone’s tight arrangements. His stage presence and energy were essential to the band’s live impact.
    • Rainer "Mampi" Garattoni – Drums
      Rainer “Mampi” Garattoni, a technically skilled drummer, was known for his precision and stamina. After Gravestone, he played with Tyran’ Pace and Manilla Road, earning recognition within the European metal circuit.

    Complete Track-listing:

    Tracklisting Side One:
    1. Won’t Stop Rockin’
    2. I Love the Night
    3. The Tiger
    4. Suicide
    Video: Gravestone - I Love The Night
    Tracklisting Side Two:
    1. You Are the Sun
    2. Back to Attack
    3. Dirty Tales
    4. Break Out
    Video: Gravestone - Back To Attack

    Disclaimer: Track order and spellings are verified from the original 1985 GAMA / New Records LP release. Minor typographical differences may exist between regional editions.

    Contact: Gravestone, Albert-Einstein-Straße 20, 7913 Senden
    © + ℗ 1985 GAMA Musikverlags GmbH, Dettinger Straße 95, 7312 Kirchheim/Teck.
    Tel: (07021) 52817 – Telex: 7267 319 gama d

    Album Front Cover Photo
    Front cover of Gravestone’s 1985 heavy metal album Back to Attack. The artwork shows a surreal moonlit graveyard under a starry sky. In the foreground, a massive serpent coils menacingly around a glowing red tombstone engraved with the words ‘In Memory’. Its mouth is open in mid-strike, fangs glistening. Beside it, another gravestone bears the title Back to Attack in fiery Gothic script. Cross-shaped headstones tilt in the mist, and a pale full moon lights the eerie blue atmosphere, suggesting resurrection and vengeance. The band’s logo, Gravestone, appears in metallic gold lettering at the top, glowing against the cosmic backdrop.

    The front cover of Back to Attack by Gravestone is a masterwork of mid-1980s German heavy metal iconography. Under a star-filled night sky, the setting unfolds in a desolate cemetery bathed in blue mist, with leaning crosses and cracked tombstones scattered across uneven ground. A large full moon illuminates drifting clouds, giving the scene a ghostly luminescence that amplifies the album’s occult undertones.

    Dominating the composition is a red gravestone glowing from below, inscribed with the words In Memory. Coiled around it is a massive serpent—its scales bronze and fiery, its mouth wide open, exposing fangs that glisten in the infernal light. The serpent’s menacing posture embodies the album’s theme of rising from the grave—resurgence and aggression, as suggested by the title Back to Attack engraved on a smaller nearby tombstone.

    Above this infernal scene floats the band’s name, Gravestone, rendered in bold metallic Gothic lettering with gold sheen and stylized serifs that catch the eye like sharpened blades. The composition balances mysticism and menace: stars sparkle like distant omens, smoke curls around forgotten graves, and the entire tableau radiates both dread and vitality—perfectly mirroring the revivalist spirit of 1980s German metal.

    Album Back Cover Photo
    Back cover of Gravestone’s 1985 heavy metal album Back to Attack. The image captures the five band members mid-performance, surrounded by swirling stage fog under vivid lighting. From left to right, the musicians wear leopard-print leggings, studded belts, sleeveless tops, and tight leather trousers in bright red, yellow, and black — an unmistakable hallmark of 1980s metal fashion. Two guitarists flank the vocalist, both playing Flying V–style electric guitars with aggressive stance. Behind them, the drummer pounds away on a partially obscured kit. The performance photo is framed in hot pink against a cosmic black background speckled with stars. Below, pink lettering lists the track titles — including Won’t Stop Rockin’, The Tiger, and Back to Attack — while detailed production credits name Batze Kramer, Dirk Steffens, and GAMA Musikverlag. At the bottom corners, logos of New Records and Melodie are printed in magenta, sealing the album’s vintage Teutonic metal identity.

    The back cover of Back to Attack by Gravestone immerses the viewer in the theatrical energy of a live-stage fantasy. The five members are frozen mid-performance amid swirling smoke and colored lights, embodying the ferocity and flamboyance that defined the 1980s German heavy metal scene. Their attire — animal prints, sleeveless shirts, tight leather, and studded accessories — reinforces the era’s untamed aesthetic.

    The photo is bordered in striking magenta and set against a star-speckled black background that continues the cosmic motif from the front cover. Song titles appear in vivid red and pink Gothic type across the center, splitting the tracklist into two columns that echo the LP’s Side One and Side Two. The typography and layout emphasize boldness and symmetry, while the contrast of neon hues against deep black adds a sense of visual punch and movement.

    Below the imagery lies a dense block of production credits: recorded at Spygel Studios Kirchheim/Teck by Batze Kramer, mixed by Dirk Steffens at Soundhouse Studios Hamburg, and issued under the GAMA and NEW Records labels. Special thanks, management acknowledgments, and distribution information complete the collage of text, wrapping the design in a framework typical of mid-’80s German indie metal releases — meticulous yet feral in tone.

    Close-up of Record Label
    Close-up of Side A record label for Gravestone’s 1985 album Back to Attack. The label design is minimalist and clean, printed on a matte silver background with black lettering. At the top appears the NEW RECORDS logo inside a simple rectangular frame. Beneath it, the band name GRAVESTONE is centered in bold capitals, followed by the catalog number NW 2305, playback speed 33 tours, and designation FACE A. The four track titles are neatly aligned: I Love the Night, The Tiger, Back to Attack, and Breakout, each credited to the band’s composers Dieth, Sabisch, Reinelt, Majdan, and McGoldrick. To the right, the SACEM rights box is visible, and below, the text ‘GAMA Musikverlags GmbH © 1985’ confirms the pressing’s German origin. Around the rim, small French text denotes copyright protection and reproduction restrictions, typical of European metal LP issues from the mid-1980s.

    The Side A record label of Back to Attack by Gravestone reflects the restrained precision of mid-1980s European metal pressings. Printed in black ink on a metallic silver surface, it balances functionality and elegance — emphasizing clarity over ornament. The NEW RECORDS logo crowns the design within a rectangular frame, establishing the label’s distinct identity.

    Below the logo, the band’s name GRAVESTONE appears in bold uppercase type, followed by the catalog number NW 2305, speed indication 33 tours, and side marking Face A. The track listing is cleanly typeset, showing four songs — “I Love the Night,” “The Tiger,” “Back to Attack,” and “Breakout” — each accompanied by composer credits referencing Dieth, Sabisch, Majdan, Reinelt, and McGoldrick.

    A SACEM rights box appears to the right, certifying licensing under French collecting societies, while at the bottom edge, GAMA Musikverlags GmbH © 1985 confirms its production roots in southern Germany. The rim text, printed in French, warns against unauthorized duplication and broadcast. Altogether, this understated but authoritative label design embodies the serious craftsmanship of the GAMA–NEW Records era.

    Note: The images shown are photos of the actual album. Slight differences in color may appear due to lighting and flash conditions during photography.

    Index of GRAVESTONE Featured Vinyl Album Discography and Album Cover Gallery

    Thumbnail Of GRAVESTONE - Back to Attack 12" Vinyl LP album front cover
    GRAVESTONE - Back to Attack

    Released in 1985, Gravestone’s “Back to Attack” roars with unpolished firepower and melodic bite. It’s the sound of five maniacs from southern Germany pushing their amps until the fuses begged for mercy. The twin guitars blaze, the vocals hit like steel on granite, and every riff drips with that mid-’80s urgency — the kind you can almost smell in the vinyl grooves.

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    Thumbnail Of GRAVESTONE - Victim of Chains 12" Vinyl LP album front cover

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