The band Stormwarrior, hailing
from Hamburg, Germany, was founded in 1998 by Lars Ramcke (Vocals/ Guitar) and
Andrè Schumann (Drums) and in the same year added Scott Bölter (Guitar) and
Tim Zienert (Bass). Starmwarrior were greatly inspired by bands like Helloween and Running Wild and can be compared
to bands like Twisted Tower Dire and Paragon.
Stormwarrior (Remedy Records) 2002
1. "The Hammer Returneth"
(:33)
2. "Signe of the Warlorde" (3:39)
3. "Sons of Steele" (4:14)
4. "Bounde by the Oathe" (3:45)
5. "Deceiver" (4:13)
6. "The Axewielder" (4:51)
7. "Deathe by the Blade" (4:52)
8. "Thunderer" (5:22)
9. "Iron Prayers" (4:58)
10. "Defenders of Metal" (5:02)
11. "Chains of Slavery" (8:14)
Stormwarrior are usually labeled as European speed metal, but I think the band is best described as Manowar on speed. That is the best description I could come up with. These guys are so fast that I most black metal bands are probably left with their jaws dropped open. However, this is not black metal. Stormwarrior harken back to the days of "Walls of Jerico" Helloween; tons of double bass, furiously fast riffing, lots of dual guitar parts, and aggressive, clean vocals. I suppose some will balk at the cliché approach, but I can only admire the band's commitment to true heavy metal. If I were to find fault at all in this CD, it's that the songs sometimes tend to blend together due to the fact that just about every song is fast, leaving very little in the way of variation in tempo from song to song. However, for those longing for the days when Helloween were a speed metal band, or if you enjoy current bands like Twisted Tower Dire, this CD is right up your alley.
Stormwarrior - Heavy Metal Fire (Remedy Records) 2003
1. "Odinns Warriors" (4:14)
2. "Warrior" (3:22)
3. "Heavy Metal Fir" (3:10)
4. "The Last Fyre" (3:47)]
5. "Deathe By The Blade" (4:48)
6. "Heavy Metal Is The Law" [live] (4:01)
"Heavy Metal Fire" is an EP that contains four new songs, as well as three songs from the band 2001 "Spikes & Leather" demo. This was actually the first CD I had heard by Stormwarrior. It immediately reminded me of all those old school German metal bands like Running Wild and Rage. Lyrically, the band seems to cover those same grounds as those early bands did as well, touting black leather, spikes, heavy metal, and unfortunately the devil. The title has lyrics like "denim, leather, chains and spike, it's the heavy metal law...can you feel the raging roars...heavy metal is the truth, we fight until the end...pentagrams and the 666, we're the messengers from hell, we bring the evil spirit and the everlasting spell...heavy metal fire burning in my veins" While I can appreciate the enthusiasm for real metal and love a good metal anthem, I could do without the touting of satanic silliness. The rest of the lyrics seem to consist of fantasy, mythical themes. Musically, the band is fast and furious real metal chock full of speedy licks, clean vocals, high screams, fast double bass, and all those other wonderful elements that make up good metal. "Attack of the Metal Hellstorm" was written by Bestial Desecration, rearranged by Stormwarrior
Stormwarrior - Northern Rage (Remedy) 2004
1. "And the Northewinde
Bloweth" [intro] (2:38)
2. "Heroic Deathe" (5:36)
3. "Valhalla" (3:49)
4. "Thy Last Fyre" (3:49)
5. "Welcome thy Rite" (4:18)
6. "Odin¹s Warriors" (4:15)
7. "Bloode Eagle" (4:30)
8. "Sigrblót" (5:30)
9. "To Foreign Shores" (3:55)
10. "Lindisfarne" (8:41)
As with Stormwarrior's debut, Running Wild, Manowar and especially pre-"Keepers" Helloween are the prime references for the band's sophmore follow-up. All the trademarks of prime German speed/power metal are here, with plenty of speedy riffs, dizzying double bass, dual leads, shredding solos and anthemic choruses. Vikings, warriors, blood, plunder, and war Kai Hansen, with cover art by Uwe. Kai also does guest vocals and a guitar solo.. It's all here. Posers and wimps leave the hall! All hail metal! Stormwarrior kills!