By Monk
Despite being arguably one of the lesser status acts on the German power metal scene, it can equally be argued that Iron Savior played a pivotal role in the genre’s latter day development, as this eloquent and expansive box set proves. After all, they at one time or another featured various alumni of the NWoTM sub-genre, including guitarist Kai Hansen and fellow Helloween members Ingo Schwichtenberg and Markus Grosskopf, who initially formed the band, alongside singer Piet Sielck, back in 1978 before jumping ship to follow their more well-documented musical path. As fate would have it, 20 years later Hansen and Sielck would cross paths again and team up with Blind Guardian drummer Thomen Stauch, with the trio deciding to see what new path they could follow… a journey which, with Iron Savior about to release a new album, this rather boldly timed retrospective appropriately documents.
As it’s title suggests, ‘Riding On Fire…’ captures the seven years IS spent under the wing of the iconic Noise Records label. It was a period which saw the band produce five full-length albums and an EP, as well as Hansen and Sielck parting ways once again. Of course, all of the aforesaid releases are included, as well as the obligatory collection of bonus tracks of various merit.
By the time this project came about, the German power metal scene was very much in its ascendancy: Hansen had helped Helloween to be become an international force before launching his Gamma Ray project (with Sielck having produced the debut album), so it probably seemed inevitable that these two old friends would re-unite to deliver their own take on the genre.
To be honest, however, on the evidence of this collection, the collaboration brought nothing new to the mien, although it did help to cement Germany’s reputation as THE singular powerhouse of OTT power metal histrionics, even if they tended to veer away form the emphasis on Wagnerian opulence and often unnecessary hyperbole to concentrate on the more rock solid, straight to the point approach of big riffs combined with crunching rhythms, huge harmonies and,natch, blistering fretboard rip-ups!
With the current incarnation of the band themselves refusing to collaborate with, or endorse this release – in fact, they are actively persuading fans to boycott it, seeing it as an opportunity for “the current holder of the rights” (to use their words) to “get a piece of the cake” after they themselves released the ‘Reforged’ double package – its merits could be seen as being somewhat dubious. A cash in on the fact that the band are once again on the resurgence, with new material making waves? Or a genuine attempt to bring their legacy back to life? I think those are questions only the fans themselves can answer, by choosing whether or not to buy this exhaustive retrospective.
One thing is clear, however. And that is that this affords yet another opportunity to explore the history of the power metal mien through the lens of some of its most proficient progenitors.
- ‘Riding On Fire‘ is out now.
- Iron Savior release their new album, ‘Firestar‘, on 6 October.
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