To complete the STRANGER request, here’s the band’s debut album “The Bell“, in its rare, sold-out hard to find Heavy Metal Classics series release from 2018, numbered & limited to 500, remastered including bonus tracks. There was a previous release with the same track list, but on this Heavy Metal Classics reissue the sound quality has been improved.
Musically this ‘first’ STRANGER (later they switched to a more melodic commercial style) is classic metal – this meaning classic riffs, classic steel. “The Bell” is influenced by the NWOBHM, however the sound is typically first half of the ’80s German Metal: think early Accept, Steeler (Ger), Warrant (Ger), also Scandi acts like 220 Volt, etc.
In arrangement with a small local label STRANGER released this LP ”The Bell’ in 1985, a highlight from German Heavy Metal underground scene. Unfortunately the album suffered of poor distribution and German rock press ignored the band. However, the album quickly become a cult piece requested overseas for import copies.
Now almost four decades later STRANGER’s ”The Bell’ sounds so cool, so unadulterated traditional metal that you can’t resist to love it.
Highly Recommended
01 – The Bell
02 – Wheels
03 – Midnight Angel
04 – Woman
05 – I Hold You
06 – Bright Fog
07 – Hazle the Witch
08 – Broken Harmonies
09 – Garden of Evil
BONUS TRACKS:
10 – Wheels (demo)
11 – Warrior (demo)
12 – Paradise (demo)
13 – Bright Fog (demo)
14 – Broken Harmonies (demo)
Vocals – Gerd Salewski
Guitar – Wolfgang Riikki Rieger
Guitar – Wolfgang Pleyer
Drums – Thomas Ihmbacher
Bass – Wolfgang Heuter