Grave Digger
Yesterday

February 2007
Released: 2006, Locomotive Records/Sound Pollution
Rating: 2.0/5
Reviewer: Anders Sandvall

For the first time in this German band’s long history they will release an EP, using the old song “Yesterday” from 1984. On this EP the band has freshened up the song and called it “Yesterday 2006”. The song is featured twice, along with two other songs called “The Reaper’s Dance” and “No Quarter”.



“Yesterday 2006” and “Yesterday Orchestral Version” sounds more or less the same aside from the strings. To be honest, I don’t think this ballad works either way. The song’s problem is lead singer Chris Boltendahl’s voice; he can’t sing ballads at all. The orchestral version of the song is even lousier than the original. The tempo has been slowed down even more and for some very strange reason Boltendahl only sings the chorus through the entire song – the verses are completely left out. “The Reaper’s Dance” and “No Quarter” are songs that have more of the typical Greave Digger sound; the songs are German heavy metal with catchy choruses. “No Quarter” is a heavy metal song, but it sometimes borders on being an up-tempo ballad. Again, there isn’t a lot of singing; instead, we have a lot of piano playing. The EP is 20 minutes long and features a bonus DVD with a gig from the 2001 Rock Machina Festival in Spain.



This may be a golden moment for a fan of Grave Digger, but in my ears it’s only another ordinary EP that doesn’t appeal to my ears in any way. The only joy this EP gave me was the song “The Reaper’s Dance”.