~ The German Hard RocK and Heavy Metal Guide ~
History forged in Steel 1978-1993
Yeah I hear what you're saying - Even attempting such a vast project as a "complete" German HR/HM Encyclopedia seem about as futile as ...making a US one? Bah! Long-time Metal collector and Corroseum forum member Prowler spits in the face of Impossible and hereby delivers unto the Metal world the first encyclopedia of the Largest-Yet-Least-Collected Metal-country in the world!
The main idea for this database was born a couple of years ago, when I had found out that in most of the cases, the style descriptions of many German underground bands was completely wrong or there wasn't any info available at all, because the items/bands were too obscure, or that noone had ever heard about them before. The first impulse was to print a book, but that idea was quickly abandoned as while adding known bands to this database, even more, completely unknown releases of even more obscure acts were found.
We also wanted to focus on any kind of heavy music/band that had ever been around from 1978-1993, so that's why we stopped adding releases to the discographys that was released after 1993 in case you might wonder. This database tries to cover every kind of Heavy Kraut Rock/AOR/Melodic Rock/Hard Rock/Crossover and Metal bands of all genres, that were active during that mentioned time range, no matter if these bands ever recorded anything. We are also aware that the list isn't nearly complete, meaning we are open for any kind of suggestions, corrections and help by adding more obscure bands. Especially the local acts are of huge interest, so we might have a short survey of that city/area's underground scene. We know that especially in the Kraut Rock scene there are tons of bands/albums that would most probably meet our requirements, but unfortunately most of these albums are so insanely expensive and rare, that it's impossible to buy all of them just to check out if they might include any possible Hard Rock riffs. We are open for your suggestions, don't worry, your name will be mentioned in the article. To get the site started, we first added the bands with vinyl/CD appearances, while the Demo bands will be added piece by piece in the future as well.
Last but surely not least, a BIG THANK YOU to Dan Edman who made all this possible, by granting me space and technical help. Without his heads up I'd most probably still be dreaming of something like this project.
Browse bands by letter:
U.A.N.
Lineup:
Marcel Wicher
Band-info:
A very rough Crossover act from Gera/Thuringia, who recorded a Demo tape in November '93. Not much known of this local act, but the 5 Demo songs do sound exactly like those New York City HC bands of the early 90's, very raw and complex. Guess bands like Biohazard and Sick Of It All left a huge impression here, as especially Biohazards Metalcore put it's seal of these guys foreheads. HC/Thrash merges with powerful Groove/Mosh parts, seriously not a bad Demo at all, either the vocalist sounds like Evan Seinfeld.Discography:
"Mensch & Spezial" Demo 1993 (selfreleased)
U.D.O.
Lineup:
Udo Dirkschneider (vocals)
Peter Szigeti (guitar)
Mathias Dieth (guitar)
Frank Rittel (bass)
Thomas Franke (drums)
Band-info:
After Udo Dirkscheider "got to leave" Accept due to the other boys wanting to go more commercial, he quickly formed an own group together with ex-Warlock musicians Peter Szigeti and Frank Rittel, ex-Sinner Mathias Dieth and Thomas Franke (ex-Stallion, ex-Snakebite). Since all songs for the debut was already composed by his old band Accept, they had an easy game to release "Animal house" right in 1987. Dieter Rubach (ex-Bad Steve) came for Frank Rittel and Andreas Susemihl (ex-Sinner) replaced Szigetti but even this line up didn't last for long and "Mean machine" was recorded with Mathias Dieth (guitar), Andy Susemihl (guitar), Thomas Smuszynski (bass, ex-Darxon), Stefan Schwarzmann (drums, ex-Running Wild). Susemihl on "Faceless world" already wasn't playing anymore. He left to focus on his band Lazy and later joined the band Ape together with Mathias Dieth, while U.D.O.'s "Timebomb" album was available in 1991, recorded with the same line up like "Faceless world". To label U.D.O.'s style is quite easy as Udo Dirkschneider always will be the voice of Accept and "Animal house", no matter if one is fan of Accept or not, was a better album than what Accept delivered later with "Eat the heat". All of the U.D.O. albums (except maybe "Faceless world" that's a bit more mellow sounding), are more or less the same Heavy/Power Metal style, with "Timebomb" (the best U.D.O. album!) almost picking up Judas Priest-ish tunes after they returned with "Painkiller". But basically those who liked Accept on "Metal heart" and "Russian Roulette" must love the U.D.O. albums as well. Dirkschneider put the band on ice after 1991 due to the reunion of Accept, but would keep on recording albums since 1996 again, and hasn't stopped yet at all.Discography:
"Animal house" LP/CD 1987 (RCA)
"Mean machine" LP/CD 1989 (RCA)
"Faceless world" LP/CD 1990 (RCA)
"Timebomb" LP/CD 1991 (RCA)
Ulcerous Phlegm
Lineup:
Bernd Spring (vocals, bass)
Kreso (guitar)
Thomas Brinkmann (drums)
Band-info:
A grinding Death Metal band from Hochstädt, north of Augsburg, that was just shortlived, but within these few years released a Demo and 2 singles. Bernd Spring (ex-Savage Fun/Shrettled Illusions) and Thomas “Blinki” Brinkmann in August ‘89 felt the urge to form a Noisecore band and found Kreso on guitar after a short while. The Demo was recorded in their practise room already 2 weeks after Ulcerous Phlegm had formed. Their style was still early Napalm Death/Bolt Thrower influenced and got often compared to Pungent Stench, pretty much standard stuff, but nonetheless Shithouse Records (sublabel of Turbo Music) offered the band to produce a 7” in December ’89. So the guys went to the studio already in January 1990 and recorded 12 songs, while a bit later on already became much annoyed with the label, that always delayed the release of the single, which was enthusiastically announced for already March 1990, entitled "International problems can't be solved by intern nationalism", but actually wasn’t available before June. Also their early Noise/Grind style submerged with classic Death Metal influences during 1990/91, while Soulstorm’s Zong shortly joind the band on the second guitar, but went soon back to his original band again. Brinkmann later got replaced in February ’91 by Max, who would play on Ulcerous Phlegm’s selftitled second single, recorded in June 1991. The announced album, scheduled for 1992 on Bodonski Records like the second EP as well, was never released though. In March ‘93 the band played their last gig and vanished shortly later. The "International problems can't be solved by intern nationalism" 7" was re-released with different cover.Discography:
"...it's inside your guts" Demo 1989 (selfreleased)
"International problems can't be solved by intern nationalism" 7" EP 1990 (Shithouse)
"Ulcerous Phlegm" 7" EP 1991 (Bodonski)
Unapproachable Slawheads, The
Lineup:
Paule (vocals)
Jan Kräutlein (guitar)
Hot Dog (bass)
Stefan Kunz (drums)
Band-info:
The Unapproachable Slawheads, also known as just Slawheads, started 1985 in Frankfurt's underground scene as "Metallgemüse". The new Weltall Schallplatten label produced a number of stylistically similar sounding Street R'n'R combos and therefore the freshly renamed group "The Unapproachable Slawheads" was amoung the chosen few. "Still on top" was the title of the LP, that featured dirty, punky touched Rock'n'Roll'n'Hard Rock, just like their following release, the "Deutschrock!" Demo from 1991, that delivered more stuff in the vein of AC/DC, Rose Tattoo and such. Their "S.O.S./Candy Jane II" 7" features just 2 coverversions of ABBA and Udo Lindenberg. After a longer break from the music business the Slawheads later reformed once again.Discography:
"Still on top" LP 1988 (Weltall Schallplatten)
"Lüde & Die Astros/Slawheads" Split Promotape 1989 (Broadway Danny Groß Prod.)
"S.O.S./Candy Jane II" 7" EP 1990 (Love)
"Deutschrock!" Demo 1991 (selfreleased)
"Ein neuer Tag beginnt" Comp.-CD Track 1992 (Sounds like Money?)
Unchained Scarlett
Lineup:
Dirk Strube (vocals)
Marko Lange (guitar)
Anton Lini (guitar)
Berny (bass)
Jürgen Feichtmayr (drums)
Band-info:
A modern sounding Power/Thrash band from Landshut that won a band contest in 1992 and could record 2 songs for a local Split LP with the other Landshut bands Dazed and Confused, Daily Depression and Pressure in July. Unchained Scarlett adopted several Metallica influences and in places played even straight Power Metal if not they would have felt the need to mix in Funk influences. And those pretty much kill both songs of the band. The vocals are another reason that true Metal heads would make a big curve around them. They also released a tape in 1993 called "Thrash'n'Roll", before they quit in 1994 when Toni left the band. Vocalist Dirk "Struppi" Strube was prior to Unchained Scarlett already fronting several Munich acts like Sign Of Victory, Calvary and Rotten Bitch. Feichte, Marko and Dirk Strube formed Power/Thrashers Sub-Machine.Discography:
"Sieger '92" Comp.-LP Tracks 1992 (JUZ Poschinger Villa)
"Thrash'n'Roll" Demo 1993 (selfreleased)
Under The Rose
Lineup:
Peter Tietjen (vocals)
Detlef Borchardt (guitar)
Werner Reinders (bass)
Jörg Uken (drums)
Band-info:
A melodic Hard Rock/Metal band from Leer, founded in August '86 by Peter Tietjen, Detlef Borchardt and Henning Besuden as Lovehunter. In 1988 they changed name to "Under The Rose" and only played for about a year before they changed name again to Valhalla. They only recorded Demos as Lovehunter and Valhalla.Discography:
Underdog
Lineup:
Mike Linster (vocals)
Randy Engels (keyboard)
Joe Haas (bass)
Ritch Reinhold (guitar)
Kalla Klein (drums)
Band-info:
The Underdogs from Cologne was active since 1979 and could produce an early album on the Cologne based label Risiko Records. Still rocking on the selftitled debut LP with a quite antiquated Hard Rock style including the usual heavy Boogie parts, the band already could leave a good impression, especially when Mike Linster used to scream like Eric Adams and basically was sounding in places a bit like Ronny James Dio. Basically Underdog's style reminded often to Dark Wizard and early Vanadium.On "Rabies in town" they completely changed the axemen and added with Helmut Gügel and Bernard Leinweber two replacements for Ritch Reinhold. The result was a much more aggressive sounding band, still having, for what reason ever, those Dark Wizard and especially Vanadium similarities, but mainly the old Hard Rock sound was gone now. Their last album "Out in the night" was recorded with the same line up, but didn't show much progress anymore, contrariwise Underdog fully had added commercial influences, that probably they got dictated by Chlodwig Musik, a sublabel of the EMI.
Discography:
"Underdog" LP 1982 (Risiko)
"Rabies in town" LP 1984 (Mausoleum)
"No way to lose" Comp.-LP Track 1984 (A Bolt From The Black)
"Out in the night" LP 88 (Chlodwig)
"I show you a feeling" 7" EP 1988 (Chlodwig)
Ungod
Lineup:
Infamist of Tumulus (vocals)
Schiekron (bass)
Ancient Blasphemic Grave Invocator (gutar)
Angel of Blasphemy (guitar)
Condemptor (drums)
Band-info:
Ungod was one of Germany's first second wave Black Metal bands and released with "Circle of the seven infernal pacts" the very first german Black Metal vinyl which still nowadays also could be named the very best of all. They already started back in 1991 in Gochsheim with their members being involved in other Black Metal projects like Fulgor and Baxaxaxa. Their Demo and the album (500 copies pressed) both picked up the early norse style, with similarities to early Darkthrone, Immortal and a healthy dose of Master's Hammer. Unfortunately after the vinyl the band fell into a kinda coma and instead to steady their status with another album, didn't release anything before 1995 anymore and that year the original line up split up.Discography:
"Magicus Tallis Damnatio" Demo 1992 (selfreleased)
"Circle of the seven infernal pacts" LP 1993 (Heretic Supremacist Brotherhood)
Unholy Cruzifiction
Lineup:
Rene Thierjung (vocals)
Michael Ehedy (guitar)
Enrico Landrock (bass)
Karlheinz Müller (drums)
Band-info:
A Black/Death Metal band from Schwarzenberg in the wider Annaberg area, that formed in late '92 (or early '93, the guys aren't sure about that anymore) and was active till late 1993 when they changed name to Ebitalium. There aren't any recordings available.Discography:
Unicorn
Lineup:
Jürgen Henkelmann (vocals)
Holger Carow (guitar)
Michael Blaumeiser (guitar)
Günther Klein (bass)
Manfred Klein (drums)
Band-info:
Unicorn was formed 1986 in Krefeld by Holger Carow together with some other guys, who just had left the local band Headhunter. During a Headhunter/Unicorn gig, the Headhunter musicians Günther Klein, Manfred Klein and Jürgen Henkelmann liked Holger Carow's material and shortly after disbanded Headhunter, while the trio joined Unicorn instead. They also added the guitarist Michael Blaumeiser and decided during 1987 to record 4 of their songs for a MLP. But already after the studiosession and during the record still was in the pressing plant, the lads got into personal disputes and Holger Carow disbanded Unicorn, who back in the day was one of the most promising bands for sure. Their slightly Running Wild influenced driving epic Power Metal clearly stood out of the mass of records produced back in 1987. "The legend returns" EP was pressed in a 500 copies edition in clear vinyl.(Thanx to Holger Carow for additional info)
Union Rox
Lineup:
Hanni Vasiliadis (guitar, vocals)
Ronny Lewandowski (drums)
Band-info:
A Dormagen based Melodic Metal band, whose history started when Erwin Perle and Matthias Nicklas quit Noisehunter in 1992 and the remaining guys changed name to Union Rox to try with a different vocalist till 1997. Several material was recorded but never released, which was later re-released on Karthago Records as the "Rock shower" album in 2005 including original Noisehunter Demos from the early 90's as well. If you got more info, please get in touch.Discography:
United Crash
Lineup:
H. Zimmermann (vocals)
L. Strugger (guitar)
M. Pillukat (drums)
A. Eberl (guitar)
R. Bernrieder (bass)
Band-info:
A Hard Rock band from Munich that could contribute the 2 trax "Curious dreams" and "Better believe me" for the Feierwerk Split LP "Rock Feierwerk Sieger 90" with other Munich bands Magenta, C-X and Peace, Love & Guitars. The band combined influences from Classic Rock and Hard Rock and had a rather melodic sound guitar driven sound.Discography:
"Rock Feierwerk Sieger 90" Comp.-LP Tracks 1990 (Feierwerk)
United Forces
Lineup:
Holger Schmidt
Band-info:
In no way connected to the Hiddenhausen thrashers with the same name, but yet another studio-project from the Metal Enterprises tax frau.. ehrm, I mean 'label'. If you have a taste for 100% unoriginal, mainstream & radio-friendly 80's Hard Rock it's actually not a complete disaster and you can tell they've spent a little longer time than usual on production & writing here, and they're even approaching Melodic Metal-territories on the faster opening- and closing tunes. The participation of old 70's kraut/blues/heavy rockers Tiger B. Smith announced on the front sleeve is a bit of a moot point, since in fact plenty of ME's studio-projects can be connected with TBS' guitarist/vocalist Holger Schmidt, seeing as many of them were produced and recorded in his Woodland Studios and you'll recognize his vocals on anything from Fucker to Killer Fox.Discography:
"Rosita" LP/CD 1990 (Metal Enterprises)
United Forces (Hiddenhausen)
Lineup:
Stephan Klocke (vocals, guitar)
Rainer Zwaka (guitar)
Frank Oberhokamp (bass)
Marco Piermattel (drums)
Band-info:
A Speed Metal band from Hiddenhausen, founded September '86, who recorded their first tape in Juliy '87 and the second Demo "The appearance" in February '88. The band could contribute one of their songs for the German Metal Fighters II compilation on D&S and "Kill your boss" for the Break Out sampler. The style of United Forces in the beginning was rather standard Speed Metal like early Living Death and Slayer, lacking a bit in the vocal section. On the second Demo the Slayer influences ("Reign in blood") took over control and also the production fitted their current Thrash sound way better.Discography:
"Kill your boss" Demo 1987 (selfreleased)
"The appearance" Demo 1988 (selfreleased)
"Avenger of the other world" Comp.-LP Track 1988 (German Metal Fighters No. II)
"Killer in disguise" Comp.-LP Track 1988 (Break out)
Universe
Lineup:
Frank DiSanto (vocals)
Tom Bohn (guitar)
Wolfgang Böhm (guitar)
Holger George (bass)
Ingo Plass (drums)
Band-info:
A melodic Heavy Metal band from Wuppertal founded 1985 by Axe Victims and Darxon members.Tom Bohn (ex-Axe Victims) already left a year later and ex-Nightmare/Hard 'n Heart guitarist Reinhold Durand joined. In 1988 a first 7" was ready and after a tour through eastern Europe and a Demotape, they started recording the debut album "Bad child" in 1990. It took 2 years till the album got finally released and Universe already started recordings for the "Waiting for" MCD. They got the support act for Running Wild's 1993 european tour and then the carousel of mannig started turning. The band produced some more albums later and is still active nowadays. Musically they could be seen as an equivalent of late 80's Bonfire, with "Bad child" sounding pretty much contemporary when it was recorded, though it was released 2 years too late for that kind of music.Discography:
"I want you" 7" EP 1988 (GP)
"Demo '90" Demo 1990 (selfreleased)
"Bad child" LP/CD 1992 (Solid Rock)
"Waiting for" MCD 1993 (Solid Rock)
Unrest
Lineup:
Sönke Lau (vocals)
Claus Wichert (guitar)
Michael Kühn (guitar)
Gerd Nawrocki (bass)
Guido Hettwer (drums)
Band-info:
A Metal troop from Bremen that formed in spring 1988 as band of school boys, while vocalist Sönke Lau completed the unit shortly later. Later that year, after Lau taken over the vox, the guys already recorded their first Demo. The second Demo „To the top“ was finished 1989 and a third tape entitled “Turn out the light” right within the following year, before the lads produced their debut album "Taste it" during 1991 independently and Battery Records published it on CD. Unrest is to be recommended for fans of Accept, U.D.O., Mordor or Danton, coz apart of vocalist Sönke Lau, who closely reminded of a mix of Rock'n Rolf and the Dirkschneider bros, either Unrest's style was copying the classic Accept/U.D.O. sound, while we should rather put them more into the U.D.O./Danton drawer, coz besides the Accept-ish pounders the lads also could surprise with a bit more speedy stuff. The album naturally fully suffocated inside the Death Metal wave, but after some silence Unrest returned 1995 with the album "By the light of the moon" and since then regulary recorded albums till 2008. When their frontman left the band due to health issues, Unrest eventually split up during 2009.Discography:
“To the top” Demo 1989 (selfreleased)
“Turn out the light” 1990 (selfreleased)
"Taste it" CD 1992 (Battery)
Unwanted Youth
Lineup:
Uwe Lüdtke (vocals)
Tom Marschal (guitar)
Heiko Gantenberg (bass)
Olli Stratmann (drums)
Band-info:
Basically the Unwanted Youth from Gelsenkirchen was a Hardcore band, but due to their thrashy style I'm sure a few Thrash fans might like their only album as well. It's mainly interesting for people into the thrashy Suicidal Tendencies stuff. Unwanted Youth in general adopted the californian HC style and played it straight forward thrashing without too punky vocals.Discography:
”Unwanted Youth” LP 1988 (Destiny)
Uranium
Lineup:
Michael Weber
Band-info:
Uranium was a female fronted Metal act from Salzgitter, who recorded a 4 track Demo in 1986, featuring quite an Accept-ish kind of pounding German Metal, apparently sounding in the vein of bands like Arrow/Sacrafice/Angel War with strong Hard Rock edge. Further info is needed.Discography:
"Magic weapons" Demo 1986 (selfreleased)
Used News, The
Lineup:
Stefan Gollor (vocals)
Edgar Kaufmann (drums)
Jörn Schaub (guitar)
Christian Schulte (guitar)
Dirk Schaub (bass)
Rüdiger Schulte (keyboard)
Michaela Schulte (backing vocals)
Band-info:
The Used News from Olpe/Sauerland are only known to be featured on the local Wildwux Compilation released in 1991. The track "Streets of Londonderry " features a sort of Melodic Rock with Hard Rock edge, that imo suffers a bit by the partly untypical vocals. Stefan Gollor in places is giving his voice a kinda psychedelic touch that doesn't suits their rocking AOR so well. Otherwise the track isn't a bad number at all.Discography:
”Streets of Londonderry” Comp. LP Track 1991 (Wildwux Rock Sampler ‘91)
No Corroseum-feature would be complete without some proper sampler CDRs!
Straight from Prowler's personal archive we present thee...
download ~Volume West~
download ~Volume East~
(For more obscure German goodies, check out "Teutonic Evasion", the German edition of the Veterans Of The Various-Wars samplers...)
Straight from Prowler's personal archive we present thee...
download ~Volume West~
download ~Volume East~
(For more obscure German goodies, check out "Teutonic Evasion", the German edition of the Veterans Of The Various-Wars samplers...)
Keep exploring the olde German Metal scene on these other sections of The Corroseum:
