Ballads of a Hangman

Ballads of a Hangman
Ballads of a Hangman
Studio album by Grave Digger
Released	27 January 2009
Recorded	August–October 2008 at Principal Studios, Germany
Genre	Heavy metal, power metal
Label	Napalm
Producer	Grave Digger, Resetti Brothers
Grave Digger chronology

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Blabbermouth.net	^[1]
Metal Hammer	^[2]

Ballads of a Hangman is the 14th studio album by the German heavy metal band Grave Digger, and was released on 27 January 2009. It is the first Grave Digger album to feature two guitarists, the only one to feature Thilo Hermann who co-wrote the album but was asked to leave soon after its release and also the last one with Manni Schmidt who left the band in October 2009 due to personal differences with Chris Boltendahl.^[3]

The semi-ballad "Lonely The Innocence Dies" featuring Veronica Freeman of Benedictum was noted for being close to a harder version of "Where the Wild Roses Grow" by Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave.^[2]

Track listing[edit]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Length
1.	"The Gallows Pole" (Intro)	Boltendahl	0:52
2.	"Ballad of a Hangman"	Boltendahl	4:47
3.	"Hell of Disillusion"	Boltendahl	3:56
4.	"Sorrow of the Dead"	Boltendahl	3:26
5.	"Grave of the Addicted"	Boltendahl	3:34
6.	"Lonely the Innocence Dies" (ft. Veronica Freeman)	Boltendahl	5:45
7.	"Into the War"	Boltendahl	3:32
8.	"The Shadow of Your Soul"	Boltendahl	4:15
9.	"Funeral for a Fallen Angel"	Boltendahl	4:32
10.	"Stormrider"	Boltendahl	3:17
11.	"Pray"	Boltendahl	3:37
Total length:			41:33

Bonus tracks
No.	Title	Lyrics	Length
12.	"Jailbreak" (Thin Lizzy cover)	Phil Lynott	4:05
13.	"Overkill" (Motörhead cover)	Kilmister	4:33
14.	"My Blood Will Live Forever"	Boltendahl	4:02
15.	"When the Sun Goes Down"	Boltendahl	3:56

All music composed by Boltendahl/Schmidt/Hermann

Album line-up[edit]

Chris Boltendahl - lead and backing vocals
Manni Schmidt - guitars and backing vocals
Thilo Hermann - guitars and backing vocals
Jens Becker - bass
Stefan Arnold - drums
H.P. Katzenburg - keyboards

References[edit]

^ Blabbermouth.net review
^ ^a ^b Paulus, Sebastian. "Grave Digger BALLADS OF A HANGMAN Review". Metal Hammer (in German). Archived from the original on 6 May 2009. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
^ "GRAVE DIGGER: 'Ballads Of A Hangman' Track Listing, Cover Artwork Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 1 November 2008.

[1] Blabbermouth.net review

[MH-2] Paulus, Sebastian. "Grave Digger BALLADS OF A HANGMAN Review". Metal Hammer (in German). Archived from the original on 6 May 2009. Retrieved 17 August 2010.

[3] "GRAVE DIGGER: 'Ballads Of A Hangman' Track Listing, Cover Artwork Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 1 November 2008.

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v t e Grave Digger
Chris "Reaper" Boltendahl Jens Becker Tobias "Tobi" Kersting Marcus Kniep Lutz Schmelzer Peter Masson Philip Seibel Martin Gerlitzki Willi Lackman Albert Eckardt C.F. Frank Peter Breitenbach Tomi Göttlich Uwe Lulis Jörg Michael Frank Ulrich Manni Schmidt Thilo Hermann Hans Peter "H.P." Katzenburg Stefan Arnold Axel "Ironfinger" Ritt
Studio albums	Heavy Metal Breakdown Witch Hunter War Games Stronger than Ever (as Digger) The Reaper Heart of Darkness Tunes of War Knights of the Cross Excalibur The Grave Digger Rheingold The Last Supper Liberty or Death Ballads of a Hangman The Clans Will Rise Again Clash of the Gods Return of the Reaper Healed by Metal The Living Dead Fields of Blood Symbol of Eternity
Live albums	Tunes of Wacken 25 to Live The Clans Are Still Marching
EPs	Shoot Her Down Symphony of Death The Dark of the Sun Yesterday Pray The Ballad of Mary Home at Last
Compilations	The Best of the Eighties Die Definitive Biografie The History - Part One Masterpieces - Best Of Album Lost Tunes from the Vault Exhumation (The Early Years) Let Your Heads Roll - The Very Best of the Noise Years 1984-1986 The Forgotten Years
Related articles	Rebellion