Early years and split (1980–1987)
After various appearances at small festivals, the band recorded two songs for the compilation album Rock from Hell in 1983. A year later, Grave Digger, now comprising Chris Boltendahl (vocals), Peter Masson (guitar), Willi Lackmann (bass) and Albert Eckardt (drums), released their debut album Heavy Metal Breakdown.
In 1985, with Lackmann having left the band, they recorded and released their second album Witch Hunter. Only after the album was completed, a replacement on bass was found in the form of C.F. Brank. Further festival appearances followed, a tour with Helloween as special guest and, finally, their third album War Games in January 1986. To promote this album, a triple headline tour with Celtic Frost and Helloween followed. Thereafter, Peter Masson gave way to Uwe Lulis; in 1987 the band's name was changed to Digger, the name under which they released the album Stronger Than Ever. The album flopped, as it was not accepted by fans or the masses. As a result, Boltendahl declared at the end of 1987, the breakup of the band.
Reformation and Middle Ages Trilogy (1991–1999)
In 1991, the band was partially reformed. Boltendahl and Lulis, along with two newcomers, Tomi Göttlich and Jörg Michael, who had been the drummer for Rage and Running Wild, released a comeback record called The Reaper in 1993. This album was a return to the true roots of Grave Digger. In the same year, the album The Best of the Eighties was released. It represented a quasi Best-of-Album of their earlier songs.
An EP titled Symphony of Death followed in 1994. In the interim, Grave Digger, now with a new drummer, Frank Ullrich, toured Germany, playing as the warm-up act for Manowar. In 1995, the album Heart of Darkness appeared. It was a very dark album with many influences from the early works of Annihilator.
In 1996, Stefan Arnold became the band's new drummer. This year also marked the release of the concept album Tunes of War, which dealt with the history of Scotland. This album was the first part of the Middle Ages Trilogy. The second album, Knights of the Cross, with Jens Becker as bass guitarist, was released in 1998 and was about the rise and fall of the Knights Templar. The final part of the trilogy finished in 1999 with Excalibur. This album explored the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Shortly after, a tour soon followed through with keyboardist Hans-Peter Katzenburg, who later became a permanent band member.
The Grave Digger and Rheingold (2000–2004)
In 2000, Grave Digger celebrated their 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, they performed at a sell-out concert at the Zeche in Bochum. Many of the band's most popular songs were played alongside other less well-known ones. There were also a number of different supporting acts appearing with Grave Digger. This concert also marked a defining chapter in the band's history, as Uwe Lulis left a short while before the concert because of personal and business reasons. Lulis finally called his new band Rebellion.
A replacement, in the form of the ex-Rage guitarist, Manni Schmidt, was found. Along with him and the new record label Nuclear Blast, the album The Grave Digger, appeared in 2001. The works of Edgar Allan Poe served as an inspiration for the lyrics of the new album. Their first live album, Tunes of Wacken, appeared in 2002. This was coupled with the release of their first DVD of the same name. The next album Rheingold was released on 26 May 2003, which centered on the opera Der Ring des Nibelungen by Richard Wagner. They embarked on a tour in support of the album into early 2004.
The Last Supper and Ballads of a Hangman (2005–2009)
After the successful Rheingold Tour, the band recorded another album, The Last Supper, which was released on 17 January 2005. The artwork was first revealed in November 2004 which received positive feedback. A number of fans were disappointed by the artwork because of the motive. The band issued a statement saying that the cover isn't a message of the Devil and not against Christians, but a representation of a depressive Jesus Christ at his last days before his death. Unlike their previous albums, The Last Supper was not a concept album, despite several songs about the last days of Jesus. A few journalists described the album as the best since Tunes of War or Heavy Metal Breakdown. According to the band, it contains "more metal, more passion and more power" than the group's previous efforts. Less than a month later, the band began a tour with Stormhammer and Astral Doors in Andernach, the birthplace of Manni Schmidt.
October 2005 saw the release of a live DVD titled 25 to Live, which was recorded live in São Paulo, commemorating the band's 25th anniversary.
In December 2006, a number of release parties was announced for the band's follow-up album, Liberty or Death, which was released on 12 January 2007. A Double-Headline Tour together with Therion followed, beginning 17 January 2007 in Essen.
In late February 2008, Grave Digger began writing new material. In mid-August, they entered Principal studios with additional guitarist Thilo Hermann to record their 13th studio album entitled Ballads of a Hangman, which was released on 9 January 2009 under their new label Napalm Records. It was their first album with twin guitars.
In February 2009, the band parted ways with Thilo Hermann due to the built up excitement of a second guitarist and with the free space on stage and musical aspects that was observed by every old band member independently. In early October, Manni Schmidt left the band due to ongoing disagreements with Chris Boltendahl.
The Clans Will Rise Again and The Living Dead (2010–2018)
On 12 January 2010, Schmidt was replaced by Domain guitarist Axel Ritt after performing temporarily during the remaining dates of the band's previous tour. On 1 October 2010, Grave Digger released the album The Clans Will Rise Again in Europe, with a North American release following soon after. The band members explain that it is a loose sequel of the 1996 album Tunes of War, "but this time not a concept album about the Scottish history, rather a work about Scotland, its mysticism and its people." On 11 September 2011, a video for the song "Highland Farewell" was made available for streaming.
On 27 July 2012, the band released an EP entitled Home at Last with the album Clash of the Gods following on 31 August 2012. They performed a handful of shows in the UK and Europe from early to late 2012 and then toured throughout 2013 in Europe and a few shows in Brazil in support of the album.
In February 2014, the band began recording their next album titled Return of the Reaper, which was released on 11 July 2014, with later release dates elsewhere. In November 2014, keyboardist H.P. Katzenburg left the band in order to spend more time on outside projects. He was replaced by new member Marcus Kniep, who would continue performing as The Reaper.
In October 2015, Exhumation - The Early Years was released, which contains re-recorded versions of the band's "absolute classics with a dynamic and powerful sound of 2015," according to a press release.
In June 2016, Grave Digger entered the studio to begin working on their next album entitled Healed by Metal, which was released on 13 January 2017. They embarked on a tour with Blind Guardian as the support act on the second leg North American tour supporting the album Beyond the Red Mirror.
In March 2018, the band returned to the studio to record their nineteenth album The Living Dead, which was released on 14 September 2018, with a European tour taking place in January 2019. On 25 June 2018, longtime drummer Stefan Arnold departed the band. He was replaced by Marcus Kniep.
Fields of Blood (2020–present)
Grave Digger's twentieth album Fields of Blood was released on 29 May 2020, celebrating the band's 40th anniversary. The follow-up album Symbol of Eternity was released on 26 August 2022.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_Digger_(band)
Studio albums
Heavy Metal Breakdown (1984)
Witch Hunter (1985)
War Games (1986)
Stronger Than Ever (1986) (as Digger)
The Reaper (1993)
Heart of Darkness (1995)
Tunes of War (1996)
Knights of the Cross (1998)
Excalibur (1999)
The Grave Digger (2001)
Rheingold (2003)
The Last Supper (2005)
Liberty or Death (2007)
Ballads of a Hangman (2009)
The Clans Will Rise Again (2010)
Clash of the Gods (2012)
Return of the Reaper (2014)
Healed by Metal (2017)
The Living Dead (2018)
Fields of Blood (2020)
Symbol of Eternity (2022)
Circle of Witches
Grave Digger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where in a lonely hut witches dwell.
Repelling creatures ageless feared and fitted
With powers from the depths of hell.
Once a noble man a baron brother of the king himself
Visited the witches on a daark dark night.
He asked assist to gain the throne
He sold his soul to win a fight.
winter has come, the sun is too weak
The forcees of night are now growing stronger
Searching for souuls for men blind with greed
Three witchees stand in a circle of evil
Tongues speaking words old and unknown
Call for a demon to serve in their daark spell
Fulfill what they owe to get what men own
I'll be king, I want the power, I will change my fate
Magic's on my side foreveer, so the witches say
Time is right to gane the throne, I'll take my brother down
I'll be king to rule the land, yes I'll take the crown
[Chorus:]
I've lost my soul
I've lost control
To the circle of witches
My life is black
There's no way back
From the circle of witches
circle of witches
circle of witches
circle of witches - never again
Lie in wait, prepared to fight, soon the king must come
Allied with the darkest powers, murder will be done
Loyal soldiers, stand for battle, bliinded are their eyes
Witchcraft takes away their sight, as we take their lives
I look at myself, a mirror of darkness
My mind it is drowned, a dark flood of hate
I owe too much to the powerrs of evil
I know I'm damned, sealed is my fate
For the gloom og gold and glory, I have sold my soul
Blackened aree the sunny days, the dark side takes control
Hell awaits as nightmares haunt me, demons in my head
Satan waits with patient joy, he'll greet me when I'm dead.
The song 'Circle of Witches' by Grave Digger, tells a story of a man, a baron brother of the king, who visits the witches to gain power to overthrow his brother and take the throne. He sells his soul to the witches to accomplish his aim of gaining power permanently. The witches in their hut, with their old and unknown words call for a demon to serve in their spell, to fulfill what they owe to get what men own. The song narrates the process of the spell and the powerful forces that the witches have access to. The man who sells his soul gains power, but at an immense cost, his soul and control of his fate.
The chorus tells how the man has become lost in the circle of witches, lost his soul, and lost control. He has entered a world of darkness that he can never come back from. The song ends with the man realizing his terrible fate and how he has doomed himself to a life of darkness and evil.
The song provides the listener with an insight into the consequences of our actions and the cost of playing with dark forces that we cannot possibly understand. It emphasizes the importance of morality and ethics in making decisions.
Line by Line Meaning
The foul smell of evil hangs over the moores
The evil is so thick in the air that it produces a repugnant odor.
Where in a lonely hut witches dwell.
The witches live in a desolate and secluded setting.
Repelling creatures ageless feared and fitted
The witches have the ability to repel and control creatures that have been feared for ages.
With powers from the depths of hell.
The witches have abilities that come from the netherworld.
Once a noble man a baron brother of the king himself
An esteemed baron who is also the king's brother.
Visited the witches on a daark dark night.
The baron went to the witches on a particularly mysterious night.
He asked assist to gain the throne
The baron requested that the witches help him usurp his brother's throne.
He sold his soul to win a fight.
In exchange for victory, the baron pledged his soul to the witches.
The days getting short and nights getting colder
Shorter days and colder nights signify the arrival of winter.
winter has come, the sun is too weak
Winter is here and the sunlight is lacking.
The forcees of night are now growing stronger
As days become shorter, darkness becomes more powerful.
Searching for souls for men blind with greed
Evil forces seek out men who are blinded by their own greed.
Three witches stand in a circle of evil
Witches gather together in a circle with nefarious intent.
Tongues speaking words old and unknown
The witches use ancient and unfamiliar words to cast their spell.
Call for a demon to serve in their dark spell
The witches invoke a demon to aid in their evil magic.
Fulfill what they owe to get what men own
The witches will provide the demon with what it wants in exchange for completing their evil doings.
I'll be king, I want the power, I will change my fate
The baron wants to become king, gain power, and change his predetermined future.
Magic's on my side forever, so the witches say
According to the witches, the baron has permanent magical assistance.
Time is right to gain the throne, I'll take my brother down
The moment has arrived for the baron to seize the throne and defeat his brother.
I'll be king to rule the land, yes I'll take the crown
The baron intends to become king and reign over the land with exceptional power.
[Chorus:]
The chorus begins.
I've lost my soul
The baron acknowledges that he has lost his soul.
I've lost control
The baron confesses that he has lost control of himself.
To the circle of witches
The baron blames the witches for his current predicament.
My life is black
The baron's life has become a dark void.
There's no way back
The baron feels like there is no possible way to recover from his past decisions.
From the circle of witches
The baron again blames the witches for his current problems.
Circle of witches
The chorus repeats with the title of the song.
Lie in wait, prepared to fight, soon the king must come
The baron and his loyal soldiers prepare to fight for the throne when the king arrives.
Allied with the darkest powers, murder will be done
The baron and his soldiers have the support of dark forces that welcome murder.
Loyal soldiers, stand for battle, blinded are their eyes
The soldiers stay faithful to the baron even though they are unaware of the evil forces controlling him.
Witchcraft takes away their sight, as we take their lives
The witches use their magic to obscure the soldiers' vision, making it possible for the baron's army to kill them.
I look at myself, a mirror of darkness
The baron understands that he is now consumed by darkness.
My mind it is drowned, a dark flood of hate
Hate and negativity have taken over the baron's mind.
I owe too much to the powers of evil
The baron has given too much of himself to the forces of darkness.
I know I'm damned, sealed is my fate
The baron realizes that he has doomed himself and it is too late to change his destiny.
For the gloom of gold and glory, I have sold my soul
The baron traded his soul for money and power.
Blackened are the sunny days, the dark side takes control
The world around him has turned dark, and evil has taken over.
Hell awaits as nightmares haunt me, demons in my head
The baron is plagued by terrifying nightmares, demonic presences, and the looming threat of hell.
Satan waits with patient joy, he'll greet me when I'm dead.
Satan takes pleasure in the knowledge that the baron has pledged his soul to him and will go to hell when he dies.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: UWE WALTER LULIS, CHRIS BOLTENDAHL, THOMAS GOETTLICH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gustavo Poot
I heard circle of witches so very much is a real master piece of metal the riffs are melodic and agresive is awesome one of my fav songs of grave digger!
pwrmettal
I heard of Grave Digger for first time 25th to live (my father was listening it). this song nearly made me forget banging my head the whole exam I was studying for. just incredible xd
Martín Damacena
Masterpiece! \m/
Nei Junior
AWESOME they need to get more popular!
SchweinmitWein
One of my absolute favorite songs of Grave Digger no actually my favorite after that rebellion and battle of Bannockburn
mgm82
When I heard of Grave Digger I really thought they would be more popular then this. seriously, what the hell. these guys beat Shitallica
maxim winner
Grave Digger probabbly the best underrated band ever. At least they used to be. Now they are not as good as before.
Marco Repiso
They are THE FUCKING SHIT
Patrizia Militello
Oh yes I love this song!!!
Sir Erik
Pure metal!