Gamma Ray – Empire of the Undead (2014) – CD Review
Man oh mercy, I have always been a fan of German metal, and I always anticipate new material from Gammy Ray.. I can always expect quality releases from this band, and Gamma Ray’s latest opus Empire of the Undead is no exception.
Heavy Metal can not be stopped, and Empire of the Undead is living proof. The home, rehearsal space, and meeting point for Gamma ray, and many metal bands throughout Germany, had burned down leaving much of its contents in ruins. The Empire Of The Undead masters managed to make it through unscathed.
Thank God it dead, as the band’s 11th album, Empire of the Undead is packed full of amazing solos, great vocals, and excellent metal tracks clocking in at over an hour in length. While Gamma Ray hasn’t completely abandoned the Power metal format, to my ears, Empire of the Unead is more of a pure heavy metal album with hints of influence of Judas Priest in the music. The songs are heavy and fast, but at a pace that you will find yourself singing along. Kai Hansen delivers fantastic metal riffs that need to be played at high volume to fully appreciate it. (If you play this in a car beware, it may be detrimental to your driving record.)
My favorites on this album are “Hellbent”, “Pale Rider”, “Master of Confusion”, the title track “Empire of the Undead”, and the (possibly) Queen influenced “Time for Deliverance”.
Empire of the Undead will be released April 15th in the United States. Every metal fan ought to give this album a listen. It is easily one of Gamma Ray’s best albums yet and it gets better with every listen. Don’t miss this!
Get it at Amazon.com here!
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
01. Avalon
02. Hellbent
03. Pale Rider
04. Born To Fly
05. Master of Confusion
06. Empire of the Undead
07. Time for Deliverance
08. Demonseed
09. Seven
10. I Will Return
Gamma Ray is:
Kai Hansen – rhythm & lead guitar, lead vocals
Henjo Richter – lead & rhythm guitar, keyboards
Dirk Schlächter – bass
Michael Ehré – drums
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