Review RAGE ‘Resurrection Day’

It wasn’t exactly easy for Rage and bandleader Peavy Wagner to work on the newest album ‘Resurrection Day’. Just after having decided to grow to a quartet again and after having onboarded Stefan Weber, it was Marcos Rodrigues who decided to leave the band. Still sticking to the idea of having two guitarists in the band, main man Peavy Wagner found a replacer with Jean Bormann. The four-piece powerhouse recorded with ‘Resurrection Day’ album number 26, another highlight in 37 years of Rage.

‘Resurrection Day’ seems to be a title that fits perfectly into the current times with live shows being back, at least a bit here and there. However, title and album go back to 2019 when Wagner sketched the basics for songs and title.

The new Rage longplayer is an ace. The guys go back in time to the 90s and take some inspiration from the Lingua Mortis-days. Four songs on the new album have a strong symphonic element embedded and it was no less than Pepe Herrero who was responsible for the orchestration. The atmospheric ’Traveling Through Time’ is a song, belonging in this category and you shouldn’t miss it. It’s a typical Rage epos. The same goes for the great ‘The Age of Reason’, a song that combines the raw power of the Rage sound with great arrangements and hooks. The chorus just sticks to your mind right away and is addictive.

‘Memento Vitea Overture, a cinematic intro, paves the way into the album, followed by the massive title track. ‘Virginity’ is a song you might have heard already since it was unveiled as a single prior to album release date. The start of a metal song can’t be much heavier than what Rage presents here. What a fierce riff power and the ‘uuuhh’-shout the beginning of ‘Virginity’ is blood-curdling.

‘Mind Control’ comes with a catchy melody without turning into a cheesy metal tune. Furthermore there are tracks like the pounding ‘Arrogance and Ignorance’ and ‘Monetary Gods’, being powerful metal anthems benefiting from a density that puts a spell on the listener.

Rage belongs to the veterans in German heavy metal. Peavy Wagner and his companions unleash a very well-crafted metal album that doesn’t know a weak spot. The band found their signature sound and still manage to give each longplayer an own touch. This record is for everybody that digs a robust riff and a solid melody. Horns up.