Grave Digger - The Grave Digger (2001)

Grave Digger base this album on the works of Edgar Allen Poe, and it is certainly very dark lyrically.  Musically, it's very, very heavy, with powerful guitar riffs throughout, which helps make this really good metal, although it's not up with the band's best.
The highlight is actually the concluding, slow song "Silence".  I can't always understand why so many musical acts bring out up tempo albums, and then suddenly finish with something relatively quiet, but it works superbly here - it's a lovely piece, and just seems to be an ideal conclusion.
Grave Digger have certainly done better than The Grave Digger, but they still can't help but stay in the habit of bringing out worthy material.

***1/2