Search - Rage :: Carved in Stone/Never Give Up

Another solid Rage album

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 07/12/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Rage is one of the longest running and most consistently overlooked heavy metal bands out there. Since 1986 the German metallers have released one quality heavy metal album after another, yet seem to have earned none of the respect that similarly "tenured" bands like Savatage and Helloween get without question. They're like Uriah Heep in that they never make any of the "all time greatest" lists, always maintain a high quality level, and issue albums like clockwork.



By my count, 2008's Carved in Stone is the band's 17th studio album, and the band is as consistent and dependable as ever. It's melodic, but not too melodic. It's heavy, but not too heavy. There are aspects of power metal, but it doesn't go too far in that direction. Essentially, it's a rock solid heavy metal album, which is exactly what I've come to expect from Rage. This is also the first Rage album released after long-time drummer Mike Terrana's departure, and while his absence is definitely felt, Silent Force drummer Andre Hilgers is a solid replacement.



They're not offering anything new with Carved in Stone, but Rage is one of those bands (Scorpions and Axxis are a couple of others) where you don't really expect anything new. You pretty much know what you're going to get from a Rage album, and you're rarely disappointed."