Review by Alex on February 4, 2021.

Unter Dem Banner Der Toten was a relatively good introduction to Grabunhold. The EP promised greater things to follow suit from the band thus in the presence of their 1st full length album Heldentod, the initial formula that made their prior effort so effective has once again been utilized only now with more potency. Thus it would be fair to say that Heldentod is well above the standard set on Unter Dem Banner Der Toten.

I had already adored the work done by label-mate Hulder with her debut that falls within the same path as Heldentod musically, however Grabunhold managed to execute their formula more to my liking on this album. When tackling the task of mixing ambient solos with black metal it can often be quite challenging, if not, tedious in some instances but Grabunhold made it all seem like second nature. The ambient installments do not appear to be just thrown-in for no particular reason, instead, they appear to elaborate more and give added definition to the actual black metal tracks. Also there's a frequenting romance occurring between melancholy and mysticism that adds to the dynamic nature of the material. And strangely, there is a sense of ease and tranquility despite the ruthlessness of some tracks. The atmosphere could be unpredictable at times but always falls in line with something the listener will appreciate, hence there is no random absurdity occuring on the record. They are sweet passages of sadness, 2nd wave Scandinavian black metal testosterone, folky/pagan chanting and singing, mid paced tempos that suddenly launch into a pummeling cvlt black attack and the guitar+drum work is phenomenal through and through.

At first listen I was under the impression there was something missing and indeed there was, it just turned out that missing "something" was me not playing it loud enough. It truly is a treat to the senses when you blast Heldentod on 10+ volume settings. All that rich sound thanks to the fantastic mastering and mixing pokes out at you like an anteater's mouth and you can't help but to get swallowed by the immersion displayed on this record. You will find yourself repeating the record to the point of learning and loving the instrumental passages in particular which help to tell a story instead of just play from point a to b.

Heldentod is quite an improvement over the previous entry put out by Grabunhold, which was not a bad album but I don't think anyone predicted the band's next effort to be this much of a testament to bravado. That says alot about the work ethic. No songs mentioned here because it's one of those albums that you need to hear in its entirety to grasp the grandeur eclipsed on Heldentod.

Another strong entry for Grabunhold and the Iron Bonehead dominion that remains highly coveted and envied within the chambers of underground black metal.

Rating: 9.2 out of 10

Review by Luka on May 23, 2001.

If this album doesn’t do it, Dave Mustaine’s calling it quits with Megadeth, his own words. Should he call it quits? Nah, give ‘em a year or two more! This is better than he’s done in a long time.

He has redeemed himself at last, more or less, anyway. The album certainly has its parts. Rather than trying something original with heavy metal, he seems bent on taking a straight road back to the old days. The title track is a dead "Peace Sells" imitation. "Burning Bridges" would fit perfectly on "Countdown to Extinction" or "Peace Sells", his voice here brought so many memories, I loved it, and "Return to Hangar", well I don’t need to explain about this one, however, it’s a third-rate rehash of the classic...

The guitar wizard Marty Friedman is gone and the wound is felt. Sure Al Pitrelli can play, but what is he compared to Friedman? Jimmi DeGrasso seems almost fearful of hitting the drums, rarely adds any fills and painfully keeps up the slow tempos. Like in the old days, Mustaine is the only significant member in the band. His voice continues to improve steadily as it has with each previous Megadeth album.

"Moto Psycho" is just about the most mainstream song here, and I hate it. "Promises" is a cheesy, clichë ballad the likes of which has plagued the last few albums, but there is more than a generous share of the heavy cuts here, like "1000 Times Goodbye" (hilarious song about a break up, it’s as funny as it is cheesy) Dave’s superb riffing is back and the shredding is as tight as ever.

"I’m still the guy who wrote ‘Black Friday’ and ‘Holy Wars’ " says Dave in a recent interview, I didn’t believe him when I heard "Risk", but this album brings back the sweet taste of old Megadeth.

Bottom Line: Good stuff, but simply too many flaws. They’re finally improving, let’s hope the trend continues!

Rating: 7 out of 10