BW&BK; has received the following press release:

STAHLHAMMER is one of those bands that you simply can’t ignore. Its originality and musical expression can only be compared with such uncommon acts as RAMMSTEIN or LENINGRAD COWBOYS. Still, Stahlhammer showcase their own unique style, brilliantly mixing rough, metal sound with pop, industrial and orchestral elements. This exclusive re-release of Feind Hört Mit brings one of the group’s finest works and proves that Stahlhammer is one of the strongest names on the contemporary Austrian metal scene.

Right before recording their third album, Feind Hört Mit, Stahlhammer welcomed a new guitarist in their ranks – Conrad Schrenk. Schrenk was one of the musicians who worked with Falco, the legendary German pop artist who died tragically in 1998. To honor his memory, the group decided to include two cover versions of his songs – 'Der Mann Mit dem Koks' and 'Jeanny' – on their newest LP. These two tracks gained massive popularity in Germany and Austria, and became a strong influence for the F@lco: Cyber Show project, where various musicians, including Makazaria, performed Falco’s greatest hits. Besides the two aforementioned songs, Feind Hört Mit featured eight other stunning tunes, combining hardcore and metal sounds with industrial and classical themes. The band invited a handful of guests on their third album, including opera singers Barbara Karolyi, Tanja Golden and Barbara Schindler, as well as violin player Mario Gheorghiu. Feind Hört Mit is without question one of their best releases and to this day remains a cult classic among the fans.

And today Metal Mind Productions presents Feind Hört Mit in a new digipak edition limited to 2,000 copies. The material was digitally remastered using 24-Bit process. The release date is set up for September 15th in Europe and October 28th in USA (via MVD).

Tracklist: 'Was Ist Das', 'Am Liebsten Von Hinten', 'Feind Hört Mit', 'Der Mann Mit Dem Koks', 'Herz Aus Stahl', 'Schlag Mich', 'Messerschmied', 'Jeanny', 'Kein Schöner Land', 'Strom Der Zeit', 'Supernova'.

Bio:

The group was formed in late 1992, when drummer Michael Stocker (ex-El Fisher) and vocalist Gary Wheeler (ex-Blind Petition) decided to form a new project together. Originally they wanted to name it Eisenherz, but due to certain copyright laws they had to drop the idea.

Wheeler: “EISENHERZ was the unofficial name of the band at first. Unfortunately that was also the German name of the stories of "Prince Valliant" and the copyright prevented everything. One night we went home from Munich and like magic the word Stahlhammer was spoken and the bands name was born.”

The group’s line-up was soon completed by Thomas Schuler (guitar) and Peter Karolyi (bass) and together the four-piece recorded their debut album, “Killerinstinkt”. As Gary Wheeler recalls: “In December 1992 everybody in the scene had no idea what could be coming up next. So we tried to think crossover and began to mix Metallica, Pantera, some Austrian traditionals with one special thing - German language!” The album became quite a big success on the Austrian and German scene, partly because of the brilliant cover version of Pink Floyd’s 'Another Brick in the Wall'.

Before the next LP was recorded, the band went through their first line-up change and vocalist Gary Wheeler got replaced with Georgij Alexandrowitsch Makazaria. The second album was titled Weiner Blut and again it featured an extraordinary cover version – this time the band did their own interpretation of MC Hammer’s 'Can’t Touch This'! The LP was an even bigger hit than the debut offering and Stahlhammer begun promoting Weiner Blut with over 200 gigs, ranging from small clubs to big festivals, where they performed next to such names as SUBWAY TO SALLY, Joachim Witt and Rammstein. Soon even more shows were booked thanks to the band’s connection with well-known conductor and choreographer Renato Zanella who helped the group arrange performances that were crossing metal with classical dance. Stahlhammer managed to perform at Volkstheater in Vienna, during the Impulse Tanz Festival and became the first metal band in history to play at the famous Staatsoper in Vienna as a part of the opening gala (September 1997).

Right before recording their third album, Feind Hört Mit, Stahlhammer welcomed a new guitarist in their ranks – Conrad Schrenk. Schrenk was one of the musicians who worked with Falco, the legendary German pop artist who died tragically in 1998. To honor his memory, the group decided to include two cover versions of his songs – 'Der Mann Mit dem Koks' and 'Jeanny' – on their newest LP. These two tracks gained massive popularity in Germany and Austria, and became a strong influence for the F@lco: Cyber Show project, where various musicians, including Makazaria, performed Falco’s greatest hits. Besides the two aforementioned songs, Feind Hört Mit featured eight other stunning tunes, combining hardcore and metal sounds with industrial and classical themes. The band invited a handful of guests on their third album, including opera singers Barbara Karolyi, Tanja Golden and Barbara Schindler, as well as violin player Mario Gheorghiu.

After the album’s release, vocalist Georgij Alexandrowitsch Makazaria decided to leave the group and concentrate on his second project, an Austrian pop band called Ohrrauch. For two years Stahlhammer went into hiatus, only to return in 2002 with new guitarist Niko Stössl and their former singer Gary Wheeler who once again took over the vocal duties. In this line-up Stahlhammer recorded three more albums: Eisenherz (2002), Stahlmania (2004; once again honoring Falco with the cover version of 'Out of the Dark') and Opera Noir (2006; featuring cover versions of songs by David Bowie and Phil Collins).

With so many generic bands on the modern metal scene, Stahlhammer is a true gem when it comes to originality and musical passion. Feind Hört Mit is without question one of their best releases and to this day remains a cult classic among the fans. If you’re looking for a breath of fresh air in your discography, seek no further – Stahlhammer is your perfect choice.