celebrating STEELER (Germany) - Undercover Animal

Steeler

Undercover Animal

February 1st, 1988

Steamhammer

1. (I'll Be) Hunter or Hunted 03:40

2. Undercover Animal 04:50

3. Shadow in the Redlight 04:23

4. Hard Breaks 03:49

5. Criminal 03:56

6. Rely on Rock 04:17

7. Stand Tall 03:28

8. The Deeper the Night 05:10

9. Knock Me Out 03:15

10. Bad to the Bone 02:36

Peter Burtz - vocals

Axel Rudi Pell - guitars

Tom Eder - guitars

Roland Hag - bass

Jan Yildiral - drums

According to Metal Archives, Steeler's fourth album, titled Undercover Animal, was released on February 1, 1988. Do you ever hear an album and you think it sounds good and you like it, and you read nothing but negative reviews and wonder what's happening? I do not know why the reviewers on Metal Archives have such a negative attitude towards this album. Is it that the reviewers were expecting something else? What? German thrash? German garage metal production? Some German band pretending to be a Venom clone? I have no idea.

This album is melodic, hard-rock heavy metal from the late 1980s, very much like the hard-rock heavy metal bands in the United States and Germany were making. Big rockers. Arena rock. Huge choruses. Guitar! Guitar solos. Singing. Ear-friendly songs that would sound good on TV and on the radio. It's a catchy, melodic album that emphasizes hook-oriented choruses and mid-tempo grooves. This is not speed metal. Look, I know that in the early '80s the music was faster and grittier, but this is 1988. They're not trying to be a speed band anymore, if they ever were, which I doubt. Is this commercially-viable heavy metal? It could be, with the right team around the band, in the right place, and all the other things needed for big success. Unfortunately, not everything was going right for them, and this was their last album.

It's got good singing, good songs, good melodies, and the mighty, legendary guitarist Axel Rudi Pell. If you like hard-rock heavy metal from the 1980s, give it a listen and make up your own mind. After this album, Axel Rudi Pell began releasing music under his own name, building a prolific discography that now spans more than 20 albums, according to Metal Archives.

(If this first link doesn't work, please try the second one.)

Steeler (Axel Rudi Pell) - Undercover Animal (Video) (1988) HQ Audio

Steeler (Axel Rudi Pell) - Undercover Animal