in memory of 1980s IRON ANGEL guitarist Sven Strüven (1964-2008)

Sven Strüven (October 12, 1964 – April 1, 2008) (according to The Metal Archives)

Sven was a member of the German speed metal band Iron Angel during their formative first run in the 1980s, serving as a guitarist from 1983 to 1986. According to The Metal Archives, his discography with Iron Angel is:

1984: Power Metal Attack (Demo)

1984: Legions of Evil (Demo)

1984: Demo III '84 (Demo)

1985: Hellish Crossfire (Full-length)

1985: Live Warpke 20.07.1985 (Demo)

1986: Winds of War (Full-length)

2016: Legions of Evil (Compilation)

My favorite era of Iron Angel (Germany) is the two 1980s albums on Steamhammer. They came out with their 1985 debut album, Hellish Crossfire. The music is a type of fast melodic heavy metal and thrash with, in my opinion, a bit of an Accept-style grit, rough around the edges, not very sugary, but the man actually is singing and hitting high notes in his own way. Again, it is not super melodic singing, but it is not just wild screaming like a thrash band. Then, in 1986, they made a quick return with Winds of War, an album showcasing a cleaner and more melodic sound while keeping the speed elements. They were moving away from pure speed metal and were adding more melody and more melodic singing. I like both albums. Of course, the lyrics are typical 1980s themes: war, battles, malevolent characters and spirits, and songs about metal music.

While the albums sounded good, something was seriously wrong within the band. After that second album, after having worked hard since 1980 to get a record deal and recognition, which they got, they split up and became one of those good 1980s German bands that fans wondered what happened to them. It was certainly unfortunate; they worked hard and were making progress, and they had the same lineup for both albums. If they had stayed together, their status today would certainly be more than a cult band. The Metal Archives does not show if Sven continued playing music after Iron Angel.

IRON ANGEL - Born to Rock (from 1986 album Winds of War)