Unheilig - Gipfelstürmer


UNHEILIG
Gipfelstürmer
(UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL 0602537706129)

In recent months, there was a lot to do. Less than a week after announcing Gipfelstürmer in September, Der Graf announced to stop after the upcoming tour with Unheilig. The book will be closed on September 10, 2016  with a grand farewell concert in Cologne. Besides the fact that he wants to spend more time with his family, the main drive has to be the lack of challenges. The Eurovision Song Contest earlier this year had to be the platform for a possible breakthrough in the non German speaking countries, but the German Eurovision audience threw a spanner in the works. Gipfelstürmer is the eighth and last musical work of Der Graf. The new songs partly follow a thematic approach, where the beautiful and rugged mountain world forms the framework of the tracks. Der Graf keeps improving and perfecting his style, without neglecting the emotional side of life. He used a welded writing break to wrap his images, thoughts and dreams in penetrating new and autobiographical texts. Keyboardist Henning Verlage again worked closely with the realization of this album, on which Der Graf once more presents all styles that came along over the yearsincluding a musical bow to the fans of the first hour. Besides the bombast in opener Der Berg (complete with outgoing steam locomotive, toppling bills and steam whistle) and the numbers Hinunter bis auf eins, Goldrausch and Wir sind die Gipfelstürmer there is room for melodic electro-rock in Zeit zu gehen, Wie in guten alten Zeiten, Held für eine Tag, Echo and Hand in Hand. Of course, the ballads are not forgotten and along comes on Coldplay grafted Zwischen Licht und Schatten; as well as Mein Berg, Alles Hat Seine Zeit and Dem Himmel so nah. It is precisely this mix of styles which makes it an enjoyable album with quality songs from an artist at the top of his game. It shows that a farewell album does not have to lead to tears. So Zeit zu gehen is an ode to the public that he has always felt long as faith, he looks with Wie in guten alten Zeiten back and he asks the audience in Hand in Hand once again to go on tour with him, then with the symphonic instrumental der Gipfel the steam locomotive enters the terminal.

Tracklist:

01. Der Berg (intro)
02. Hinunter bis auf eins
03. Zeit zu gehen
04. Die Weisheiten des Lebens
05. Zwischen Licht und schatten
06. Glück auf das Leben
07. Wie in guten alten Zeiten
08. Alles hat seine Zeit
09. Echo
10. Mein Berg
11. Goldrausch
12. Held für einen tag
13. Dem Himmel so nah
14. Wir sind die Gipfelstürmer
15. Hand in Hand
16. Der Gipfel (outtro)

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