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Apart from a handful of die hard fans nobody would connect the name RAGE with one of the best European Heavy Metal combos, if the band around mainman Peavey Wagner had not fiercely and energetically fought for every little piece of success for many years. Hardly any other band in Germany had such a stony and difficult path before them as RAGE and mastered it with so much dedication. Biggest thanks to Peavey and Co.
It all had started under the banner of AVENGER, who released the album "Prayers Of Steel" and the mini LP "Depraved To Black", before the band renamed itself into RAGE because of copyright problems with the English AVENGER (where at the beginning BLITZKRIEG's Brian Ross had been on the mic). Originally they wanted to name themselves FURIOUS RAGE, but the label did not go along this.
But even that way 1986 produced a very powerful and energetic album. Here damn fast, as on "Deceiver", there almost cranky as on the very varied highlight of the album, the title song "Reign Of Fear", then very melodic on "Suicide", which was kind of an indicator for the future direction, this album was and still is very accessible, without relying on dumb riffs and melodies.
Even though many newer fans will shake (not bang) their head at first contact with the early works of their faves, "Reign Of Fear" is a milestone of German Metal history. (Online August 23, 2003)
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