Die Apokalyptischen Reiter – The Greatest of The Best

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Most bands from Germany that choose to sing in German are more or less directed towards their home-country and its neighbours. Not Die Apokalytischen Reiter. Despite singing/growling in German and having a mouthful of a German name, the band have made it pretty well known that they feel they can breakthrough into the UK. Last year’s Britainmania tour proved the band aren’t quite there in popularity, despite numerous high-profile appearances at Bloodstock, Hard Rock Hell and even Download festival. What the band have needed is a decent compilation album to introduce new fans to the band’s long and eclectic career. The Greatest of The Best is pretty much your vanilla greatest hits compilation album, with no new material or even re-recorded material. It does however work very well as an introductory release, including the vast majority of the band’s live favourites, including Seemann, Adrenalin, the anthemic Reitermania and the crowd-pleasing We Will Never Die. There’s a strong focus on the band’s latter albums, with much less tracks taken from the band’s earlier efforts – but then, that’s probably how it should be, the band’s latest material is certainly the best produced and most original sounding. Because it lacks any new content, the album can be safely ignored for established fans, but for anyone who saw their manic show at one of many festivals in the last few years, or just wants to know what this strange and eccentric band are all about, this is probably a good starting place.

Written by James Donovan
More: 2011, Compilation Albums, Quick.Play Reviews, Thrash Metal, Die Apokalyptischen Reiter