CHRIS BOLTENDAHL Says Only 'One Percent' Of Bands Reach GRAVE DIGGER's Level Of Success

Spark TV, which is part of the Czech monthly magazine Spark, recently conducted an interview with vocalist Chris Boltendahl and bassist Jens Becker of German power metallers GRAVE DIGGER. You can watch the chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On if the band has been "healed by metal," in reference to the title of their forthcoming new album, "Healed By Metal":

Chris: "Yeah, I've [been] healed by metal a lot of times in my life. Mostly in bad times. When I listen to metal music, it builds me up again. I think it's a good title for GRAVE DIGGER. There's so many people outside who have problems. I think this record can help some people.

Jens: "In the past, when we were teenagers, when you're in a bad mood, or had a clash with your parents, you would go in your room and put on some metal, and you felt a lot better."

On why the band named the album "Healed By Metal":

Chris: "Yeah, two years ago, we played a big open-air festival in Moscow. There was a hospital beside the festival [site]. There were people inside who had to listen to metal all day. I said while I was with our sound engineer, 'Oh, the poor people. They have to listen to GRAVE DIGGER all day.' He said, 'Look at me. Yes, all the people are healed by metal.'"

On the goal with the new album:

Chris: "First, to satisfy ourselves, then to satisfy the people outside. We want to always deliver a piece of quality. This time, it's much better quality, not than the previous albums, but in our own mind. Yeah, I think it's a piece of metal."

On Boltendahl trying a different approach with his vocals:

Chris: "From time to time, I change small things. I think this time, it's perhaps a little more melodic. It's a little easier to listen to than in the past. [Laughs] It fits to the music. It's in the music, it's together with the music.

Jens: "It's more in the music. It's not this screaming, aggressive, shouting over [the music].

Chris: "This complete package makes the music aggressive, but on the other side, also melodic. All instruments fit very well together this time."

On how they view the business aspect of metal:

Chris: "There are so many bands, so many small bands trying to get success. I think at the end, it's one percent which will reach more or less the level what we have. Of course it's very important to deliver quality to keep this level where we are playing. That's the most important thing for us."

"Healed By Metal" will be released on January 13, 2017 via Napalm Records.

GRAVE DIGGER's last collection of all-new material, "Return Of The Reaper", was released in July 2014 via Napalm Records. The CD was recorded at Principal Studios (KREATOR, IN EXTREMO, GRAVE DIGGER) in Senden, Germany.