Rebellion is of course, the much discussed new band of ex-Grave Digger members Uwe Lulis and Tomi Göttlich who deliver their debut album with A Tragedy In Steel.
Naturally the band shows a lot of similarities with Grave Digger both lyrically as well as soundwise, however without sounding like a cheap rip-off. While all of the musicians are without a doubt very skilled and experienced, it is vocalist Michael Seifert that really makes the band stand out of the crowd with his powerfull and strong voice.
A Tragedy In Steel is a concept album based around Shakespeare's Macbeth and is the second one in recent years to cover this subject, the other one being Jag Panzer's Thane To The Throne. The album perfectly manages to convey a suitable mood & atmosphere for the story, no small thanks to the spoken interludes. (which, I have to admit, do get a bit tiresome after repeated listening, but this is only a small nag).
Of course you aren't going to buy the album for the spoken interludes, but rest assured that the songs themselves are of a very high standard. Highlights of the album for me are definitely opener Disdaining Fortune (which at times reminds me of Manowar), The Prophecy (Rebellion might well have their first genuine classic on their hands with this one - it reminds me a bit of Grave Digger's Rebellion (The Clans Are Marching) actually), the brilliant and epic Husbandry In Heaven and Die With Harness On Your Back.
This is without a doubt a very strong Metal album, and certainly the best debut i've heard in months. Something good has come out of the feud between Chris Bolthendahl and Uwe Lullis after all (yay ! First a killer Grave Digger record, and now an equally strong Rebellion one).