Hellraiser

Krokus’ 2002 reunion was so successful—with the aging metal outfit even cracking The Billboard 200—that it came back for seconds with 2006’s Hellraiser. For the first time in decades, guitarist Fernando von Arb was absent due to wrist surgery; he was replaced by Mandy Meyer, who'd briefly been in the band in the '80s. Without von Arb, songwriting duties fell to Meyer and vocalist Marc Storace. Together they delivered a set of songs that bested Rock the Block for a set of classically wrought hard rock tunes. The material is sometimes lighthearted and sometimes rancorous, but the songs' quality is consistent. “Hellraiser,” “Too Wired to Sleep,” “No Risk No Gain,” and “Rocks Off!” prove that Krokus are masters of both boogie-infused hard rock and blitzkrieg metal assaults. The band even seems comfortable with the modern metal styling of “Angel of My Dreams” and “Fight On.” In the end, though, it’s all about “Spirit of the Night”: a perfectly executed blitz that should send even the most cynical metal purist into fits of elation.