Gravestone

With origins dating back to 1977, Gravestone were one of several German hard rock bands who initially experienced nothing but failure (they released two early LPs few people have ever heard of: 1979's Doomsday and 1980s War), yet hung around long enough to enjoy a small taste of recognition following the colossal '80s success of countrymen like the Scorpions and Accept. Capitalizing on this sudden surge of interest, vocalist Berti Majdan, guitarists Mathias Dieth and Klaus Reinelt, bassist Thomas Sabisch, and drummer Dieter Behle would release three additional albums from their home base outside the southern city of Stuttgart — 1984's Victim of Chains (featuring bassist Oli Orlitta), 1985's Back to Attack, and 1986's Creating a Monster — before morphing into a new band named 48 Crash. 1993 saw the release of an eponymous collection of their best '80s output, and guitarist Dieth went on to work with both U.D.O. and Sinner in later years.