Iron Savior
Awesome Anthems Of The Galaxy
Label: Perception Records / Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM)
Out: 27th March 2026
Playing time: 01:10:29
Three years ago, Iron Savior released their last regular album, ‘Firestar’. In 2025, they followed it up with a double album featuring newly recorded songs from their thirty-year history. And in March, ‘Awesome Anthems Of The Galaxy’ was released, featuring seventeen cover versions of big 80s Pop hits, lifted into the Metal universe.
The album kicks off with the title track from the film ‘Fame’, originally sung by Irene Cara. This version is obviously much harder, especially Piet Sielck’s vocals. Nevertheless, it is still very recognisable. Later on, ‘What A Feeling’ (from ‘Flashdance’) follows, another film music hit by the singer. ‘Maniac’ by American singer Michael Sembello has been covered many times, including by the aforementioned Irene Cara, as well as by Firewind, Avantasia and Omnium Gatherum. Now Iron Savior joins this long list. Here, too, the musicians succeed in authentically adapting this multi-platinum hit to Power Metal. Similar to the a-ha classic ‘Take On Me’. The synth-pop duo Eurythmics (Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox) had a hit in 1984 with ‘Here Comes The Rain Again’. Here, the song is given a new lease of life as a Metal track. Of course, some synth sounds are also incorporated. The same is true of ‘Forever Young’ (Alphaville, Germany), which was also released in 1984. It has been re-recorded by many singers and bands before (Axel Rudi Pell, Blutengel, Anastacia). Another film song is ‘She’s Like The Wind’ from the film ‘Dirty Dancing’, sung by Patrick Swayze in 1987. Instead of a gentle pop ballad, it’s hard but melodic Metal. The US band Blondie, fronted by singer Debbie Harry, successfully navigated the line between Pop and Rock in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1980, the band released ‘Call Me’, a worldwide hit that is still played on Rock radio stations today. Following in the footsteps of In This Moment, Franz Ferdinand and The 69 Eyes, among others, Iron Savior are now one of the bands that have put their signature on this song.
Rock and Metal fans often think Pop music is cheaply made. That’s not the case. The composers, producers and artists often had a knack for catchy melodies, sophisticated arrangements and rousing harmonies. But the arrangements were often geared towards the mass market of that time. These cheesy Pop songs were mostly soft-washed, with the aim of entering the charts and bringing money into the record companies’ treasuries. But the song material itself was so good that later cover versions in different styles made the music accessible to an even wider audience. A number of harder Rock and Metal bands also took up the songs. Now Iron Savior have done the same, clearly showing that the music also suits Heavy and Power Metal, provided that the instrumentation and arrangements are adapted accordingly.
Iron Savior – Take On Me: https://youtu.be/NS7wH7OBlBE?si=aaYEn-It7AQYSpvP
Lineup:
Piet Sielck – Guitars, Lead Vocals
Joachim „Piesel“ Küstner – Guitars, Backing Vocals
Patrick Opitz – Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Patrick Klose – Drums, Percussion
Track list:
- Fame
- All I Need Is A Miracle
- When The Rain Begins To Fall
- Maniac
- Take On Me
- Relax
- What A Feeling
- Against All Odds
- Separate Ways
- Suburbia
- Here Comes The Rain Again
- She’s Like The Wind
- (I Just) Died In Your Arms
- Forever Young
- Since You Been Gone
- Call Me
- Catch Me I’m Falling
