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A Resurgent Statement from Germany’s Speed Metal Vanguard

From the Dead is the second studio album by Stallion, a heavy and speed metal band from Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Released on June 30, 2017 through Glory Stables Records, it sharpens the quintet’s attack into a concise, high-voltage set built on twin-guitar firepower, hard-charging rhythms, and anthemic hooks. The record honors the classic lineage of European speed metal while asserting a contemporary urgency in both sound and subject matter.

Sound and Style

Stallion operate at the intersection of traditional heavy metal and speed metal, foregrounding fast tempos, galloping riffs, and vocal lines designed for the front row to shout back. The guitars favor tightly locked rhythms and bright, harmonized leads, with quick, melodic runs that surge toward headrush choruses. The rhythm section keeps everything propulsive, anchoring sudden accelerations and shift-ups in tempo with punchy bass and crisp, athletic drumming.

It is a record that leans into velocity without sacrificing memorability. Hooks are shaped from sturdy chord progressions and memorable refrains, but the arrangements remain restless, often slipping from chugging verses into fluid, harmonized breaks and compact solos. The overarching aesthetic lands between the grit of early German steel and the soaring melodicism associated with the classic era of European heavy metal.

Songs in Focus

The album opens with Underground Society, a no-nonsense charge that sets the pace with a sprinting rhythm and gang-vocal payoff. Down and Out follows with a harder swing, its street-level chorus and mid-song guitar interplay delivering one of the record’s most immediate fist-raising moments. Hold the Line is cut from similar cloth, an anthem built for the stage, where call-and-response vocals and a sturdy mid-tempo lock-in invite collective release.

Waiting for a Sign eases the throttle just enough to spotlight Stallion’s melodic sense. The song rides a muscular groove, shaping its chorus around emotive guitar figures and a vocal that pushes high without losing grit. The title track, From the Dead, works as a centerpiece, summoning themes of renewal and defiance. It balances speed with dynamics, dropping into tension-building passages before kicking back into an urgent, resurrective refrain.

Kill Fascists is the album’s most direct statement, a bristling shot that channels punk-adjacent urgency into Stallion’s metal framework. Short, sharp, and unambiguous, it underlines the band’s stance while preserving musical focus. Lord of the Trenches narrows in on martial imagery with stomping rhythms and battle-ready riffing, its refrain carrying the heft of a marching cadence. Blackbox shifts to a darker hue, with a more brooding undercurrent and riff architecture that mirrors its title’s sense of aftermath and revelation. Step Aside restores top speed and features some of the record’s flashiest lead work. Awaken the Night closes on an adrenaline high, a late-album burner that celebrates after-hours life and the communal spark of the underground.

Performances and Arrangements

Vocalist Pauly fronts the album with a piercing, clear-toned delivery that moves easily from serrated shouts to glassy highs. His phrasing favors directness and immediacy, which suits the songwriting’s rallying spirit. Guitarists Oli G. and Äxxl trade harmonies and counterlines with precision. Their interplay drives the record, from rapid downpicked verses to bright, ascending lead themes and succinct, melodically coherent solos. Niki’s bass is present and muscular, giving weight to the guitars during the fastest passages and adding a welcome grit to the midrange. Drummer Aaron keeps the engine hot with straight-ahead double-time beats, tight snare work, and well-judged transitions that keep songs fluid even at breakneck pace.

Production and Mastering

Tracked at Glory Stables Studios in Germany between March and October 2016, From the Dead captures a clear, unpretentious studio sound that focuses on performance and impact. Producer Alex Stöcker gives the guitars a sharp edge without thinning them out, while the rhythm section remains full and well balanced. The mastering by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in February 2017 lends the record a firm low end and assertive high end, ensuring the vocals and lead lines cut through dense arrangements. The overall impression is punchy and immediate, favoring dynamics that reward both loud speakers and close headphone listening.

Artwork and Presentation

The cover art by Ben Pehl complements the album’s title and spirit. Its classic metal aesthetics reinforce the themes heard within: resilience, conflict, and revival. The visual identity aligns with the music’s blend of tradition and intensity, presenting a unified package that communicates Stallion’s commitment to direct, riff-driven heavy metal.

Context and Character

Active since 2013 and rooted in Baden-Württemberg, Stallion carry forward a regional and national legacy of high-speed, melodic metal. From the Dead consolidates the band’s strengths: compact songwriting, combustible energy, and a clear sense of purpose. It is an album for listeners who seek the immediacy of speed metal and the sing-along pull of classic heavy metal, executed with conviction and a modern edge.

Release Information

• Artist: Stallion
• Album: From the Dead
• Release date: June 30, 2017
• Label: Glory Stables Records
• Country: Germany
• Location: Baden-Württemberg
• Genre: Heavy/Speed Metal
• Recorded: Glory Stables Studios (Germany), March to October 2016
• Mastered: Temple Of Disharmony, February 2017
• Producer: Alex Stöcker
• Mastering engineer: Patrick W. Engel
• Cover art: Ben Pehl

Line-up

• Pauly – Vocals
• Oli G. – Guitars
• Äxxl – Guitars
• Niki – Bass
• Aaron – Drums

Final Take

From the Dead captures Stallion at full gallop, writing sharp, to-the-point songs that favor speed without losing melody or message. It is a tight, urgent document of contemporary German speed metal, grounded in tradition and executed with conviction.