Heavy Metal Breakdown

Heavy Metal Breakdown is the debut studio album by German heavy metal band Grave Digger, released on 20 October 1984 via Noise Records. The music in this album is strongly influenced by German heavy metal band Accept and its then-vocalist Udo Dirkschneider.

Although singer Chris Boltendahl was credited for all the music and lyrics, it was only a technical issue. "At the time we didn't have the money to enroll all four members to GEMA. So we only enrolled Chris", said Gerd Hanke then-manager of Grave Digger in book The Story of Noise Records. "Lyrics had always been a problem for Chris" - added guitarist Peter Masson. "His school English was quite bad. During my time with Grave Digger, Gerd wrote most of the lyrics."

Track listing
Music composed and arranged by Grave Digger and lyrics by Chris Boltendahl, except where indicated.

1984 German version

1984 US version

Personnel

 * Band members
 * Chris Boltendahl – vocals
 * Peter Masson – guitars
 * Willi Lackman – bass
 * Albert Eckardt – drums


 * Additional musicians
 * Dietmar Dillhardt – keyboards on "Yesterday"


 * Production
 * Karl-Ulrich Walterbach – producer
 * Harris Johns – engineer, mixing
 * Grave Digger – arrangements
 * Bernd Gansohr – cover painting