C O L U M N S

Where Are You?

Risk
Mid-tempo German thrash with power elements

By: Rod Throwen
Published: Wednesday, September 1, 2004
Members
Heinrich Mikus - Vocals
Roman Keymer - Guitars
Christian Sumser - Guitars
Thilo Herrmann - Guitars
Peter Dell - Bass
Jürgen Düsterloh - Drums


Discography
The Daily Horror News 1988
Hell's Animals 1989
Ratman EP 1989
Dirty Surfaces 1990
The Reborn 1992
Turpitude 1993


Bio
Risk was actually formed from the ashes of Faithful Breath, an established German rock act that started out in the mid-60s, and released their first album in 1974. The band went on to record five critically acclaimed records in the 80s, of which "Gold 'N Glory" is their biggest success, conjuring up moments of Scorpions and Accept. After the long distance run as Faithful Breath, Mikus decided to change gears and form Risk, a new sound that strayed a few paces from his previous band. With Risk, Mikus entered the world of tight-knit German thrash, not a far cry from the mid-tempo speed of bands like Reactor and Rage.

With Risk, Mikus designed a well thought out plan of attack, keeping everything top notch and heavy, but relaxing a bit to allow the music plenty of body space. Risk never traveled the same roads as other German thrashers such as Sodom, Kreator, or Destruction, instead the band concentrated on mid-tempo thrash, with plenty of sing along chorus parts that are on par with groups like Helloween and Heaven's Gate. With the group's "The Reborn" in '92, Risk played the part of power metal enthusiast, keeping that album solid with plenty of fast twin guitar melody and the German way of writing the epics. With the group's last record, "Turpitude", the band concentrated on a slower delivery, almost doomy in their approach.


Sightings
Guitarist Thilo Herrmann spent time in Running Wild from 1994-2000. He was also seen in the Holy Moses lineup circa '89. All other members are missing in action.


The Question
Where are you Risk? With a majority of it's members playing metal for almost twenty years, why did the group stop recording records in 1993? What is the reasoning behind it, and why aren't the musicians active today? If you have any answers to these questions, please drop us a line.

If you have any news or info leading to the whereabouts of this band or band members, please send an email... news@maximummetal.com




[Other Maximum Metal Columns]

<< back >>





RANDOM ACTS OF METAL
. Cathedral. Racer X
. Loudness. Opeth
. Big Dumb Face. Poisonblack
. Regurgitate. Twelfth Gate
. Stratovarius. Deranged
. Symphorce. Kalibas
. Majesty. Advent
. Rawhead Rexx. Liege Lord
. Dark Moor. Legend
. Angel Dust. Late Nite Romeo
. Carnal Forge. Alchemy X
. October 31. Conquest
. Johnny Lokke. Evolution
. Byfist. Dream Weaver
. Malstrom. Nordheim
. Sinergy. Savatage
. Halloween. Edguy
. Probot. Soul Reaper
. Volbeat. Soil
. Cryonic Temple. Madison Paige
. Graveland. Gamma Ray
. Highlord. Lonewolf
. Dragonspoon. De Lirium's Order
. Feinstein. Acrid
. Krokus. Goatsnake
. Final Dawn. Shadows Fall
. Unearth. Division
. Marshall Law. Internal Bleeding
. Slowlife. Six Feet Under
. Silent Force. Rush
. Creed. Legion
. Kinetic. Code Black
. Ligeia. Loudblast
. Soilwork. Quiet Riot
. Sabaton. Tarot
. Heartcry. Ravensthorn
. John Sykes. Marduk
. Severe Torture. Freedom Call
. God Fear None. Bruce Dickinson
. Holy Moses. System Of A Down
. Grand Magus. Def Leppard
. Nightrage. Astarte
. Agents Of Man. God Among Insects
. Darkane. Dark Funeral
. Taake. Ritual Killer
. Fates Warning. Havochate
. Morgana Lefay. Clutch
. Illuminatus. Crystal Fate
. Dirty Americans. Blood Thirsty Demons
. Bolt Thrower. Thrones
. Akercocke. Dreamland
. Define Divine. Bronx Casket Company
. Zero Down. Detonation
. Motorhead. Dismember
. Taunusheim. Sodom
. Nobody's Fool. Sepultura
. Intronaut. Nightmare
. Daylight Dies. Boris
. Event Horizon. Silver Dirt
. Speed/Kill/Hate. The Sword
. 8th Sin. Sun Descends
. Royal Hunt. Cult of Luna
. Smohalla. Scary Manilow
. Warface. Agalloch
. From the Grave. Woodtemple
. Jeff Walker und Die Fluffers. Pretty Maids
. Anata. Belphegor
. Battle Bratt. Cult of Daath
. Lupara. Kotipelto
. Quest of Aidance. Urkraft
. Battered. Dream Theater
. Merciless Death. Grenouer
. Marc Sasso. White Wizzard
. David Galas. Randy Ellefson
. Pathosray. Frosthardr
. Alkemyst. Glenn Hughes
. Orthodox. I Shalt Become
. Cockpit. Mortiis
. Ost Est Ima. The Obsessed
. Manilla Road. Equilibrium
. Virgin Black. Bullet For My Valentine
. Mar De Grises. Kiuas
. Coffins. Winterfylleth
. Eighteen Wheels Burning. Sotajumala
. Caliban