The rhythm-driven German Groove Thrashers SMORRAH are still buzzing from their successful gig at the Rock Hard Festival 2026. For over two decades, that’s been the band’s ‘home’ – and now, at last, they’ve finally taken to the stage themselves.
Yep, and when you give it your absolute all on that stage – performing with mega-authenticity and giga-honesty – you’re bound to earn some well-deserved praise – in this case, from Rock Hard magazine itself:
➤ “Local heroes SMORRAH deliver a perfect opening act. The lads led by singer Marius are hotter than Jens Peters in Mötley Crüe and unleash their mix of thrash, death metal and a pinch of hardcore with full force onto the already packed crowd. The Ruhr Valley band is bolstered by former Kreator bassist Christian ‘Speesy’ Giesler. The veteran performs with a confidence that cannot be learnt, effortlessly elevating the set to another level. Meanwhile, Marius acts as the driving force, screaming his lungs out and relentlessly whipping the crowd into a frenzy.”
The audio production, including the live video clip, was produced entirely by frontman Marius on a DIY basis – so just as much energy and passion went into it as SMORRAH always put in when they take to the stage for their fans, the Necrosouls. [ … learn more here » ]
SMORRAH say: “Get ready for a live recording bursting with energy, captured in all its raw power!”
Artwork: Gelsen Metal Designs
SMORRAH • 2026 Marius Wegener • Vocals Daniel ‘Pumper’ Hartmann • Guitars Christian ‘Speesy’ Giesler • Bass Raphael ‘Rapha’ Swierczynski • Drums
Last Friday, July 19, the new, original and elaborate music video by Gelsenkirchen (the famous home town of Sodom) based Groove Thrashers SMORRAH for the song “Buried Underneath” was released, taken from the 2024 debut album “Welcome To Your Nightmare“.
The video was recorded in a regional mine, the Recklinghausen training mine, with a decidedly thrilling horror factor …
As a special feature in the new video, Saint Barbara can also be seen, but in an absolutely unexpected, frightening way … she does exactly the opposite of her destiny and brings devastating evil in a deeply demonic evilness! Saint Barbara has been venerated as a patron saint since the Middle Ages, especially for protection against premature death – and she is also invoked as a protector of the dying. She is venerated as the patron saint of miners because of her escape through a crevice.
• Edited and directed by Marcel Grigull • Produced by DraculSnake Film Productions
Both the song and the music video are designed as a deeply respectful tribute to the band’s beloved hometown and the region itself. The video even features two of the most loyal “Necrosouls“, as the band calls their diehard followers and supporters.
Marius Wegener • Vocals 🔥 ➤➤➤ “I still often remember when I used to get the coal out of the cellar with my father in winter. The warmth that the stove produced every winter day was somehow different. It was pleasant and honest. We also used to live right next to an old colliery housing estate in the south of Gelsenkirchen, which can also be seen in our new video. A few houses are still heated with coal today and when I walk past there in the evening, the familiar smell immediately takes me back to the 1990s. It was a great time for me back then, when I met friends who have remained friends to this day. That’s why it means so much to me that two of our most loyal supporters took part in the filming. The mines are now all closed and coal is very scarce in the region. This makes cohesion, community and respectful cooperation all the more important. This also applies to us as a band when dealing with our own fans. Qualities that we have probably inherited from the hard-working miners underground and that have been good companions to us so far. Let’s keep it that way! Good luck! Auf loik!“
Pumper • Guitars 🔥 ➤➤➤ “With 140 years of history, 14 mines and around 70 shafts, our hometown of Gelsenkirchen was once pretty much the mining center of Europe and the miners were the epitome of the often quoted ‚grafter‘. I think that the hard but honest work underground has significantly shaped the mentality of the people here in the ‚Ruhrpott‘ area and taught us virtues such as diligence, reliability and solidarity. My thanks go out to the two Necrosouls Jacky and Marvin! This video would not have been possible without you! Stay as you are and good luck! Auf loik!”
Christian ‘Kraje’ Krajewski • Bass 🔥 ➤➤➤ “The mining culture here in the Ruhr area was something special. My uncles worked in mines themselves back then and I remember how I used to listen with rapt attention as a child when they told stories from underground. They were all buddies down there who stood up for each other. Honest, hard work that was carried out with virtues that have clearly been lost in today’s ‘work-life balance’ and ‘4-day week’ generation. That’s why the miners should always be remembered fondly!”
Raphael Swierczynski • Drums 🔥 ➤➤➤ “I often like to think back to my youth. I remember when my father tried to teach me about mining and its virtues when I was young, which he did very well. He and my grandfather were once miners who had to work hard underground. That’s why it’s a special honor for me to be able to slip into the role of a miner myself in our video for ‚Buried Underneath‘ and get a feel for what mine working must have been like for them. Gelsenkirchen, a city that was strongly influenced by the coal industry, is one of the reasons why I am proud to call it my home. In addition, my favorite club, FC Schalke 04, still honors the tradition of the miners and proudly remembers the miners of days gone by. Grafters and miners like my father and grandfather were. That’s why I sing the miners‘ song with all my might at every home game and if the mines still existed today, I would certainly be a miner too!”
🎨 Timon Kokott
LINE-UP: Marius Wegener • Vocals Daniel ‘Pumper’ Hartmann • Guitars Christian ‘Kraje’ Krajewski • Bass Raphael Swierczynski • Drums
SMORRAH have released their new single and video for ‘Welcome To Your Nightmare’, the title track of the band’s debut album.
Singer Marius comments: “The music video for the album title track ‘Welcome To Your Nightmare‘ is edited from live footage we recorded at our gigs in 2023 and is meant to reflect the energy we unleash together with our fans at our shows every time. A clip we dedicate to all the insane necrosouls and metalheads out there!”
🎬 ⚙️ GelsenMetalStudios Video Productions
With their debut album “Welcome To Your Nightmare“, SMORRAH release a total of 9 variedly conceived and hellishly powerfully produced songs.
High tension is guaranteed: “Welcome To Your Nightmare” energetically takes the listener on a gripping journey into the dark abysses of human psychology, leaving you hardly any time to catch your breath – the deliciously tight, bludgeon-from-the-bag quartet really does more than justify the legend surrounding the band’s name!
Tireless headbangers, maniacal Thrashers and hungry Groove heads will all get their money’s worth.
And anyone who has experienced these four likeable, down-to-earth heavyweights from Gelsenkirchen at one of their highly explosive and absolutely sweat-inducing live shows knows that there is only one direction with SMORRAH: Straight ahead!
🎨 Timon Kokott
TRACKS: 📺 01. Welcome To Your Nightmare 04:51 02. Dead Snake Eyes 04:45 📺 03. Age Of Decay 05:54 04. Killing Spree 03:58 05. Hope Dies Last 03:45 06. Buried Underneath 05:40 07. Death Awaits 05:00 08. Evil Betrayal 05:19 09. When The Tide Comes In 06:25
German Death Thrash Metallers SMORRAH have released their new single ‘Age Of Decay’ with lyric video, taken from the band’s upcoming debut album “Welcome To Your Nightmare”, set to be released on February 23th.
Singer Marius comments: “If you always just take what’s put in front of you, you’re not really in control. ‘Age Of Decay‘ is a little different from most of our other songs. The track is more melodic and there are socially critical points in the lyrics, for example. Still, it has the typical dark vibe that we usually give our music and fits in easily with the rest of the upcoming album. A concentrated load of thrash riffs – combined with lots of solos and a catchy chorus. A journey through the everyday evil that we ourselves create. A reflection of our society. A reflection of ourselves.”
🎬 ⚙️ GelsenMetalStudios Video Productions
With their debut album “Welcome To Your Nightmare“, SMORRAH release a total of 9 variedly conceived and hellishly powerfully produced songs.
High tension is guaranteed: “Welcome To Your Nightmare” energetically takes the listener on a gripping journey into the dark abysses of human psychology, leaving you hardly any time to catch your breath – the deliciously tight, bludgeon-from-the-bag quartet really does more than justify the legend surrounding the band’s name!
Tireless headbangers, maniacal Thrashers and hungry Groove heads will all get their money’s worth.
And anyone who has experienced these four likeable, down-to-earth heavyweights from Gelsenkirchen at one of their highly explosive and absolutely sweat-inducing live shows knows that there is only one direction with SMORRAH: Straight ahead!
🎨 Timon Kokott
TRACKS: 01. Welcome To Your Nightmare 04:51 02. Dead Snake Eyes 04:45 📺 03. Age Of Decay 05:54 04. Killing Spree 03:58 05. Hope Dies Last 03:45 06. Buried Underneath 05:40 07. Death Awaits 05:00 08. Evil Betrayal 05:19 09. When The Tide Comes In 06:25
total 45:42
LINE-UP: Marius Wegener • Vocals Daniel ‘Pumper’ Hartmann • Guitars Christian ‘Kraje’ Krajewski • Bass Raphael Swierczynski • Drums
With their debut album “Welcome To Your Nightmare“, SMORRAH release a total of 9 variedly conceived and hellishly powerfully produced songs.
High tension is guaranteed: “Welcome To Your Nightmare” energetically takes the listener on a gripping journey into the dark abysses of human psychology, leaving you hardly any time to catch your breath – the deliciously tight, bludgeon-from-the-bag quartet really does more than justify the legend surrounding the band’s name!
Tireless headbangers, maniacal Thrashers and hungry Groove heads will all get their money’s worth.
And anyone who has experienced these four likeable, down-to-earth heavyweights from Gelsenkirchen at one of their highly explosive and absolutely sweat-inducing live shows knows that there is only one direction with SMORRAH: Straight ahead! [ learn more here ]
🎨 Timon Kokott
▶ 🗓️ CD, Cassette, Vinyl & Digital official release: Feb. 23, 2024 – 🛒 (Pre)Order at this location.◀
TRACKS:
Welcome To Your Nightmare 04:51
Dead Snake Eyes 04:45
Age Of Decay 05:54
Killing Spree 03:58
Hope Dies Last 03:45
Buried Underneath 05:40
Death Awaits 05:00
Evil Betrayal 05:19
When The Tide Comes In 06:25
total 45:42
LINE-UP: Marius Wegener • Vocals Daniel ‘Pumper’ Hartmann • Guitars Christian ‘Kraje’ Krajewski • Bass Raphael Swierczynski • Drums
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