Not Fragile | One Way To Glory | Relics From The Crypt

Release Date: December 19^th, 2025

Format: CD/LP

Genre: Speed Metal

Country: Germany

Not Fragile formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1980 and stayed active through the decade, releasing demos, an EP, and a cult mini album before disappearing just as a full length was ready. Bad timing and label trouble buried their work, and their debut surfaced years later under different titles. Interest in the original era never faded, and today their name sits among the underground stories of German heavy metal that refused to die quietly.

“One Way To Glory” finally stands as the album it was meant to be. The material shows a band working with speed metal roots while pushing toward a brighter, more heroic heavy metal sound. The songs rely on fast riffing, clear structures, and choruses built for repetition without sounding careless. The energy remains high across the album, with a balance between aggressive pacing and more melodic ideas that were becoming common in the late 80s German scene.

The songwriting favors strong hooks and steady momentum. Tracks like “Hard To Be Alive”, “Seven Guns For Hire”, and “Full Moon’s Rising” underline the band’s focus on drive and memorability, while longer cuts such as “To Hunt And To Be Hunted” expand the formula without drifting away from the core style. The lyrics shift toward fantasy and battle imagery, fitting the era and matching the music’s heroic angle.

Production plays a major role here. The remaster brings clarity without smoothing out the rough edges that define the album’s character. Guitars sit front and center, the rhythm section stays firm, and the vocals cut through with a straightforward delivery that matches the songs’ intent. The result sounds professional for its time, especially considering the limited resources behind the original sessions.

Taken as a whole, “One Way To Glory” works as a strong example of late 80s German heavy metal caught between speed and power metal. It shows a band sharpening its ideas and execution, even if fate kept the album from reaching listeners when it mattered most. Today, it stands as a solid and rewarding release that explains why Not Fragile still draws interest decades later.

Score: 7.5