Steeler

Steeler was a pivotal German heavy metal band formed in 1981 in Bochum, serving as the launchpad for guitar virtuoso Axel Rudi Pell. Their sound is a bridge between the traditional heavy metal of Judas Priest (from whose song they took their name) and the melodic hard rock that dominated the mid-to-late 1980s. Across four studio albums, the band evolved from a raw, speed-influenced debut to a more polished, commercially viable sound on 'Undercover Animal'.

Critically, they are regarded as a cornerstone of the German metal scene, though they often lived in the shadow of Scorpions or Accept. The band's historical importance is twofold: it established the neoclassical shredding style that Pell would perfect in his solo career and saw vocalist Peter Burtz transition into a major industry figure as the editor of Metal Hammer and a high-ranking EMI executive. Their influence persists among collectors of '80s Euro-metal who value the combination of technical proficiency and anthemic songwriting.