Taking their name from the classic, Ronnie Dio-fronted Black Sabbath album, Mob Rules is a melodic power metal band formed in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, circa 1994, by ex-Van Blanc members Matthias Mineur (guitar) and Torsten Plorin (bass). After drafting vocalist Klaus Dirks and drummer Arved Mannott they began performing locally and demoing material for an independent EP, which in turn led to a record deal with Limb Music, and the 1999 release of the group's debut album, Savage Land, also featuring second guitarist Matthias Mineur. A keyboard player, Sascha Onnen, was then brought on board for 2000's Temple of Two Suns, and Mob Rules would continue to crank out albums like 2002's Hollowed Be Thy Name and 2004's Among the Gods (both on SPV), while performing their Iron Maiden-derived and largely thrash-free brand of kinetic metal on tours in support of Savatage, Company of Snakes, and others, across mainland Europe. Despite the reliable quality of these releases, however, Mob Rules never reached the higher echelons of the Euro-metal pyramid, and remain largely anonymous in America. And, by the release of 2006's Ethnolution A.D. album (featuring a 25-minute, multi-sectioned title track!), the band had lost both of its founding members, replacing them with guitarist Sven Lüdke and bassist Markus Brinkmann, but by all accounts planning to carry on henceforth with business as usual. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia