RAGE was formed from the rampant Heavy Metal band AVENGER, with a line-up of Peter Wagner (a.k.a. 'Peavey'), guitarists Jochen Schröder and Thomas Grüning and drummer Jörg Michael. AVENGER, based in Herne, released the 'Prayer Of Steel' album and 'Depraved To Black' EP on Wishbone Records before adopting the title of RAGE in 1986, due to confusion with the English AVENGER.

Signing to Noise Records to release the Ralf Hubert produced 'Reign Of Fear', crafted at Horus Sound Studios in Hannover, RAGE toured Germany on a bill with KREATOR and DESTRUCTION in 1986. Shortly after the tour, Grüning left and his position was filled by the high profile figure of ex-WARLOCK guitarist Rudy Graf for 1987's self-produced 'Execution Guaranteed'. Michael also operated in the 'anonymous' avant garde side project MEKONG DELTA during 1987.

That same year both Graf and Michael were out, superceded by guitarist Manni Schmidt and drummer Chris Efthimiadis. Michael would become the permanent drummer for German guitar hero AXEL RUDI PELL and rack up impressive credits with fellow Teutonic Metal bands HEADHUNTER, GRAVE DIGGER, GLENMORE and RUNNING WILD. 1988's 'Perfect Man' album enjoyed considerable critical success with the media and went on to sell over 30,000 copies in Europe alone. The 'Perfect Man' album would be the first to sport the razor toothed robot mascot that would become synonymous with successive Rage releases. RAGE utilised producer Armin Sabol and the Skytrak Studios in Berlin to cut the 'Secrets In A Weird World' album in the Spring of 1989. In 1990 RAGE toured Germany as support to RUNNING WILD.

Having released 'Reflections Of A Shadow' in 1991, this opus embellished with the keyboards of Ulli Köllner, and the stop-gap EP 'Extended Power', RAGE's 1992 album,'Trapped', featured a cover of the renowned ACCEPT classic 'Fast As A Shark' and Japanese issues also added two bonus cuts in 'Innocent Guilty' and 'Marching Heroes-The Wooden Cross'. 'Trapped' marked a number of important changes for the band, it being recorded over two locations, at Narhavaci Studios in Prague and Powerplay Studios, Berlin. The tracks also benefited not only from a mix by renowned producer Tom Morris but also extra textures given by the Collegium Concertante Sextet of the Smetana Orchestra. The group would subsequently fulfil the ambition of touring in Japan and later joined SAXON and MOT?RHEAD in Europe on the 'Eagles And Bombers' tour in Europe.

Backed by a further EP, the Sven Conquest produced 'Beyond The Wall', RAGE undertook further touring in 1993 on a bill alongside GAMMA RAY and Norwegians CONCEPTION as they were surely about to unleash the album of their career in 'A Missing Link' In 1994 guitarist Schmidt left the band. His position was filled by Spiros Efthimiadis and ex-PYRACANDA man Sven Fischer and the ensuing 'Ten Years In Rage' album featured new cuts alongside old favourites.

RAGE split from Noise Records in 1994 following many other German acts to G.U.N. Records, an arm of major label BMG. After their debut for G.U.N. Records, 'Black In Mind' produced by Ulli Pösselt at RA.SH. Studios in Gelsenkirchen, RAGE played a series of 'Summer Metal Meetings' together with RUNNING WILD, GRAVE DIGGER, GAMMA RAY, GLENMORE and ICED EARTH. The year ended on a high as the band joined the December 'Blind Guardian Christmas Party' tour, headed up by BLIND GUARDIAN and also boasting LOVE/HATE, SAXON, SKYCLAD and YNGWIE MALMSTEEN. In 1996 they released the 'Lingua Mortis' album. The record found the band joined by the Symphony Orchestra of Prague playing some of their best cuts. March 1998's Christian Wolff co-produced offering, 'XIII' laid down at Principal Studios in Senden, continued with the successful orchestrated approach and bravely also hosted a rendition of the ROLLING STONES 'Paint It Black'. Asian variants boasted a further cover in RUSH's 'Tom Sawyer'.

RAGE suffered a mass walkout in 1999 when both the Efthimiades brothers and second guitarist Sven Fischer decamped leaving Peavey Wagner flying solo. Undaunted Wagner pulled in Russian guitar virtuoso VICTOR SMOLSKI, quickly bowing back in with the 'Ghosts' concept album, also seeing production duties going to Christian Wolff. European digipacks added extra track 'End Of Eternity' whilst the traditional Japanese bonus would be 'Six Feet Under Ground' In Germany this new incarnation of RAGE would debut at the Wacken festival then set off on an extensive tour of Russia.

2000 found Wagner guesting on the GB ARTS album 'The Lake'. Smolski too would session outside of RAGE contributing lead solos to the PERSONAL WAR 'Newtimechaos' outing. Ex-RAGE man Manni Schmidt joined GRAVE DIGGER in December 2000.

Peavey drafted former HANOVER FIST, ZILLION, BEAU NASTY, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ARTENSION and METALIUM drummer American Mike Terrana to cement a finally stable trio. RAGE's 2001 album 'Welcome To The Other Side' would land the group an unexpected bonus when the track 'Straight To Hell' would be chosen for the soundtrack to the movie 'Der Schuh des Manitu', a film which would turn out to be one of the most commercially successful German language films ever. 'Welcome To The Other Side', committed to tape at at VPS Studio in Hamm, was an important milestone for the band, being the first album entirely played and written by the Wagner/Smolski/Terrana line-up.

Terrana would also be found sessioning, in his case on the DRIVEN project album put together by ex-DIO guitarist Tracy G. The drummer also regrouped with ARTENSION for a 2002 comeback album 'Sacred Pathway' as well as perform on the 'Shadow Zone' album from German guitar hero AXEL RUDI PELL. A further collaboration had the sticksman forging the Jazz Fusion act the VOODOO TABOO FUSION BAND band project in collaboration with Frenchmen guitarist CYRIL ARCHARD and bassist Ivan Rougny for an album 'Something's Cooking' issued through the Finnish Lion Music label.

The RAGE April 2002 album 'Unity' would see the Japanese release boasting the traditional extra track in the form of 'DarknessTurns To Light'. The band embarked on a full scale world tour commencing in Seol at the 'World Rock Festival' before continuing on for dates in Japan. RAGE would also schedule a date in August at the 'Soyorock 2002' festival in Kyung Gi Do, Korea. An extensive September run of European concerts found RAGE paired up with PRIMAL FEAR. The band made space to cut a live rendition of 'Motorbreath' for a Nuclear Blast METALLICA tribute collection. RAGE tackled a Charlie Bauerfeind produced new album billed as 'Soundchaser' for 2003, recording this opus at HELLOWEEN vocalist Andi Deris' Tenerife studios. Naturally, ANDI DERIS lent guesting backing vocals. The HELLOWEEN connection continued into the promotion of the record as RAGE were announced as support act to the famed Metal Pumpkins October European dates.

In early 2004 guitarist Victor Smolski recorded a guest appearance for the DER BOTE solo project of FEUERENGEL frontman Boris Delic. He would also convene a further solo album comprising heavyweight re-works of Johan Sebastian Bach classics with the working title 'Majesty & Passion'. Joining Smolski at VPS Studios for these recording sessions would be his RAGE colleagues Peavy Wagner and Mike Terrana as well as former SCORPIONS guitar legend ULI JON ROTH.

Unfortunately guitarist Victor Smolski fell "seriously ill" following the group's performance at the Italian 'Gods Of Metal' festival in June. It transpired that Smolski had been suffering from a testicular infection for some time and that during the concert in Bologna this organ burst with serious consequences. With Smolski hospitalised former guitarist Manni Schmidt was to step into the breech to cover for a show at the Helfenstein festival in Geislingen. However, just days after this announcement RAGE cancelled the show. November of 2004 saw issue of the band's 20th anniversary double live album 'From The Cradle To The Stage'. That same month MIKE TERRANA revealed plans for an "instrumental Rock fusion" solo album entitled 'Man Of The World' comprising six studio tracks and four live songs recorded in Moscow at the Premier Drum Day Festival 2003.

Smolski joined ex-ARIA singer Valery Kipelov at a Moscow recording studio in late January 2005 for the recording of a solo album and live work. The guitarist also contributed guitar work for Spanish Thrash Metal band LEGEN BELTZA's conceptual track dubbed 'War of Wars' included on their album 'Dimension Of Pain'.

As RAGE signed a new label deal with Nuclear Blast Records, early 2005 also saw the release of the album 'Back In Time', a RAGE tribute offering compiling no less than 28 Austrian Heavy Metal bands paying homage.

Peavey Wagner had a lucky escape in early May when he was injured by a car. Apparently the car had hit the RAGE frontman whilst he was riding his bicycle, Wagner having to undergo surgery to fix his arm. The singer was soon back in action, putting in a guest vocal appearance on DESTRUCTION's 'Inventor Of Evil' album. RAGE concerts in Europe announced for April 2006 had FREEDOM CALL lined up as support. Mike Terrana joined the ranks of MASTERPLAN in October. In early December the drummer announced he was closing his eight year tenure as a member of RAGE. As the New Year broke, RAGE revealed André Hilgers, of AXXIS, MENDACIOUS MESSIAH, VANIZE, THE SYGNET and SILENT FORCE, had been installed as new drummer.

RAGE guitar player Victor Smolski recorded a set of brand new songs for a 2007 Nuclear Blast Records' 20th anniversary compilation album. RAGE's Peavey Wagner supplied vocals to the track 'Terrified'. Andre Hilgers supplied drum parts. In February the band issued the concert double DVD 'Full Moon In St. Petersburg', filmed at their May 20th 2006 concert with extra footage from the 'Masters Of Rock' festival in the Czech Republic, backstage moments, video clips plus a documentary.

In March Smolski, along with business partner Jen Majura, opened a music school in Hamm, Germany titled the Unity Music School.

The band's 18th album, 'Carved In Stone', engineered by Charly Czajkowski and mixed by Charlie Bauerfeind, was released by Locomotive Records on June 10th 2008. 

RAGE would be joined by an impressive cast of special guests for their 25th anniversary performance at the 2009 'Wacken Open Air' festival. Included would be Jen Majura, of BLIND GUARDIAN, as guest vocalist, Marcel Schirmer, from DESTRUCTION, Hansi Kürsch, from BLIND GUARDIAN, Eric Hecht, of SUBWAY TO SALLY, and Jörg Michael of STRATOVARIUS.

Garry Sharpe-Young