Grave Digger was founded in late 1980.
After various appearances at smaller festivals, the band recorded two songs for the Rock from Hell compilation in 1983 with the cast of Chris Boltendahl, Peter Masson, Willi Lackmann and Phillip Seibel. In May 1984, Grave Digger (now with Albert Eckardt on drums) released their debut album, Heavy Metal Breakdown.
Their second album, Witch Hunter, followed in 1985. Further festival appearances, a tour together with Helloween in June 1985 and finally a triple headlining tour with Celtic Frost and Helloween in February 1986 followed, after the third album War Games (for the first time with C.F. Brank on bass) had been released in January 1986 market came. After Peter Masson left in May 1986, the name change to Digger followed at the end of 1986, under which they released the album Stronger than Ever with Uwe Lulis on guitar. This album bears little resemblance to Grave Digger's original music. Rather, it's an attempt to reach the masses with mainstream rock in the vein of Bon Jovi or Van Halen.