REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: helloween

HELLOWEEN – Walls Of Jericho

So this is ground zero for Helloween, one of the most influential euro metal bands. If you believe what nonsense “Kerrapp” magazine were writing about the band at the time, they were nothing more than second rate Iron Maiden copyists. After this album was released, power metal as a genre really grew and developed into the force it is today.

Only a 4 piece at this point, with Karl Hansen doing vocals and guitar along with Michael Weikath giving that twin guitar assault. It’s all very raw, gung ho, and 100 mph compared to the ultra polished machine they are today, but it’s cool to go back and listen to how it all started. Ironically, it’s the slower Metallica-esque chugga fest of Gorgar that is my favourite song.

A fun look back into metal nostalgia.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

HELLOWEEN – The Dark Ride

This is Helloween’s ninth album, released back in 2000, and this version is part of the Nuclear Blast reissue series that comes with three bonus tracks. A much darker and heavier sound than previous albums with d-tuned guitars.

Only Helloween could give you an intro that leads into an intro, and that’s exactly how things start here with Mr. Torture. It’s a great advert for the darker edge sound with heavier guitars. All Over The Nations is euro power metal, as it should be. It has drums faster than a fast thing on a fast train to fast town, a medieval sounding hook and chorus, and very melodic dual guitars. Escalation is more my style with fat huge chugga riffs and a straight four to the floor groove. Mirror Mirror starts with a commercial sound before the guitars chug and the vocals go real low. If I Could Fly is a classic power metal ballad with emphasis on the power. Salvation is speed metal 101, and is it me or does every song start as though it’s going to be the most epic thing you’ve ever heard? The Departed is a variation in vibe and groove but the guitars still sound huge, and don’t forget variety is the spice of life my friends.  

I Live For Your Pain is a straight 4×4 groover, and those guitars are so low. We Damn The Night is a return to full on double kicks, and I would say this is the most commercial sounding track here. Immortal is metal power ballad number two, and the solo is killer. The Dark Ride starts with an eerie ghost train intro before the leash is let off.

First of the three bonus tracks is The Madness Of Crowds, which has a killer intro and I’m not sure how this one wasn’t part of the album proper as it’s my favourite track. Ripping main riff! Deliver Us From Temptation follows and the pedal is firmly to the metal. The last track is a single edit of If I Could Fly.

Great speed metal album by a very influential band.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

HELLOWEEN – Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part 1

Helloween were passed off as an Iron Maiden clone band in the British music press back in the day, mainly due to Michael Kiske’s vocals being close to Bruce’s. The band have made some killer records, and they were big on the concept element. Somewhat ironically, they are now part of the Sanctuary Records group set up by Maiden manager, Rod Smallwood.

This magnum opus was the band’s second release back in ’87, and basically gave birth to the European Power Metal scene. There’s not one bad track on the record and it’s only their second album and they produced one of the classic metal albums of the eighties. Stand out tracks for me are Twilight Of The Gods, which pounds along at a fair lick with killer guitar, soaring vocals, and superb harmonies, Future World, with a fast four to floor groove and trouser tightening vocals, and the 13 minutes of pure awesome that is Halloween – an absolute monster of a tune that has everything a drooling metal fan could wish for. It has a huge imposing evil intro with max riffage, and plenty of groove changes to fill many albums.

The band actually recorded parts 1 and 2 at the same time wanting to release them as a double album, but the record label refused. Anyhoo, a great metal album.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

HELLOWEEN – s/t

I’ll admit to writing Helloween off as a bit of a third rate Iron Maiden clone band back in the day, and I just let them pass me by. Now having heard a couple of these tracks before release, I was quite blown away at how good they were. I decided to take the plunge and invest my coinage in a copy of this, their latest album. This is their 16th studio outing and I have ignored most of them. Mustaine takes the credit for inventing this style of speed metal, but these guys have carried the torch for the Euro version and inventing Euro Metal, which is very big in Germany. This is somewhat of a celebration album for the band, as original guitarist Kai Hansen and vocalist Michael Kiske both returned on vocals – it was billed as Pumpkins reunited. Along with current vocalist, Andy Deris (ex Pink Cream 69), they had three vocalists sharing the limelight. That will be fun keeping all those egos in check if they ever tour this line up!

Onto the songs! This is a really strong album, and as well as being musically very strong, the melodies are top drawer. For those of you who are getting sick of growly bloke metal and who yearn for the days of metal having hooks and choruses with some great playing, then this is what you have been looking for. Best Time is a freakin’ awesome tune and has a killer chorus and hook. Sky Fall is a monster of a tune, weighing in at a whopping 12.11 minutes and is my favourite track on the album. An honourable mention goes to Down In The Dumps, which is just as awesome.

I hope they keep this line up together as this is a killer album. I would love to hear more from them. I think it’s time to check some of their back catalogue.

9/10 from The Grooveman.