Tag: helloween

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.

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.