HELLOWEEN |
| Helloween are : Andi Deris on Vocals Markus Grosskopf on Bass Michael Weikath on Guitars Roland Grapow on Guitars Uli Kusch on Drums The tracks are : 1. Deliberately Limited Preliminary Prelude In Z (1:44) 2. Push (4:44) 3. Falling Higher (4:45) 4. Hey Lord! (4:05) 5. Don't Spit On my Mind (4:23) 6. Revelation (8:21) 7. Time (5:41) 8. I Can (4:38) 9. A Handful Of Pain (4:48) 10. Lavdate Dominvm (5:09) 11. Midnight Sun (6:18) Bonus Track: 12. A Game We Shouldn't Play (3:36) Helloween were formed in Hamburg, Germany from the ashes of 'Second Hell' and 'Iron Fist' comprising of Kai Hansen (guitars/Vocals), Michael Weikath (Guitars), Markus Grosskopf (Bass) and Ingo Schwichtenberg (Drums). The band released the Helloween EP in 1985, followed by their debut Walls Of Jericho in 1986. But it was a young 18 year old frontman by the name of Michael Kiske who helped catapult Helloween into Metal super-stardom. The albums Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I (1987) and Part II(1988) defined melodic speed metal for years to come. Helloween thentoured intensively. In 1989, Helloween released Live In The U.K. and then suffered a blow as Hansen left to form Gamma Ray. Hansen was replaced by Roland Grapow and EMI snapped up the band and released Pink Bubbles Go Ape in 1990. After the questionable Chameleon record was released in 1993, drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg committed suicide and Michael Kiske was given his marching orders. Newly rejuvenated and quickly resurrected Helloween reappeared in 1994 with a new singer, ex-Pink Cream 69 Andi Deris and a new drummer Uli Kusch. Helloween returned to vintage form with the release of Master of The Rings 1994 and in 1996, they kept the spirit of German metal alive with Time Of The Oath. Later the same year they released High Live whih summarized an exciting and quite memorable career. In 1998, we see the release of Better Than Raw an album full of hard hitting rock anthems. As you would expect from a band who have been around some 15 years now, the musicianship is superb as well as well as the production. Having followed Helloween since their release of Keeper of The Seven Keys, I would have to say that in my opinion 'Better Than Raw' is their best release to date. Just listen to 'Deliberately Limited Preliminary Prelude Period In Z', this is a classical inspired piece with lots of heavy guitars. 'Falling Higher', you could call it metallic pop, but it is a catchy melodic rock number played at 150mph. 'Don't Spit On My Mind', this track reminds me Black Sabbath. And 'Midnight Sun' is reminiscent of Iron Maiden. Better Than Raw sees Helloween writing creatively. Andi's singing is powerful, melodic, at times a scream, but with emotion, while the dual axes are forever tormenting, capturing your attention with memorable riffs and outstanding solos, while Uli will leave you breathless with his constant drum assault time and time again. But all in all 'Better Than Raw' will have you foot tapping, singing along or playin air guitars in no time. And don't forget PLAY IT LOUD!! This is one album all Hard Rock/Metal fans should add to your collection. Released by Velvel Music Group, 740 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 TEL : 212 353 8800 Fax : 212 228 0660 |
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Pink Bubbles Go Ape / Chameleon Helloween |
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These two reissues now finally available domestically are Helloween at their most adventurous. In following what many consider their finest record, "Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II," "Pink Bubbles Go Ape" represented a slow and sometimes strange turn for the German Power Metal wizards. Nevermind that their forward progress was abruptly halted in the years that followed "Keeper Part II," but by the time they rebounded with this '91 release, it was difficult to know just what was going on in their collective minds… but considering the slightly left of center symbolism centered around images of fish and fried eggs, someone was having a pretty good time in spite of themselves! Far off from the conceptually stunning work of their past, "Pink Bubbles…," as if the title were any indication, was a less serious stab in the dark and more streamlined effort that saw many a mixed passage on display. The album begins with the two fiery follow-ups to the goofy introduction make perfectly clear. They being "Kids of the Century" which is vintage Helloween-heavy, anthemic, uptempo and just a whirlwind of guitar prominence that too few people really got the privilege of hearing. Then there's "Back on the Streets" which said all anyone needed to hear about their unintentional layoff-another fast track that displayed dazzling guitar work and Kiske's patented vocals that continued to reach high into the stratosphere. "Number One" was soft single material plain and simple and only the broadest of minds would be willing to listen to it twice… ditto for "Going Home." Then again, with "Heavy Metal Hamsters" eagerly waiting in the wings, why bother? Another fairly quick-tempoed selection with steady guitar picking bordering an imposing gang chorus-quite melodic and probably the only song of its kind! Stay tuned for "The Chance" which appears next to last and is an absolute stunner in the traditional Helloween vein. "Pink Bubbles Go Ape" was about 60% traditional Helloween though it'd be unfair to compare this to something like "Keepers Part II" as that one was their crowning achievement at the time. So instead of a part III or recreation of the past, they moved ahead, welcomed a new guitarist named Roland Grapow who remains to this day, and took their creative aspirations from the past and redirected it-but for the most part, this one rocks in typical Helloween fashion and features some fairly unexpected quirkiness that took a little of the edge off… and away from their previously established formula. "Chameleon" would be the last recording with singer Michael Kiske and ironically, this album, for anyone who's followed his solo career, had his stamp all over it. Building on the slowly unraveling designs for multi-directional rock ambiguously laid forth on its predecessor, "Chameleon" was a complete signal crossing, short-circuiting of everything Helloween had become at that point. This record was a true chameleon in every aspect. It had it's expected heavier moments as the riff-driven "First Time," "Giants," and "Revolution Now," but most of its energy was channeled on expansion and taking their "spaceship" in bold new directions-how about the opening to "When the Sinner"-downright danceable! "I Don't Wanna Cry No More" is reflective of Kiske's future solo pattern and not quite in the league of Helloween's suddenly tarnished past. "Chameleon" took chances, absolutely, and musically, there was nothing disabling in terms of their collective performance but overall this whole package seemed half-hearted and misguided. As poorly conceived as this album might have been, it did have its bright spots as one had come to expect from such a band of talents, out of place though they were, there was a definite show of vibrancy that led to, dare I say, an appalling charm that emphatically tells us all, musicians are a different breed! Scattered throughout, we find a wide range of acoustics based in heightened melodies, backed with substandard keyboard effects and light doses of brass-symphonic mayhem this was not, but musically, it was far ahead of anything they'd ever done. Aside from "First Time" and "Revolution Now," two stellar masterpieces dominate the later stages here with "Music," which is perhaps the best song I've ever heard them do-not the fastest, or catchiest, but very flighty and majestic… just taken into the context of a song, a flash of brilliance in what is otherwise a soundbed of mediocrity. The same goes for "I Believe," a song later which carries on in the same slowly building manner and the real emphasis lies not on flash or dazzle but the mood-the feel it inspires. Another Kiske highlight that explores more personal reflection and passion for broader musical interpretation. "Chameleon" saw Helloween changing colors quickly and often and opened a new entranceway toward an uncertain future… not quite like the world they had long since envisioned in their glory days but in spite of its perplexing nature, "Chameleon" had its moments. Released by Sanctuary Records Review by Vinnie Apicella |