Artist: Helloween
Title: “Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part 2”
Label: Sanctuary Records
Release Date: 8/8/2006
Genre: Heavy Metal
Rating: 4/5
One might have found it strange that Helloween chose to follow up “Keeper 1” with a successor album immediately afterward but if you heard it originally back then- it made nothing but sense. The band was firming up their dominance in this new Power Metal genre that their music was largely responsible for and as the albums opener “Eagle Fly Free” blasts through your speakers you feel all the majesty and grandeur that Helloween would come to be associated with for a number of albums. With their third album being a sequel there were probably not many who felt it would be the success that is eventually became. Song wise there was no shortage of memorable tunes from the comical “Dr. Stein”, which finds the infamous Doctor now creating monsters who become Rock Musicians and Politicians, to Metal anthem “I Want Out”. The latter track had a very strange video to accompany it on the still fledgling MTV network which at the time showed a lot of Metal bands. This same track still sounds as fresh today almost twenty years later and not many bands can say that about their early material. Kiske has vocal lines on the album that soar high above the stratosphere at times and at others are subtle and passionate and on his own sophomore work with the group you can easily see why he will become one of the most respected Power Metal vocalists of all time and be someone who future singers measure their talents against. The album does not include a sequel to the mega-number “Halloween” from the preceding chapter but in its place we have “Keeper Of The Seven Keys” which serves well as the albums epic number. There is also the appealing heaviness of “Save Us” and this will remind you easily of the appeal of this building genre.
Continue reading “Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part 2” (remaster) by Helloween →
Artist: Helloween
Title: “Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part 1” (remaster)
Label: Sanctuary Records
Release Date: 8/8/2006
Genre: Heavy Metal
Rating: 5/5
As the follow up to their debut “Walls Of Jericho”, Helloween would find lead singer/guitarist Kai Hansen choosing to focus on the axe work while they brought in a then 18 year old Michael Kiske to handle the vocal duties. The song writing would grow by leaps as well, and as a result the 1987 release of “Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part 1” would become one of the most revered albums in Power Metal music history. Interestingly enough, Power Metal was not yet a widely used term and based on their efforts, Helloween is regarded as one of the prime founders of the genre. It’s easy to see why this is the case based on the direction that the group took with the second album for instead of maintaining course to the more thrashy debut they increased the use of melody and double guitar leads. Yes bands like Maiden and Priest also had twin axe men but theirs was a sound based on the influences of Black Sabbath and Deep Purple and while also melodic it did not reach speed levels like the Helloween players delivered. The release in remaster and expanded format is a real treat for any Metal fan or study of the genre as the classics come to renewed life with the cleaner production of this CD.
Continue reading “Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part 1” (remaster) by Helloween →
Artist: Helloween
Title: “Walls Of Jericho” (remaster)
Label: Castle Music/Sanctuary Records
Release Date: 4/25/2006
Genre: Power Metal
Rating: 8/10
When one thinks of Power Metal, one of the names that comes up as among the first to venture into this new genre of Metal is the one and only Helloween. The band was ahead of its time and mixed the newer speed metal riffing along with incredible melodic displays to an extraordinary result. This release of “Walls Of Jericho” in an expanded version is a treat for all Metal fans because not only does it include the original album, but it also has the impossible to find “Helloween” EP for its first 5 tracks. The lineup of these early years consisted of Kai Hansen (vocals and guitar), Ingo Schwichtenberg (drums), Markus Grosskopf (bass), & Michael Weikath (guitar) and when you listen to these formative songs you will find the band performing at blistering speeds on most of the tracks. By 1985’s standards this was a refreshing change from the “Hair Metal” stuff that was killing the real headbangers. Music of the 80’s in that style needed a kick in its own tail to remind the world that Metal was as much an attitude as a musical form. The band also had some chops in the live sense and they showcase this on the included tracks from the “Treasure Chest” EP.
Continue reading “Walls Of Jericho” (remaster) by Helloween →
Where Heavy Music & Pop Culture Collide
