As I get ready for the Pumpkins United Tour, I went back and reviewed the discography of one of my favorite bands.
Walls of Jericho (1985) - 8.5
Walls of Jericho is the debut LP released on October 1985 when the band was a quartet featuring Kai Hansen as lead vocalist and guitarist. This is a great first album, production is sub optimal, not all songs are great and Kai was singing well but the song writing demand more from a vocalist. Still, songs like Ride The Sky, Guardians and How Many Tears are first class classics and showed what those guys were capable of. This album features songs with high tempo. It basically combines Kill em All with The Number of the Beast while adding some humor and their own German melodic touch. The writing credits are split between Michael Weikath and Kai Hansen, 3 songs each and 3 together. When WoJ was released on CD, it also included the S/T debut EP. And it actually includes some great songs such as Starlight and Victim of Fate.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I (1987) - 9.5
The second album and now an absolute power metal classic, Keeper I marks the debut of the phenomenal Michael Kiske on vocals. Due to an injury, Weikath did not contribute significantly to the song writing (just one song) leaving it to Hansen and Kiske with one song. The tempo slows down a bit at some points and the song writing is slightly more progressive with more variations to their tool box. Of course, Kiske's vocal range allowed Helloween to have much more freedom. The guitar duos, the big choruses, backing vocals and harmonies, melodic and powerful verses and bridges are all perfected and hallmarks of Power Metal. I'm glad they didn't release it as a double album because part I is almost perfect, and then part II is basically the perfect album of this genre.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II (1988) - 10
Not much else to say about this absolute heavy metal classic! It's one of my top albums of all times. It's just perfect. With a good balance of writing being shared among Hansen, Weikath and Kiske. After the intro song it's a collection of metal anthems and when you think it can't get any better, it closes with an epic 13 min masterpiece title track. I rest my case.
Pink Bubbles Go Ape (1991) - 8.0
This is not a great album, but it's not as bad as you may have heard. The departure of guitarist Kai Hansen, with Roland Grapow replacing him, is one reason. But I think it has a lot to do with Kiske's desire to make softer and less epic music. Weikath only wrote two songs, leaving the rest to Kiske and Grapow. The band also got completely rid from the Halloween/Pumpkin imagery. There are some good tracks like: "Kids of the Century", "Number One" and "Mankind". but the highlight is Grapow's "The Chance". A decent album, specially for those who enjoy Kiske's singing.
Chameleon (1993) - 7.0
I admire the guys for taking the risk and do something different, unfortunately the result was not a Helloween album. The Power Metal sound, that the band helped to create, was replaced by a progressive rock with some pop elements. And Chameleon is a great name for the album which features a lot of different sounds and musical influences. Reflecting the tensions within the band, none of the songs was co-written. Each of the song writers contributed with 4 songs and they are all very different from each other. It's definitely one of worst Helloween albums if you judge it by the standards set by the first three albums. However, it's not a bad progressive rock album and it was very well produced ( a problem with the earlier albums). On the bright side, the pumpkin returned to the band's logo and the commercial failure led to positive changes.
Master of the Rings (1994) - 8.5
Vocalist Michael Kiske and drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg were fired after the Chameleon tour. The charismatic vocalist Andi Deris from Pink Cream 69 and drummer Uli Kusch joined the band to help Weikath and Grapow to bring back the original Helloween sound. For starters, Master of the Rings opens with a short symphonic instrumental, just like the Keepers. Weikath took matters on his own hands and wrote 60% of the album, some in partnership with Deris. Grapow wrote 3 and Deris one by himself. The first 3 proper songs are Helloween at its best. 3 powerful power metal classics. Mr. Kusch didn't hold back on the drums! "Sole Survivor" starts with a drum riff which is one of the best drums intros ever*. But funny enough the tracks 3 "Where the Rain Grows" and 4 "Why?" also start with drums albeit in very different styles. Except for the ballad that could've been cut out, I don't think this album has a bad song. Overall, a very strong come back album.
The Time of the Oath (1996) - 8.5
Two years after the come back album, Helloween returned with a darker and heavier album, but one of the best post-Keepers albums. The album cover features the keeper hood mixed with Master of the Rings cover and the album artwork features a lot of pumpkins! Actually, each of the 12 songs has a pumpkin avatar. Those are 12 proper songs, no intros or instrumentals, with just over 60 min it's a long album . The song writing is all over the place but slightly dominated by Deris and just one song credited to Grapow, the title track. Overall, I love this record, it's very well written, produced, and executed. It sounds powerful, dark, melodic and catchy at the same time.
Better Than Raw (1998) - 8.0
Another good album, but it didn't hold up against the previous two albums. The artwork is great, again there's a pumpkin per song, and it brought back the instrumental intro song. The album is not as heavy as the predecessor but the song Push is one of their heaviest songs ever. But at moments the album is melodic (Falling Higher) or mid tempo (Time). Grapow didn't write any songs, all the other four contributed. Great album.
The Dark Ride (2000) - 8.5
After three albums on the same line, Helloween threw a curved ball with this one. The title says it all, it's a dark album, lyrically and musically. and that works for me. The evil black pumpkin on the cover makes a statement. After the instrumental intro, they deliver 4 very strong melodic and yet heavy songs. Then the single "If I Could Fly" doesn't work for me, too radio friendly, it feels out of place. Foreshadowing the line up changes that would come, none of the 12 songs was written in partnership. Deris dominated with 5 songs, and quite honestly at least two of those could've been cut out. I really like this album, and I was sad to see this line-up break-up after delivering 4 solid records.
Rabbit Don't Come Easy (2003) - 7.5
This was the first album to feature Sascha Gerstner on guitars, who replaced Roland Grapow. Mikkey Dee of Motörhead played the drums on a session basis. Despite a couple of good moments, I never really got into this album. It's again long, 12 songs in 61 minutes and pretty much feels like a transitional album.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy (2005) - 7.0
Dani Löble debuts as drummer in the album that is supposedly the continuation to their Keeper albums. It's their only double CD to date with nearly 80 minutes playing time. It features their longest song yet "The King for a 1000 Years" with almost 14 min. Like the majority of double albums, it's a difficult one to go through and it has some fillers. It's been 12 years and I still don't get this album.
Gambling with the Devil (2007) - 7.5
Albeit still a bit too long, GwtD is more digestible than Keeper 3. It starts very well with a sequence of 4 good songs. They are heavy and emotional. But then the album drags and overstay its welcome. Luckily the closing track finishes GwtD in a high note. There are good moments, riffs and songs and a very nice artwork. But like most (if not all) album post Grapow/Kush, it's long and inconsistent.
7 Sinners (2010) - 7.5
7S builds on GwtD and it's even heavier. Specially the first half of the album is very good and aggressive. "Where The Sinners Go" and "Are You Metal?" are some of their best songs in years, straight up metal. The 12 song in 60 min formula from the Gerstner era doesn't really work for me. Too many fillers and the mandatory ballad that makes it again an inconsistent album.
Straight Out of Hell (2013) - 8.0
The formula is the same, 13 songs in 60 min including a ballad. But somehow SOoH is a bit more inspired than previous releases and it's the best album of the Gerstner period. Helloween goes back to its roots: melodic and fun. "Wanna Be God" and the tittle track are great tracks. "Wanna Be God" for being different and catchy and SOoH is just lots of fun.
My God-Given Right (2015) - 7.5
After SOoH, this album came just two years later and disappointed me. I thought Helloween would be able to build on the predecessor and continue to grow. But it just went back to the same level of the other releases since 2005. Of course that there are good songs, but many fillers. I hope that the Pumpkins United experience will inspire the band to break these formulated albums and do something different and truly memorable.
At the end of the day, here is my take on the Helloween albums ranked from best to worse.
1 Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 2
2 Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 1
3 The Time of the Oath
4 Masters of the Ring
5 The Dark Ride
6 Walls of Jericho
7 Better Than Raw
8 Straight Out of Hell
9 Pink Bubbles Go Ape
10 7 Sinners
11 My God-Given Right
12 Rabbit Don't Come Easy
13 Gambling With The Devil
14 Chameleon
15 Keeper Of The Seven Keys - The Legacy
Walls of Jericho (1985) - 8.5
Walls of Jericho is the debut LP released on October 1985 when the band was a quartet featuring Kai Hansen as lead vocalist and guitarist. This is a great first album, production is sub optimal, not all songs are great and Kai was singing well but the song writing demand more from a vocalist. Still, songs like Ride The Sky, Guardians and How Many Tears are first class classics and showed what those guys were capable of. This album features songs with high tempo. It basically combines Kill em All with The Number of the Beast while adding some humor and their own German melodic touch. The writing credits are split between Michael Weikath and Kai Hansen, 3 songs each and 3 together. When WoJ was released on CD, it also included the S/T debut EP. And it actually includes some great songs such as Starlight and Victim of Fate.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I (1987) - 9.5
The second album and now an absolute power metal classic, Keeper I marks the debut of the phenomenal Michael Kiske on vocals. Due to an injury, Weikath did not contribute significantly to the song writing (just one song) leaving it to Hansen and Kiske with one song. The tempo slows down a bit at some points and the song writing is slightly more progressive with more variations to their tool box. Of course, Kiske's vocal range allowed Helloween to have much more freedom. The guitar duos, the big choruses, backing vocals and harmonies, melodic and powerful verses and bridges are all perfected and hallmarks of Power Metal. I'm glad they didn't release it as a double album because part I is almost perfect, and then part II is basically the perfect album of this genre.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II (1988) - 10
Not much else to say about this absolute heavy metal classic! It's one of my top albums of all times. It's just perfect. With a good balance of writing being shared among Hansen, Weikath and Kiske. After the intro song it's a collection of metal anthems and when you think it can't get any better, it closes with an epic 13 min masterpiece title track. I rest my case.
Pink Bubbles Go Ape (1991) - 8.0
This is not a great album, but it's not as bad as you may have heard. The departure of guitarist Kai Hansen, with Roland Grapow replacing him, is one reason. But I think it has a lot to do with Kiske's desire to make softer and less epic music. Weikath only wrote two songs, leaving the rest to Kiske and Grapow. The band also got completely rid from the Halloween/Pumpkin imagery. There are some good tracks like: "Kids of the Century", "Number One" and "Mankind". but the highlight is Grapow's "The Chance". A decent album, specially for those who enjoy Kiske's singing.
Chameleon (1993) - 7.0
I admire the guys for taking the risk and do something different, unfortunately the result was not a Helloween album. The Power Metal sound, that the band helped to create, was replaced by a progressive rock with some pop elements. And Chameleon is a great name for the album which features a lot of different sounds and musical influences. Reflecting the tensions within the band, none of the songs was co-written. Each of the song writers contributed with 4 songs and they are all very different from each other. It's definitely one of worst Helloween albums if you judge it by the standards set by the first three albums. However, it's not a bad progressive rock album and it was very well produced ( a problem with the earlier albums). On the bright side, the pumpkin returned to the band's logo and the commercial failure led to positive changes.
Master of the Rings (1994) - 8.5
Vocalist Michael Kiske and drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg were fired after the Chameleon tour. The charismatic vocalist Andi Deris from Pink Cream 69 and drummer Uli Kusch joined the band to help Weikath and Grapow to bring back the original Helloween sound. For starters, Master of the Rings opens with a short symphonic instrumental, just like the Keepers. Weikath took matters on his own hands and wrote 60% of the album, some in partnership with Deris. Grapow wrote 3 and Deris one by himself. The first 3 proper songs are Helloween at its best. 3 powerful power metal classics. Mr. Kusch didn't hold back on the drums! "Sole Survivor" starts with a drum riff which is one of the best drums intros ever*. But funny enough the tracks 3 "Where the Rain Grows" and 4 "Why?" also start with drums albeit in very different styles. Except for the ballad that could've been cut out, I don't think this album has a bad song. Overall, a very strong come back album.
The Time of the Oath (1996) - 8.5
Two years after the come back album, Helloween returned with a darker and heavier album, but one of the best post-Keepers albums. The album cover features the keeper hood mixed with Master of the Rings cover and the album artwork features a lot of pumpkins! Actually, each of the 12 songs has a pumpkin avatar. Those are 12 proper songs, no intros or instrumentals, with just over 60 min it's a long album . The song writing is all over the place but slightly dominated by Deris and just one song credited to Grapow, the title track. Overall, I love this record, it's very well written, produced, and executed. It sounds powerful, dark, melodic and catchy at the same time.
Better Than Raw (1998) - 8.0
Another good album, but it didn't hold up against the previous two albums. The artwork is great, again there's a pumpkin per song, and it brought back the instrumental intro song. The album is not as heavy as the predecessor but the song Push is one of their heaviest songs ever. But at moments the album is melodic (Falling Higher) or mid tempo (Time). Grapow didn't write any songs, all the other four contributed. Great album.
The Dark Ride (2000) - 8.5
After three albums on the same line, Helloween threw a curved ball with this one. The title says it all, it's a dark album, lyrically and musically. and that works for me. The evil black pumpkin on the cover makes a statement. After the instrumental intro, they deliver 4 very strong melodic and yet heavy songs. Then the single "If I Could Fly" doesn't work for me, too radio friendly, it feels out of place. Foreshadowing the line up changes that would come, none of the 12 songs was written in partnership. Deris dominated with 5 songs, and quite honestly at least two of those could've been cut out. I really like this album, and I was sad to see this line-up break-up after delivering 4 solid records.
Rabbit Don't Come Easy (2003) - 7.5
This was the first album to feature Sascha Gerstner on guitars, who replaced Roland Grapow. Mikkey Dee of Motörhead played the drums on a session basis. Despite a couple of good moments, I never really got into this album. It's again long, 12 songs in 61 minutes and pretty much feels like a transitional album.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy (2005) - 7.0
Dani Löble debuts as drummer in the album that is supposedly the continuation to their Keeper albums. It's their only double CD to date with nearly 80 minutes playing time. It features their longest song yet "The King for a 1000 Years" with almost 14 min. Like the majority of double albums, it's a difficult one to go through and it has some fillers. It's been 12 years and I still don't get this album.
Gambling with the Devil (2007) - 7.5
Albeit still a bit too long, GwtD is more digestible than Keeper 3. It starts very well with a sequence of 4 good songs. They are heavy and emotional. But then the album drags and overstay its welcome. Luckily the closing track finishes GwtD in a high note. There are good moments, riffs and songs and a very nice artwork. But like most (if not all) album post Grapow/Kush, it's long and inconsistent.
7 Sinners (2010) - 7.5
7S builds on GwtD and it's even heavier. Specially the first half of the album is very good and aggressive. "Where The Sinners Go" and "Are You Metal?" are some of their best songs in years, straight up metal. The 12 song in 60 min formula from the Gerstner era doesn't really work for me. Too many fillers and the mandatory ballad that makes it again an inconsistent album.
Straight Out of Hell (2013) - 8.0
The formula is the same, 13 songs in 60 min including a ballad. But somehow SOoH is a bit more inspired than previous releases and it's the best album of the Gerstner period. Helloween goes back to its roots: melodic and fun. "Wanna Be God" and the tittle track are great tracks. "Wanna Be God" for being different and catchy and SOoH is just lots of fun.
My God-Given Right (2015) - 7.5
After SOoH, this album came just two years later and disappointed me. I thought Helloween would be able to build on the predecessor and continue to grow. But it just went back to the same level of the other releases since 2005. Of course that there are good songs, but many fillers. I hope that the Pumpkins United experience will inspire the band to break these formulated albums and do something different and truly memorable.
At the end of the day, here is my take on the Helloween albums ranked from best to worse.
1 Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 2
2 Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 1
3 The Time of the Oath
4 Masters of the Ring
5 The Dark Ride
6 Walls of Jericho
7 Better Than Raw
8 Straight Out of Hell
9 Pink Bubbles Go Ape
10 7 Sinners
11 My God-Given Right
12 Rabbit Don't Come Easy
13 Gambling With The Devil
14 Chameleon
15 Keeper Of The Seven Keys - The Legacy
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