Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United

[wolfking]

Not sure if there are any Helloween fans here, but I for one love them, one of my favourite bands of all time.  Their new album is coming out on Nov 9th, titled 7 Sinners.   

Anyone else planning to pick this up?? 

Check out the new video for the single, Are You Metal?  Yes, yes it's a song about metal, but listen to it before you pass judgment, it's pretty damn cool.

Are You Metal?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfSUCJACyKs


7 Sinners

01. Where The Sinners Go
02. Are You Metal?
03. Who is Mr. Madman?
04. Raise The Noise
05. World Of Fantasy
06. Long Live The King
07. The Smile Of The Sun
08. You Stupid Mankind
09. If A Mountain Could Talk
10. The Sage, The Fool, The Sinner
11. My Sacrifice
12. Not Yet Today
13. Far In The Future

[Zydar]

Pretty cool song

[Mladen]

It's a catchy tune, but certainly not what I'd like to hear from Helloween. They're trying too hard to sound heavy, just listen to that bit after the second chorus. I'm still pretty sure the album will kick some ass, can't wait to hear it.

[King Postwhore]

Inb4 TAC.

[TAC]

Inb4 TAC.

The thing is, I really don't care for Deris. I mean they sound great...but I haven't bought ANYTHING post Kiske except the Perfect Gentleman EP which was released right when deris joined.

[wolfking]

Inb4 TAC.

The thing is, I really don't care for Deris. I mean they sound great...but I haven't bought ANYTHING post Kiske except the Perfect Gentleman EP which was released right when deris joined.

Dude, you are missing out.  Sure Deris is a complete 180 from Kiske and certainly an acquired taste, but they have done so much great music with Deris,  I'd say all their albums with him are essential.  After Pink Bubbles and Chameleon, Deris is just what the band needed.  Kiske was bringing them down, Deris is Helloween now.  My fav albums from Deris;


Rabbit Don't Come Easy
Dark Ride
Better Than Raw
Time of the Oath
Keeper of the Seven Keys Legacy

Hell, just add all of them, they are all great.

[wolfking]

It's a catchy tune, but certainly not what I'd like to hear from Helloween. They're trying too hard to sound heavy, just listen to that bit after the second chorus. I'm still pretty sure the album will kick some ass, can't wait to hear it.

I think they did this on purpose.  My theory is they did the horrible Unarmed and wanted something overly heavy to contrast, so they have done this, I believe it was all planned.

[TAC]

It wasn't so much of him being a 180 from Kiske, it's just that I did not care for his voice. I'll try and add some of their stuff. I have been thinking about starting with their new album. I mean, the music sounded great.

[wolfking]

It wasn't so much of him being a 180 from Kiske, it's just that I did not care for his voice. I'll try and add some of their stuff. I have been thinking about starting with their new album. I mean, the music sounded great.

Yeah, Deris actually sounds surprising good on this track.  The last couple of albums and tours his voice really has been slipping IMO, but he has seemed to kick back into gear here.  I'd really recommend Better Than Raw, The Dark Ride and Rabbit Don't Come Easy, he sounded really good on those.

Here's some 30 second samples of the new songs.

https://www.cede.ch/de/music-cd/frames/right.cfm?aobj=858288&mp_type=popup

Sounds decent, nothing really jumps out at me here, but hey, they are 30 second samples.  Going by most of the other songs, doesn't sound like it will be any heavier than Gamling, Better Than Raw or The Dark Ride.

[Dittomist]

I was just about to post a Helloween thread. Now that it's October, Helloween is one of the most appropriate bands to listen to. I am really excited about the new album, as these guys hardly ever disappoint me. It's true that they intended to make this one of their heaviest albums because of all the criticism against Unarmed.
The albums that all Helloween fans NEED to own are all 3 Keeper albums, Better Than Raw, The Time of the Oath, Chameleon, The Dark Ride, and Master of the Rings. Also essential is Gamma Ray's Heading for Tomorrow because for obvious reasons, it sounds so much like the first two Keeper albums.
HAPPY HAPPY HELLOWEEN, HELLOWEEN, HELLOWEEN, HAPPY HAPPY HELLOWEEN, SILVER SHAMROCK!

[yeshaberto]

better than I expected

[InstrumentalFiasco]

I agree about the Deris' albums. They are all solid and Helloween is just as good today as they were in the 80s.

[wolfking]

I was just about to post a Helloween thread. Now that it's October, Helloween is one of the most appropriate bands to listen to. I am really excited about the new album, as these guys hardly ever disappoint me. It's true that they intended to make this one of their heaviest albums because of all the criticism against Unarmed.
The albums that all Helloween fans NEED to own are all 3 Keeper albums, Better Than Raw, The Time of the Oath, Chameleon, The Dark Ride, and Master of the Rings. Also essential is Gamma Ray's Heading for Tomorrow because for obvious reasons, it sounds so much like the first two Keeper albums.
HAPPY HAPPY HELLOWEEN, HELLOWEEN, HELLOWEEN, HAPPY HAPPY HELLOWEEN, SILVER SHAMROCK!

Heading for Tomorrow I'd say is Gamma Ray's weakest album.  Although the title track is one of their best songs.

[wolfking]

I agree about the Deris' albums. They are all solid and Helloween is just as good today as they were in the 80s.

This is a true statement.

[TAC]

Well, I'll be checking them out..

[wkiml]

Inb4 TAC.

The thing is, I really don't care for Deris. I mean they sound great...but I haven't bought ANYTHING post Kiske except the Perfect Gentleman EP which was released right when deris joined.

this for me as well.....although i can say I honestly dont own anything after Kiske left....I did get heavily into Gamma Ray for awhile, because they sounded more like the Helloween I loved than the Deris stuff did, but they became very predictable with their sound.

[wolfking]

Well, I'll be checking them out..

Please do.  You may like it, or you may not.  But give it a chance, there is some brilliant music.  Let us know what you check out and your opinions.

[wolfking]

Inb4 TAC.

The thing is, I really don't care for Deris. I mean they sound great...but I haven't bought ANYTHING post Kiske except the Perfect Gentleman EP which was released right when deris joined.

this for me as well.....although i can say I honestly dont own anything after Kiske left....I did get heavily into Gamma Ray for awhile, because they sounded more like the Helloween I loved than the Deris stuff did, but they became very predictable with their sound.

I prefer Gamma Ray over Helloween myself, I love their sound.  The Somewhere Out In Space - No World Order era was absolute power metal perfection.

[wolfking]

Full album is streaming on the bands myspace if anyone's interested.

https://www.myspace.com/helloween

[Mladen]

Listening to it right now... The Sage, The Fool, The Sinner is pretty awesome. 

[RazielSR]

Cool. I will see them with Stratovarius in Madrid on January.

[wolfking]

I've only listened to the first 5 songs as I want some fresh stuff when I buy it.  I am really impressed with this so far.  World of Fantasy is AMAZING!!

[ShadowWalker]

Dude, you are missing out.  Sure Deris is a complete 180 from Kiske and certainly an acquired taste, but they have done so much great music with Deris,  I'd say all their albums with him are essential.  After Pink Bubbles and Chameleon, Deris is just what the band needed.  Kiske was bringing them down, Deris is Helloween now.  My fav albums from Deris;


Rabbit Don't Come Easy
Dark Ride
Better Than Raw
Time of the Oath
Keeper of the Seven Keys Legacy

Hell, just add all of them, they are all great.

No love for Master of the Rings? That album remains firmly as my second Helloween album behind Keys II.

[wolfking]

Oh I love it, but it's probably not in my top 5.  But Why, Sole Survivor, Where the Rain Grows, Mr. Ego, Perfect Gentleman, Secret Alibi, great album.

[wolfking]

Just listened to the cd for the first time.  Very solid, but a lot of songs to take in, definitely needs more spins.

I don't understand the hype of it being so heavy, it's not as heavy as The Dark Ride or Gambling with the Devil.  Even half the songs from Better Than raw and even a lot of tracks from Rabbit Don't Come Easy are heavier than this.

[Leorimus]

I was just about to post a Helloween thread. Now that it's October, Helloween is one of the most appropriate bands to listen to. I am really excited about the new album, as these guys hardly ever disappoint me. It's true that they intended to make this one of their heaviest albums because of all the criticism against Unarmed.
The albums that all Helloween fans NEED to own are all 3 Keeper albums, Better Than Raw, The Time of the Oath, Chameleon, The Dark Ride, and Master of the Rings. Also essential is Gamma Ray's Heading for Tomorrow because for obvious reasons, it sounds so much like the first two Keeper albums.
HAPPY HAPPY HELLOWEEN, HELLOWEEN, HELLOWEEN, HAPPY HAPPY HELLOWEEN, SILVER SHAMROCK!

Heading for Tomorrow I'd say is Gamma Ray's weakest album.  Although the title track is one of their best songs.

Really? 
Even though I love Gamma Ray with Kai on vocals, specially on Land Of The Free, I still regard their first 2 albums as some of their best.

[wolfking]

I was just about to post a Helloween thread. Now that it's October, Helloween is one of the most appropriate bands to listen to. I am really excited about the new album, as these guys hardly ever disappoint me. It's true that they intended to make this one of their heaviest albums because of all the criticism against Unarmed.
The albums that all Helloween fans NEED to own are all 3 Keeper albums, Better Than Raw, The Time of the Oath, Chameleon, The Dark Ride, and Master of the Rings. Also essential is Gamma Ray's Heading for Tomorrow because for obvious reasons, it sounds so much like the first two Keeper albums.
HAPPY HAPPY HELLOWEEN, HELLOWEEN, HELLOWEEN, HAPPY HAPPY HELLOWEEN, SILVER SHAMROCK!

Heading for Tomorrow I'd say is Gamma Ray's weakest album.  Although the title track is one of their best songs.

Really? 
Even though I love Gamma Ray with Kai on vocals, specially on Land Of The Free, I still regard their first 2 albums as some of their best.

I generally though Heading and Sigh were considered their weakest.  I really love both albums though.  Sigh no more is excellent.

[Mladen]

I've listened to 7 Sinners quite a bit for the last week or so...

It's great.

[Dittomist]

Yeah, I am happy with it too. My Sacrifice, The Smile of the Sun, You Stupid Mankind, Long Live the King, and Far in the Future are the standout tracks in my opinion. Deris' vocals are extremely strong on this album.

[Mladen]

My favorites include:

The Sage, the fool, the sinner
Raise the noise
Long live the king
The Smile of the sun
If a mountain could talk

[wolfking]

I still haven't had a chance to listen through it again, but I did enjoy it the first time.  Deris does sound very strong.  There doesn't seem to be any standout tracks on first listen, but at the same time, there was no bad tracks.

[wolfking]

This album is really growing on me, heaps of amazing tracks, and very consistent and solid.  Favs;

Where the Sinners Go
Are You Metal?
Who Is Mr. Madman?
Raise the Noise
World of Fantasy
If A Mountain Could Talk
Far in the Future
I'm Free (Bonus Track)

Lot's of great songs.  And Weiki hasn't done anything cringe worthing this time like Can Do It.  Raise the Noise is the fun song on the album, but not too sickening like some of his other more light hearted songs.

[wolfking]

Kosmo got me back into this album and just thought I'd bump this thread.  This album is aging very well, and the songs are exceptionally strong after not listening to it for a few months.  Helloween are on fire!!

[wolfking]

Check out the bonus tracks from 7 Sinners, they are available to stream on Grooveshark;

I'm Free (On most cd editions)
Aiming High
Faster We Fall

Just as good as the album tracks.  All written by Markus I think.

[TAC]

https://www.bravewords.com/news/158200

GAMMA RAY Frontman Kai Hansen Joins Former HELLOWEEN Bandmate Michael Kiske In UNISONIC
Hot Flashes
Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 at 09:25:06 EST


Former HELLOWEEN vocalist Michael Kiske's website has revealed that Kiske and GAMMA RAY frontman Kai Hansen (ex-Helloween) have teamed up again, with Kai joining UNISONIC.

Says Michael Kiske: "After so many years of abstinence I had a lot of fun doing my first live shows with Unisonic in summer 2010, so I agreed to do the short world tour with AVANTASIA. It was a great experience to be on stage with all those great artist, but with Kai it was something different: We instantly felt the magic again and had a lot of fun together on and off stage. We both realized that we want to be together in a band again. He was interested in the open musical concept of Unisonic and finally asked me if he could join the band. I talked to my bandmates and they all felt great about it. His talent as a guitarist and songwriter is an enrichment for the band and we are looking forward to his contribution for the music of Unisonic."

Kai Hansen will stay a member of his band Gamma Ray and play all scheduled shows. Currently he is writing songs with the Unisonic guys for the long anticipated debut album, which is planned to be released at the end of 2011.

Unisonic lineup:

Michael Kiske (vocals)
Mandy Meyer (guitars)
Kai Hansen (guitars)
Dennis Ward (bass)
Kosta Zafiriou (drums)


Holy f##king Shit!!!!!!