Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United

[NoseofNicko]

Really been digging Angels lately. I think it’s become one of my top 5 favorite songs on the album.

[MirrorMask]

Saw them in Italy last night!!! 

It basically turned out into a mini festival - they had Sabaton with them, and they basically played their full show with the full production, plus Beast in Black (ultra cheesy power metal band from Finland, you either despise them or just give in to their "love child of Abba and Judas Priest" songs like I did), and a local band (Moonlight Haze).

This was my setlist:

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/helloween/2022/ippodromo-del-galoppo-di-san-siro-milan-italy-3bb36c38.html

The band was tight and great, I got spoiled seeing the three hour reunion show which made us all metal kids in a candy store, with Christmas and Halloween happening together  , but now that the "wooooow Kiske and Hansen are back!" surprise factor wore off, I still got to see an awesome band who pioneered a genre still playing an awesome show.

Andi Deris, to my pleasure, is still the house master. Kiske was there to make us all feel in the '80s again, and only the lack of hair betrayed the passage of time because f'k yeah, you closed your eyes during Eagle Fly Free and you could pretend it was 30 years ago again, but Deris still was the frontman, the showman, the most entertaining one on stage, the one who talked more out of the three singers. Heck, probably even Kai Hansen talked more than Kiske. Deris absolutely destroys Kiske when it comes to frontman duties and stage presence (hey, probably Kiske even likes it that way), and it took Deris giant balls to go along with the reunion leaving aside his fears - if he had any - that he'd be shunned by fans for Kiske. He's still in command, and I bet he's probably happy of finally being rid of having to sing Eagle Fly Free and Future World (and being compared to Kiske for it). I can't think of any other band that could pull off a reunion with the classic singer, with the "newest" singer still being the undisputed leader of the stage. Probably because Helloween is the only case where the "replacement singer" lasted that long creating so many good albums and a legacy of his own.

Kai Hansen's medley was also an highlight of the show. I finally got to hear Victim of Fate even if not in full, whooho!!!! oh, to be kids again and hearing those Kai Hansen songs.... and seeing him playing next to Weikath.... and hearing Kiske singing those songs like time hasn't passed.... I mean, I'm old but not THAT old, Kiske was already history when I started to listen to power metal  so for the second time seeing one of the very best bands of the genre pull out a convincing show with two (basically three) singers was totally worth the stress of going there the day after having returned from holidays. Back home by plane at 2 AM in the morning, and in the early noon straight to the concert. No regrets 

[TAC]

Awesome review, Andrea. I loved reading it.

You are right about Andi. That guy has giant fucking balls. He and Kiske are so different, especially personality wise on stage, but they really do work so well together. Andi is all class, and he and Kiske really seem to actually like each other. They make a great team. They even sound great together.

I couldn't wait for the Manchester/London shows a couple of months ago. A bit disappointed they didn't introduce some different older tracks, but I'm glad they kept the Kai part. It's a fucking amazing part of the show, and gives the show a whole 'nuther dimension.

They all have great on stage chemistry that really makes this work.

And I remember being in awe of Dani Loble. That guy was flawless and in command of every track.



I need US dates!!!!

[Mladen]

Andi Deris earned his spot in Hellowen. He is the band as much as Weikath, Hansen and Kiske are. 

[Samsara]

Really hope they come back to the States. I had a ticket to their show in LA. Something happened that required me to miss the whole thing. I've been a fan since 1987, and was so excited. One of my major regrets. I can't believe I had to skip it. It was the right thing to do, but a huge bummer. Been hoping for another chance. Set list looks awesome.

[Samsara]

So I need to throw this out there.

I find myself just not all that impressed with the latest Helloween record. It's fine, and it's cool to have Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske back. But I feel the record...doesn't know what it wants to be. Using both vocalists live, and the live stuff - totally makes sense. And Skyfall, its a great track. But Skyfall is the highlight of the album to my ears. The rest sort of...just don't know if they are supposed to be power metal songs written for a tenor, or more hard rock/metal made for not as dynamic of a singer. And that combination sort of throws me.

It could be simply that I love the Keeper I & II records so much (I basically consider them one fully record) that it is biasing me. But I just can't get into self-titled Helloween album. Am I the only one?

I'm an unabashed Kiske fan. I'm not so fond of Deris. He is a great songwriter for sure. Good singer. But Kiske's voice and the style of those first two Keeper records is what drew me to Helloween...

[Grappler]

I'd probably enjoy the s/t album less if I wasn't as into Andi Deris as I eventually came to be a handful of years ago.  I love his era of Helloween, where they went heavier and grittier as opposed to the clean power metal style of the Keepers albums.  Songs like Mr. Torture, Paint a New World and Bells of the 7 Hells are pure headbangers.

I was expecting more of Kiske and Kai on the new album, but it works fine for me.  I see Kai as the speed/thrash metal singer, Andi as the heavy, grittier singer guy and Kiske as the clean guy.  They seem to divide that up fairly well.

[TAC]

So I need to throw this out there.

I find myself just not all that impressed with the latest Helloween record. It's fine, and it's cool to have Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske back. But I feel the record...doesn't know what it wants to be. Using both vocalists live, and the live stuff - totally makes sense. And Skyfall, its a great track. But Skyfall is the highlight of the album to my ears. The rest sort of...just don't know if they are supposed to be power metal songs written for a tenor, or more hard rock/metal made for not as dynamic of a singer. And that combination sort of throws me.

It could be simply that I love the Keeper I & II records so much (I basically consider them one fully record) that it is biasing me. But I just can't get into self-titled Helloween album. Am I the only one?

I'm an unabashed Kiske fan. I'm not so fond of Deris. He is a great songwriter for sure. Good singer. But Kiske's voice and the style of those first two Keeper records is what drew me to Helloween...

Interesting post.

I think it was easy to get caught up in expecting a perfect album. The thing is, it is not a perfect album, with its own hierarchy of songs.

You're right on this...Skyfall is the highlight of the album. It's also the only Kai track. And for some reason, he expected to be the vocalist on it. One of the album's shortfalls is not having any more Kai tracks, but for some reason, he only wrote one.

I think Down In The Dumps, Out For The Glory, Fear Of The Fallen, Rise Without Chains, and Robot Man are all excellent tracks, and musically, all I was hoping for. Plus the vocal recording and mixing is masterclass. Dennis Ward did an amazing job with the vocals, pushing up Kiske (while still clearly hearing Andi) on a first chorus, and then pushing up Andi (while still clearly hearing Kiske) in the next chorus. With the exception of FOTF and RWC, as great as these tunes are, they have dumb AF lyrics. Which brings me to my second shortfall, which is that Kiske didn't write any lyrics.

If they do another album, we need more music from Kai and Kiske to write lyrics.

This brings me to the two Sasha tunes, Best Time and Angels. These are great tunes and are the two tracks that feel fresh. Angels is phenomenal.

Markus' Indestructible has really grown on me. It's straight ahead, but I really like it.

Andi's two tracks, Cyanide and Mass Pollution are both disappointing. I just don't think they're that great.



It took me a long time to come around to Andi, but he carried Helloween on his back for years, and really gave them this lengthy career. There are some great Andi albums all the way through their discography.
Plus, I really like Andi. He has balls of steel. He doesn't shy away from any track. He's an extremely strong and varied vocalist.


Now, as a whole, I expect a better album the next time around, but I am more than happy with the s/t. I still listen to it regularly. My biggest fear is that it will be a one and done.

[wolfking]

So I need to throw this out there.

I find myself just not all that impressed with the latest Helloween record. It's fine, and it's cool to have Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske back. But I feel the record...doesn't know what it wants to be. Using both vocalists live, and the live stuff - totally makes sense. And Skyfall, its a great track. But Skyfall is the highlight of the album to my ears. The rest sort of...just don't know if they are supposed to be power metal songs written for a tenor, or more hard rock/metal made for not as dynamic of a singer. And that combination sort of throws me.

It could be simply that I love the Keeper I & II records so much (I basically consider them one fully record) that it is biasing me. But I just can't get into self-titled Helloween album. Am I the only one?

I'm an unabashed Kiske fan. I'm not so fond of Deris. He is a great songwriter for sure. Good singer. But Kiske's voice and the style of those first two Keeper records is what drew me to Helloween...

To be honest, I hated it when it came out.  I thought it sounded like shit and the hype wasn't warranted.  I've grown to really like the album.  I'm a Deris man all the way.  I discovered the band with TDR and went from there.  I was kinda 'meh' hearing Kiske on record with Andi.  I think it's a very good Deris album with Kiske on vocals.  Kai has some nice leads and I actually wish he had a few more vocal lines.

Saying all that though, it's funny because my fav track is actually the Kiske only bonus track, Golden Times.

[TAC]

I definitely want a Kai vocal on the next album, or at least an extended Kai vocal part in a song.

[wolfking]

I definitely want a Kai vocal on the next album, or at least an extended Kai vocal part in a song.

His little bits were really cool, but I'm a Gamma Ray fanboy, but yeah something like a Kai and Andi song would be interesting.

[gazinwales]

I definitely want a Kai vocal on the next album, or at least an extended Kai vocal part in a song.

He does a full lead vocals on 'We Are Real' which is an exclusive Japan bonus track from the last album.
Unfortunately it by far the worst song of the 'reunion' era.

[wolfking]

I definitely want a Kai vocal on the next album, or at least an extended Kai vocal part in a song.

He does a full lead vocals on 'We Are Real' which is an exclusive Japan bonus track from the last album.
Unfortunately it by far the worst song of the 'reunion' era.

I think I checked that and didn't make it through the whole song from memory.

[TAC]

 




Full listing!

[pg1067]

I'll have to keep my eyes open for when tickets go on sale.  Friday night show in LA.  I'm down for that!

[Ben_Jamin]

I'll definitely be at the Denver show. Not gonna miss this.

[TAC]

I'll have to keep my eyes open for when tickets go on sale.  Friday night show in LA.  I'm down for that!

Tickets for Worcester go on sale tomorrow.

[pg1067]

I'll have to keep my eyes open for when tickets go on sale.  Friday night show in LA.  I'm down for that!

Tickets for Worcester go on sale tomorrow.

Well...alright...just checked, and so does the LA show.   

[MirrorMask]

So I need to throw this out there.

I find myself just not all that impressed with the latest Helloween record. It's fine, and it's cool to have Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske back. But I feel the record...doesn't know what it wants to be. Using both vocalists live, and the live stuff - totally makes sense. And Skyfall, its a great track. But Skyfall is the highlight of the album to my ears. The rest sort of...just don't know if they are supposed to be power metal songs written for a tenor, or more hard rock/metal made for not as dynamic of a singer. And that combination sort of throws me.

It could be simply that I love the Keeper I & II records so much (I basically consider them one fully record) that it is biasing me. But I just can't get into self-titled Helloween album. Am I the only one?

I'm an unabashed Kiske fan. I'm not so fond of Deris. He is a great songwriter for sure. Good singer. But Kiske's voice and the style of those first two Keeper records is what drew me to Helloween...

I have to agree.

Maybe not on the details, but the general feeling.... the album is good, of course. And it's way better than My God Given Right. But it's not "OMG the Pumpkins are back and I have goosebumps all over the place just like when I saw the show!!!" good. Skyfall is a masterpiece, but the difference between that song and the rest of the album is striking.

It's not that it sucks, it's not that it has bad songs, it's not that there ain't memorable stuff and it's not like we needed a carbon copy of Eagle Fly Free or Future World, but.... I guess since the reunion shows went so good, and Pumpkins United (the song) was so funny, catchy and cheesy in the right way, that it seemed they could really deliver Helloween's best album in 15-20 years or whatever, but it didn't happen.

Of course expectations were insanely high, but the ingredients for a mindblowing masterpiece were all there. I mean, cancel the reunion, therefore leaving the lineup at it was pre Kiske and Hansen, and scrap Skyfall off the album - you remain with just another modern Helloween album that probably falls mid of the road against the most recent outputs.

I still like the album generally, but definitively I have no big wow factor hearing it. Probably it's even a miracle the reunion went so well, and now that they've known each other a little more, the next album will truly be a "Pumpkins reunited" album. Because Helloween (I really dislike self titled albums however) in the end it's just another recent Helloween album with Helloween's usual songwriters, with a couple vocalists more and a big epic written by Kai Hansen. I'd really like the songwriters to mix up more and not stay separate - give us a Hansen / Deris song, an Hansen / Weikath song, as said let Kiske write a lyric etc.... something more of a collaborative effort so to speak.

[Samsara]

If anyone can help with the presale code for San Francisco, I'd appreciate it. I am NOT, after missing out on two Helloween shows (2008 due to my wife being VERY pregnant) and the last tour in LA, come hell or high water, I am going to June 3, 2022, at The Warfield.

I am excited as all hell for this. 

MM - yes, Skyfall is outstanding. The rest...just as you said...nothing memorable.

But, that doesn't dull my anticipation for FINALLY SEEING HELLOWEEN LIVE WITH KISKE!!! 

[MirrorMask]

I forgot to add that I'm a total Deris fanboy btw, and well proud of it 

[pg1067]

If anyone can help with the presale code for San Francisco, I'd appreciate it.

Oh...yeah...same for LA (presale tomorrow and regular on sale Friday).

[Samsara]

I'm very tempted to annoy you with my presence on that Friday, Paul. 

[TAC]

The Worcester presale code is WOOSTA.

[Samsara]

 

[pg1067]

Bring it on, Brian!  I have a friend here at work who won't commit to a show that far into the future.

And Tim, for real???   

[TAC]

[pg1067]

 

Where's you get the code?

[Samsara]

Only Helloween would make the code WOOSTA. That's just classic. I lived in that state for three years, and I cracked up every time someone said that town's name.

[TAC]

A guy at work showed it to me on his phone. He knows I'm a fan. He gets alerts from something called Mass Concerts.

I've had a feeling that there was an announcement coming.

[ShadowWalker]

If anyone has presale codes for NY or MD, I would greatly appreciate the help!

GT

[pg1067]

Only Helloween would make the code WOOSTA. That's just classic. I lived in that state for three years, and I cracked up every time someone said that town's name.

Woburn is even better!

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the code for the LA show....

[ShadowWalker]

Only Helloween would make the code WOOSTA. That's just classic. I lived in that state for three years, and I cracked up every time someone said that town's name.

Woburn is even better!

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the code for the LA show....

I spent $6 to join the Knotfest website to get the code and it appears they never bothered to post it. $6 down the drain...

[Beedle]

Only Helloween would make the code WOOSTA. That's just classic. I lived in that state for three years, and I cracked up every time someone said that town's name.

Woburn is even better!

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the code for the LA show....

I spent $6 to join the Knotfest website to get the code and it appears they never bothered to post it. $6 down the drain...

Hey, try using PUMPKINS (for the MD show at least)

[Samsara]

GOT MY TICKETS!

AXS has the show for San Francisco at the Warfield. I wasn't missing this, so you could buy expensive, premium seats yesterday (Wednesday) on the app. So I nailed lower loge, row AA (that's front row). Clear sight lines for fucking HELLOWEEN!!!!!! I didn't even care how much they cost. I got the perfect seats to enjoy this. SO excited.