Author Topic: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United  (Read 179089 times)

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Offline MirrorMask

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #665 on: November 30, 2017, 06:45:42 AM »
I agree with you about Gambling, and the blame is on the band - they played just two regular songs on the tour (As Long as I Fall and The Bell of the Seven Hells) and probably Paint a New World just some few times. They didn't give a chance to the many great songs of the album to be loved, therefore no song got to the "famous enough" status that warranted them a place in the setlist.

So while the reasoning to leave the album out of the setlist makes sense, the reasons that brought the album to be ignored are the ones I regret. Still, as I said, I can't really complain about a 3 hour, 2 singers, 24-or-so songs setlist!
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Offline Polarbear

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #666 on: December 01, 2017, 09:06:48 AM »
https://youtu.be/_YBgX6SmpPk

New interview with Kai and Weiki!

They also speak about a possibility of a new album, with the Pumpkins United lineup.

Offline IDontNotDoThings

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #667 on: February 23, 2018, 03:07:17 AM »
So I've been going through the Helloween discography lately & since I'm a little behind the survivor, I'll post my random thoughts about them here.

I'm currently on Pink Bubbles Go Ape, & it's a very "just good" album to me. Not quite a worthy follow-up to Keeper 2 (which I LOVE  :hefdaddy), but there's certainly some great tunes & decent pacing.

One thing I'm confused about though is why "You Run With The Pack" was cut from the album. It's honestly a lot better than a lot of the album & since it's already pretty short as is, I don't see why it wasn't included. Is it just me or does anyone share this opinion?

Also, I really dig Heavy Metal Hamsters, despite the weird lyrics. That solo section is probably the best on the album.  :metal
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Offline MirrorMask

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #668 on: February 23, 2018, 03:17:47 AM »
It's Heavy Metal Hamsters that was actually intended as a B-Side, it was put on the album by the label to Weikath's supreme annoyance. So that probably also answers why some songs made the album and some others didn't, the band itself probably didn't decide for them all. Also Shit and Lobster was a better choice.
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Offline IDontNotDoThings

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #669 on: February 23, 2018, 03:19:00 AM »
It's Heavy Metal Hamsters that was actually intended as a B-Side, it was put on the album by the label to Weikath's supreme annoyance. So that probably also answers why some songs made the album and some others didn't, the band itself probably didn't decide for them all. Also Shit and Lobster was a better choice.

STRONGLY disagree :puke:
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Offline ZKX-2099

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #670 on: February 23, 2018, 07:08:16 AM »
I just want to know what is up with that albums cover...

Offline The Walrus

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #671 on: February 23, 2018, 07:33:50 AM »
I refuse to acknowledge PBGA and Chameleon as Helloween albums
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Offline ZKX-2099

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #672 on: February 23, 2018, 07:51:52 AM »
You're missing out on 2 great albums, bro.

Offline MirrorMask

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #673 on: February 23, 2018, 08:24:24 AM »
If those two albums are "great", then all of the others are timeless and perfect masterpieces.

But yeah, there are many good songs on those, especially Pink Bubbles. An album entirely on the level of Kids of the Century, The Chance, Someone's Crying, Mankind and Your Turn would have been stellar.

Chameleon works better if you pretend it's a collection of three solo EPs by Weikath, Kiske and Grapow. Interesting album per se, but definitively absymal Helloween album. Giants and I Believe are wonderful however.
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Offline TAC

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #674 on: February 23, 2018, 08:31:44 AM »
Pink Bubbles has really aged well. Many great songs on that.

Yeah, Mask, I agree. Chameleon is like a compilation of solo albums. It’s actually the perfect title for that album.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
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Offline Samsara

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #675 on: February 23, 2018, 09:43:25 AM »
Pink Bubbles has really aged well. Many great songs on that.

Yeah, Mask, I agree. Chameleon is like a compilation of solo albums. It’s actually the perfect title for that album.

I have to admit my man, I haven't listened to either of those records in ages. But I distinctly remember not liking them at all. particularly Chameleon. I don't always listen to Helloween. But when I do, I listen to Keeper I and Keeper II, back-to-back. Stay German Power Metal my friends...  :metal
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Offline The Walrus

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #676 on: February 23, 2018, 10:03:36 AM »
You're missing out on 2 great albums, bro.

They're fucking dreadful, sorry. I only own them to complete my Helloween collection. They aren't good by any measure.  :lol
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Offline Mladen

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #677 on: February 23, 2018, 11:23:50 AM »
But yeah, there are many good songs on those, especially Pink Bubbles. An album entirely on the level of Kids of the Century, The Chance, Someone's Crying and Back On The Streets would have been stellar.
Fixed.

Offline IDontNotDoThings

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #678 on: February 23, 2018, 07:22:08 PM »
Just listened to Chameleon. It's a pretty awesome record but holy god it's an exhausting listen. Individual songs are great, but it goes on for so goddamn long it feels like it never ends. Most Helloween B-Sides I think are good enough to go on the main album, but with this one I'm glad they weren't included because if they were, it'd make the album near-impossible to get through.
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Offline jjrock88

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #679 on: February 23, 2018, 07:30:46 PM »
The songs "Giants" and "The Chance" are so awesome, it makes up for any filler or lesser tracks on those two albums.

Offline IDontNotDoThings

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #680 on: February 24, 2018, 05:37:33 PM »
Okay, I've listened to Chameleon a few more times &...


...please tell me I'm not the only one that really loved Crazy Cat.
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Offline Mladen

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #681 on: February 25, 2018, 03:34:42 AM »
I for one adore that song, it's so much fun and one of their more original ones.

Offline Dittomist

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #682 on: February 25, 2018, 05:09:24 AM »
I adore every song on Chameleon, Crazy Cat included

Offline SleeperAwake

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #683 on: February 26, 2018, 03:15:37 PM »
Chameleon is a good record. I enjoy the hell out of it, but it indeed comes across more like a collection of solo songs than a band album.

Pink Bubbles Go Ape is more spotty, but some good songs on there - the last two in particular. Kiske soars on "Your Turn".

Offline IDontNotDoThings

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #684 on: February 26, 2018, 11:37:52 PM »
I personally blame Chameleon's poor reception on the choice of "When The Sinner" as the lead single. It's not a bad song, but having that be the first impression of the album, I can see why a lot of power metal fans steered clear of it. & it's not even like they appealed to the easy-listening pop crowd either, since the song is album 7 minutes. Honestly, I think First Time would've been a way better choice for a single, & maybe more Helloween fans would've given this album a chance had that been the case.
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Offline IDontNotDoThings

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #685 on: February 28, 2018, 05:14:36 AM »
Okay, after a few days, I think I (finally) have my own definitive version of Chameleon. I also sorted them by writer because I like the idea of separating the album into sections based on the colours on the cover. This includes every song on the deluxe version except Revolution Now, In The Night (which I find to be bad songs), the instrumentals (because they messed with the pacing), & Introduction (because obviously).

Yellow (Weikath)
1. First Time
2. Get Me Out Of Here
3. I Don't Care You Don't Care
4. Giants
5. Windmill

Red (Grosskopf)
6. Cut In The Middle
7. Ain't Got Nothing Better

Blue (Grapow)
8. Step Out Of Hell
9. Crazy Cat
10. I Don't Wanna Cry No More
11. Music

Green (Kiske)
12. When The Sinner
13. I Believe
14. Longing

Total Length: 73:00 (exactly)

Feel free to listen (or don't).  :)

Also I'll be listening to Master of the Rings tomorrow. :corn
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Offline Mladen

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #686 on: February 28, 2018, 12:51:56 PM »
How about making an EP out of the entire Chameleon album?  ;D

1. First time
2. Crazy cat
3. Step out of hell
4. Giants

There. Now it looks great.  :metal

Offline The Walrus

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #687 on: February 28, 2018, 12:53:34 PM »
That's pretty cool, IDontNotDoThings.
From a Mega Man Legends island jamming power metal to a Walrus listening to black metal, I like your story arc.
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Offline MirrorMask

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #688 on: February 28, 2018, 12:55:11 PM »
How about making an EP out of the entire Chameleon album?  ;D

1. First time
2. Crazy cat
3. Step out of hell
4. Giants

There. Now it looks great.  :metal

There are two great songs on the album and you leave out one?

(I'm talking about I Believe)
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Offline IDontNotDoThings

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #689 on: February 28, 2018, 10:37:29 PM »
Just listened to Master of the Rings.

It's okay I guess, but it's not striking me as all that memorable. It hasn't really left an impression on me...  :\
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Offline The Walrus

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #690 on: February 28, 2018, 11:22:20 PM »
Just listened to Master of the Rings.

It's okay I guess, but it's not striking me as all that memorable. It hasn't really left an impression on me...  :\

The run of Master of the Rings, Time of the Oath, and Better Than Raw is pretty good to me although the production leaves a lot to be desired. I think Andi Deris sounds pretty good. They're all a few songs too long, I think - the 2000s are where the band really got good, with most of my favorite albums spanning that decade.
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Offline bl5150

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #691 on: March 01, 2018, 05:30:12 AM »
I haven't got around to listening to all the Deris era albums - but of those I have I'm very up and down with them.   I love about half of Master of the Rings , not much of Oath ,  really like half of The Dark Ride and don't mind the rest of it.   Listened to Better Than Raw for the first time today (one of the highest rated albums of theirs around the traps) and I struggled with all but 3 (very good) tracks. 

Except for Keeper era I find most of their albums have plenty of filler - love a few tracks each album though.

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Offline The Walrus

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #692 on: March 01, 2018, 07:25:05 AM »
They are wildly inconsistent, and opinions vary greatly amongst fans. It's pretty fascinating. For example I think Dark Ride, Gambling, and 7 Sinners are excellent. Rabbit, Keepers Legacy, My God-Given Right are terrible, and Straight Out of Hell falls somewhere around the Master-Oath-Raw trilogy, comfortably in the middle.
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Offline MirrorMask

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #693 on: March 01, 2018, 07:42:19 AM »
I consider the Master / Oath / Raw period the "second" classic period of the band, with the Deris / Weikath / Grapow / Grosskopf / Kusch lineup being equally the "other classic" one after the Keeper one.

Those are classics, then I think Dark Ride is equally awesome, Rabbit is very meh, Legacy is saved by the majestic opener and a handful of good songs, Gambling is kickass and awesome, 7 Sinners has good songs and meh songs, Straight to Hell has very highs and very lows, and God Given Right is meh.
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Offline Samsara

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #694 on: March 01, 2018, 08:33:39 AM »
I haven't got around to listening to all the Deris era albums - but of those I have I'm very up and down with them.   I love about half of Master of the Rings , not much of Oath ,  really like half of The Dark Ride and don't mind the rest of it.   Listened to Better Than Raw for the first time today (one of the highest rated albums of theirs around the traps) and I struggled with all but 3 (very good) tracks. 

Except for Keeper era I find most of their albums have plenty of filler - love a few tracks each album though.

Pretty much how I feel. I bought the entire catalog at one point, and sold it after a few years. The only physical discs I kept were Keeper 1 and 2, and the I Want Out Live disc. I do regret that purge to a degree (although I retain digital copies), but I just don't see the point in re-buying the physical discs, because the Deris era is very spotty to my ears. I just never really connected with his voice.
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Offline The Silent Cody

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #695 on: April 02, 2018, 03:13:06 AM »
I consider the Master / Oath / Raw period the "second" classic period of the band, with the Deris / Weikath / Grapow / Grosskopf / Kusch lineup being equally the "other classic" one after the Keeper one.

Those are classics, then I think Dark Ride is equally awesome, Rabbit is very meh, Legacy is saved by the majestic opener and a handful of good songs, Gambling is kickass and awesome, 7 Sinners has good songs and meh songs, Straight to Hell has very highs and very lows, and God Given Right is meh.
It's definitly how I feel. Keepers, Better Than Raw and The Dark Ride are my favourites. Then comes Gambling and Chameleon.

Offline IDontNotDoThings

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #696 on: April 02, 2018, 03:34:07 AM »
Well, now that I don't have to be the one to necro the thread, I guess I can update everyone that after a month of trying, I just cannot get into Master Of The Rings. It's just way too generic & mediocre for me. I guess I'll still listen to Time Of The Oath, but my hopes aren't really that high.

Also, I think listening to Andy Deris has just made me realise how amazing Michael Kiske was. No joke, MK might actually be my favourite metal vocalist ever, so I guess it's unreasonably to expect Deris to be able to follow up strongly, but yeah, he hasn't made too much of an impression on me either.  :-\

Uli Kusch is really good though. I'd say it was a good choice getting him in. :tup
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Offline Polarbear

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #697 on: April 02, 2018, 03:55:37 AM »
Master of Rings is one of the weaker Deris albums, it was more of prelude for greater things to come. Better than Raw is the best album of 90's lineup with Kush & Grapow imo.

I liked that Weiki and Markus didn't go with a Kiske clone, and chose a singer with a distinctly different sound. But Deris isn't as good as Kiske, and Deris himself would likely admit that as well.

Have been listening a lot of Halloween recently, after a long break! Maybe it's the Pumpkins United lineup/tour, that has brought some new energy into the band. Crossing my fingers for a new album with this lineup, like they have been subtly hinting!

Offline ZKX-2099

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #698 on: April 02, 2018, 08:50:43 AM »
Oath is much better than Master. Before the war, Kings will be kings and Power are essential Deris tracks.

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Re: Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United
« Reply #699 on: April 07, 2018, 07:32:41 AM »
Seeing this lineup in just a few hours, holy shit! Never thought I will actually see Helloween with Kiske on board. I saw Kiske a few times with Avantasia, but this just isn't the same. Sooo excited now.
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.