Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt.1
Genre: Power metal
Helloween are known to be one of the main pioneers of the power metal genre.
It is their second full-length studio album and arguably their best. This album featured Michael Kiske on vocals, Kai Hansen and Michael Weikath on guitars, Markus Grosskopf on bass and Ingo Scwichtenberg on drums. Some influences from bands like Iron Maiden can be heard in this album, with twin-guitar harmonies present in a couple of songs. Helloween are most famous though for their fantasy-themed lyrics which are present throughout the album and include other themes as well, such as doomsday. The album works quite well together and leaves the listener with an epic feel at the end.
Initiation
This is the opener track. An instrumental piece just to get you into the main feel of the album and to introduce the listener into the first song.
Score: 8/10
I'm Alive
Carries on from the end of the previous track. After a quick guitar intro, it kicks off with Ingo's fast drum beats and Michael Kiske's high-pitch vocals. The lyrics are generally optimistic and aim to uplift the spirit of the listener, telling you you're not useless and you have the potential to do great things. Features a twin-guitar harmony during the solo by Kai, followed by a melody before going through the chorus one more time and ending as Kiske's voice suddenly goes out. One of my favourite tracks on this album.
Score: 9/10
A Little Time
Written by Michael Kiske as opposed to Kai who writes most of the songs. Slower than the previous track, it is about how life holds you back and how you strive to rally against it by setting your own goals. Sounds like a weaker version of the previous track as well. Does have a catchy chorus, though.
Score: 7/10
Twilight of the Gods
Opens up with fast drum beats and a solo by Kai. The song is about how mankind rejected faith in favour of technology. We've thrown away our former Gods / Controlling our day / We have created better ones / So we control the way. The next verse then goes on to explain human's desire to have more of something to benefit us. In the next part the robots have rebelled. The pretty gods we've built ourselves / Now Terminate our lives / Silicon brain powered voices / Are crying "attack" tonight / In anger, burning our world / Doomsday has come. This song is possibly this albums masterpiece, with a speedy style and fantastic lyrics which helped Helloween define themselves.
Score: 10/10
A Tale That Wasn't Right
This song is a ballad. It has an acoustic intro and bridges. Michaels Kiske demonstrates good vocal technique in the chorus.
Score: 9/10
Future World
This song shows Helloween in their raw form: speedy style and lyrics of a fantasy concept. Once again, Kiske shows good vocal performance with his high-pitched wailing.
Score: 8/10
Halloween
The longest song on the album, clocking in at over 13 minutes. It is perhaps the most gothically-themed song on this album, about evil spirits on Halloween. Song succeeds on creating a spooky feel and to give the album an epic feel (and make it into an album by allowing it past the half hour mark). Is also interspersed with solos which quickly switch between Weikath and Hansen.
Score: 10/10
Follow the Sign
Just a follow-up track to the previous and to complete the album. Uses a quiet, whispering voice. It concludes this part of the Keeper of the Seven Keys saga with a sort of "to be continued..."
Score: 8/10
One of the most important albums in the power metal genre, demonstrating Helloween's style and introduces a new style of metal which I would recommend to anyone into almost any type of metal. Would soon be followed up by the next part of the saga, which didn't seem to go down as well.
Final score: 9/10
Genre: Power metal
Helloween are known to be one of the main pioneers of the power metal genre.
It is their second full-length studio album and arguably their best. This album featured Michael Kiske on vocals, Kai Hansen and Michael Weikath on guitars, Markus Grosskopf on bass and Ingo Scwichtenberg on drums. Some influences from bands like Iron Maiden can be heard in this album, with twin-guitar harmonies present in a couple of songs. Helloween are most famous though for their fantasy-themed lyrics which are present throughout the album and include other themes as well, such as doomsday. The album works quite well together and leaves the listener with an epic feel at the end.
Initiation
This is the opener track. An instrumental piece just to get you into the main feel of the album and to introduce the listener into the first song.
Score: 8/10
I'm Alive
Carries on from the end of the previous track. After a quick guitar intro, it kicks off with Ingo's fast drum beats and Michael Kiske's high-pitch vocals. The lyrics are generally optimistic and aim to uplift the spirit of the listener, telling you you're not useless and you have the potential to do great things. Features a twin-guitar harmony during the solo by Kai, followed by a melody before going through the chorus one more time and ending as Kiske's voice suddenly goes out. One of my favourite tracks on this album.
Score: 9/10
A Little Time
Written by Michael Kiske as opposed to Kai who writes most of the songs. Slower than the previous track, it is about how life holds you back and how you strive to rally against it by setting your own goals. Sounds like a weaker version of the previous track as well. Does have a catchy chorus, though.
Score: 7/10
Twilight of the Gods
Opens up with fast drum beats and a solo by Kai. The song is about how mankind rejected faith in favour of technology. We've thrown away our former Gods / Controlling our day / We have created better ones / So we control the way. The next verse then goes on to explain human's desire to have more of something to benefit us. In the next part the robots have rebelled. The pretty gods we've built ourselves / Now Terminate our lives / Silicon brain powered voices / Are crying "attack" tonight / In anger, burning our world / Doomsday has come. This song is possibly this albums masterpiece, with a speedy style and fantastic lyrics which helped Helloween define themselves.
Score: 10/10
A Tale That Wasn't Right
This song is a ballad. It has an acoustic intro and bridges. Michaels Kiske demonstrates good vocal technique in the chorus.
Score: 9/10
Future World
This song shows Helloween in their raw form: speedy style and lyrics of a fantasy concept. Once again, Kiske shows good vocal performance with his high-pitched wailing.
Score: 8/10
Halloween
The longest song on the album, clocking in at over 13 minutes. It is perhaps the most gothically-themed song on this album, about evil spirits on Halloween. Song succeeds on creating a spooky feel and to give the album an epic feel (and make it into an album by allowing it past the half hour mark). Is also interspersed with solos which quickly switch between Weikath and Hansen.
Score: 10/10
Follow the Sign
Just a follow-up track to the previous and to complete the album. Uses a quiet, whispering voice. It concludes this part of the Keeper of the Seven Keys saga with a sort of "to be continued..."
Score: 8/10
One of the most important albums in the power metal genre, demonstrating Helloween's style and introduces a new style of metal which I would recommend to anyone into almost any type of metal. Would soon be followed up by the next part of the saga, which didn't seem to go down as well.
Final score: 9/10
