Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United

[Dittomist]

That is amazing news! I am glad that Kiske hasn't completely given up on metal.
It's wonderful that all the Helloween guys seem to be on good terms these days. To see Helloween and Gamma Ray on stage together a couple years ago during their US Tour was an unbelievable experience.

[wolfking]

Read that last night.  Loved the article.  Really, if Kai Hansen asks to join your band, would you really turn him down? 

Anyway, sounds like UniSonic will be a continuation of the Place Vendome sound, maybe a little heavier.  It's interesting to see Kai taking in interest in this.  And really it's interesting to see many artists taking an interest away from metal into a more AOR/melodic rock sound e.g. Kiske, Mat Sinner, Kai, Allen/Lande.  I'm a huge Dennis Ward and PC69 fan, so really this should be something special.  Take Mandy off guitar and put in Magnus Karlsson and you've got a dream band.

Just hope this doesn't affect Gamma Ray.

[TAC]

Kiske should've left Helloween with Hansen in the first place and formed Gamma Ray with him. I mean, I love Pink Bubbles, but there was something special missing from that album.

[wolfking]

Kiske should've left Helloween with Hansen in the first place and formed Gamma Ray with him. I mean, I love Pink Bubbles, but there was something special missing from that album.

Yeah, Pink Bubbles is a really good album, but definitely not up to par as the two before.  And we all know what came after Pink Blubbles.    Would have been interesting to see what Gamma Ray would have been with Kiske.  But I'm happy with Ralf on the first three albums.  Kiske would have left anyway.  I always wondered if Kai asked Kiske to join after Ralf left for Land of the Free.

Nevertheless, it's great to see Kai and Kiske back together, but I really would like to keep it at that.  I mean, I don't want to see Weikath back into the fold.  Helloween's lineup at the moment and their outputs the last ten years have been amazing.

[Kosmo]

World of Fantasy's chorus..It's, divine.

[wolfking]

World of Fantasy's chorus..It's, divine.

That is one amaizng song, definitely top 3 on the album, could possibly be my favourite.  Such a damn solid album.  Top 5 would be;

World Of Fantasy
Are You Metal?
You Stupid Manking
If A Mountain Could Talk
Where the Sinners Go/I'm Free/Far in the Future/Who Is Mr. Madman (I can't decide, so many good songs)

[Dittomist]

My top 5 favorite Helloween albums:
1. Keeper of the 7 Keys Part II
2. Better than Raw
3. The Time of the Oath
4. Keeper of the 7 Keys: The Legacy/ Master of the Rings (tie)
5. Chameleon

Top 5 favorite 7 Sinners tracks:
1. My Sacrifice
2. You Stupid Mankind
3. Long Live the King
4. Smile of the Son
5. Are You Metal?

[wolfking]

Interesting to see Chameleon in your top 5.  Nice work on Better Than Raw, that album is seriously underrated.  It would be hard for me to pick a top 5 actually. I'll have a go later.

[Mladen]

1. Keeper of the seven keys I
2. Keeper of the seven keys II
3. Master of the rings
4. Time of the oath
5. Pink bubbles go ape

And yeah:
6. 7 Sinners     

[Kosmo]

Mine:

1.Gambling With the Devil
2.The Dark Ride
3.Keeper of the Seven Keys I
4.Keeper of the seven Keys: The Legacy (I've seen this album get a lot of hate for whatever reason..)
5.7 Sinners / Rabbit Don't Come Easy (propably Sinners but i've had a lot more time to listen to Rabbit and grow attached to it.)

[Dittomist]

I will never understand why people dislike Chameleon so much. I think it's Helloween at their most adventurous; it's a strange album in how it incorporates so many genres in its 71 minutes, but I think it's such an exciting ride. It has really strong production--a huge improvement over the poor quality of Pink Bubbles--and offers some powerful epics and wonderful ballads, two of Helloween's trademarks.
In my opinion, Better Than Raw is Helloween's heaviest/fastest album to date, and every song is either great or fucking incredible. The Dark Ride is also very underrated.
I think the only Helloween album I've been disappointed with is Rabbit Don't Come Easy. It has some decent songs for sure (The Tune, Don't Stop Being Crazy, Up Against the Wall) but overall, it felt rather unambitious.

[Kosmo]

Yeah i like Chameleon, but it's a sad fact that MANY metal fans don't even give a chance to something different.

[Dittomist]

Hello Helloweenies. I just made a dorky little Top 25 Helloween Songs of All Time video, and I'm curious to know what you guys think. What songs did I forget to include? What shouldn't be there?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeNLZQorEgk

[Kosmo]

Not really what my top 25 would look like but definitely some good songs there, especially King For a 1000 Years in top 3 is worthy of a thumbs up. The only songs from that list I'd say would never make it into my list are Kill It and Escalation 666.

[Mladen]

25, 23, 21, 19, 18, 16, 15, 13, 11, 10, 9, 8, 6, 3, 2 and 1 are fantastic songs. 

Also, my top 3 is exactly the same as yours. 

[wolfking]

Interesting pick with Can't Fight Your Desire, that probably wouldn't be in my top 50 to be honest.
Great to see Kill It in here, one of Helloween's most underrated.
Same with Before The War, one of my favs from TOTO.
I loved seeing Pleasure Drone in at 20, that song would certainly be in my top 20 also.
Ride the Sky is classic, no more to say
You Stupid Mankind is the best from 7 Sinners I'd say and would probably be in my top 20 too.
Time is criminally underrated and is so good, the atmosphere is incredible.
I wouldn't be Dr. Stein anwhere near my top 25 to be honest.
Great to see 666 so high in here, I've always loved that one.
Interesting choice with Longing and Rain grows is killer.
Nice choices with March of Time and Midnight Sun.
Interesting choice with I Believe too, probably wouldn't be in my top 25.
Revelation and The Dark Ride are underrated as hell.
2 and 3 are awesome but 7 Keys wouldn't be my number 1.

Good list.

[Dittomist]

Thanks guys for watching the video and commenting! It was certainly tough narrowing down the choices. I don't think anyone else would include Can't Fight Your Desire on their list, but I've always found it really sweet and charming (it sounds very much like a Deris era Pink Cream 69 track) and I wanted to include at least one b-side. The other b-sides I considered were Silicon Dreams, Madness of the Crowds, and Deliver Us From Temptation.

[wolfking]

New album being released in January 2013 titled Straight Out of Hell.

German power metallers HELLOWEEN have set "Straight Out Of Hell" as the title of their new album, due on January 18, 2013. The CD is once again being helmed by longtime producer Charlie Bauerfeind at HELLOWEEN singer Andi Deris's Mi Sueño Studios in Tenerife, Spain. A limited-edition version of the album will be made available with bonus tracks and special packaging.

[Scorpion]

Awesome!! If it's anything like 7 Sinners, then it's gonna fucking rock!!

[wolfking]

Agreed.

[Mladen]

Oh good, I've been wondering what's going on with them. Here's to a fine Helloween album! 

[wolfking]

Should be killer, the band has been so strong for years now.

[jjrock88]

Cool album title.  It's  pretty much a guarantee that anything Helloween releases will be killer; very consistent band!

[wolfking]

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=180559

German power metallers HELLOWEEN will release their new album, "Straight Out Of Hell", on January 18, 2013. The CD was once again helmed by the band's longtime producer Charlie Bauerfeind at HELLOWEEN singer Andi Deris's Mi Sueño Studios in Tenerife, Spain.

According to HELLOWEEN, "Straight Out Of Hell" will feature "13 mostly fast-paced songs — impressively multi-layered due to their different songwriters."

Commented guitarist Michael Weikath:" 'Straight Out Of Hell' is the consequent development of the two albums before.

"The new songs are a continuation of the '7 Sinners' directives, only less doom-bound and noticeably more positive. These songs will kick even the laziest listener's ass."

The best example of HELLOWEEN's ability to think outside the box of metal cliché is the first single from "Straight Out Of Hell", a song called "Nabataea". The legendary kingdom and its secret capital Petra — hidden behind cliff scenery and only discovered at the beginning of the 20th century — are the origin of many myths and legends. "Nabataea" is the perfect shape of great music to come and will deliver an epic video clip, yet to be shot.

Apart from the standard album, there will be a limited edition featuring premium packaging and two bonus tracks: "Another Shot Of Life" and a Hammond version of "Burning Sun" in memory of DEEP PURPLE's recently deceased organ player Jon Lord.

"Straight Out Of Hell" track listing:

01. Nabataea (7:03)
02. World Of War (4:56)
03. Live Now! (3:10)
04. Far From The Stars (4:41)
05. Burning Sun (5:33)
06. Waiting For The Thunder (3:53)
07. Hold Me In Your Arms (5:10)
08. Wanna Be God (2:02)
09. Straight Out Of Hell (4:33)
10. Asshole (4:09)
11. Years (4:22)
12. Make Fire Catch The Fly (4:22)
13. Church Breaks Down (6:06)

Bonus tracks (limited edition):

14. Another Shot Of Life
15. Burning Sun (Hammond version) (dedicated to Jon Lord)

[TAC]

I didn't care much for 7 Sinners. I am looking forward to this though.

[Mladen]

The titles are horrendous. Asshole? Really? 

[ZKX-2099]

Totally looking forward to this. Finally got into the Deris era albums after sticking to the Kiske stuff. Loving it. So energy.

[TAC]

The titles are horrendous. Asshole? Really? 

You're right. Hold Me In Your Arms? WTF?

[ZKX-2099]

Deris has his own studio in Tenerife? Now that is where I would want to record.

[jjrock88]

First single is 7 minutes; should be interesting. I hope the songs aren't too happy, I like dark evil Helloween better

[wolfking]

Once we know the writing credits we will have a bit more of an idea on the direction of the album.

[wolfking]

New album cover;

[jjrock88]

I like it

[Mladen]

I like it. A lot. 

[Scorpion]

Yeah, that's agreat cover.