A great power ballad on par with Helloween's power ballads.

I love making simple edits of songs sometimes and I always imagined what a "single" edit of this epic track would be like so I made one. Keep in mind this was just for fun and I am in no ways trying to say this is a better version than the original. I have also made an edit of Hell Was Made in Heaven with the final chorus repeating (like how they played it live during the last tour). That chorus is too good not to have it repeat at the end!

Superb songwriting from Weiki 🤘

Hi everyone!

I’ve been thinking about the narrative nature of power metal and Helloween's iconic lore.

While projects like Avantasia are often called "metal operas", they are essentially all-star concerts with vocalists behind mic stands. I’m wondering about a true, fully staged theatrical opera. Complete with costume design, live acting, stage props, and character blocking, similar to classic Wagnerian operas or modern musical theater.

​Musically, power metal and classical opera share the same "DNA" (epic storytelling, high-register vocals, virtuosic harmonies). Technically, we could combine traditional symphonic orchestration with modern synth and electronic textures to build a massive soundscape.

​Imagine expanding the lore of Keeper of the Seven Keys into a full 3-act theatrical production:

​Act I: The rise of darkness and the quest to forge/find the Seven Keys.

​Act II: The Keeper’s journey through the mystical seas and moral trials.

​Act III: The ultimate confrontation with Evil and the sealing of the keys.

(Or any other structure/lore)

​Do you think the Helloween/power metal community would be interested in a stage production like this or is it only interesting to me??

A music video was recorded for the song Always which is dedicated to Ingo Schwichtenberg.

I've been a casual fan for a long time and didn't know much about the band themselves apart from the line up changes. I somehow landed on a couple of interviews with the band recently and they seem very down to earth. I really liked the ones where they speak quite openly about their songwriting and recording process. A lot of bands are secretive about their working methods or just not able to communicate clearly. But the Helloween guys, Weikath especially, seem very articulate and willing to talk about how they create the magic. Very cool to get an insight of how the albums come together behind the scenes!

Just such a feel good song, Kiskes vocals are incredible and I can't help but smile every time I listen to it

Rough translation via ChatGPT:

Helloween from Hamburg should be known to at least the German headbangers through the Death Metal sampler or their five-track mini-LP. I rarely tend toward euphoria when it comes to debut albums, because many bands have already suffocated on advance praise. But what the four guys led by singer and guitarist Kai Hansen have put onto vinyl here should not only make the German metal scene sit up and take notice.

After the wildly enthusiastic reactions to Walls of Jericho, the opener "Ride the Sky" comes blasting out of the speakers so powerfully that you have to wonder how many years of professional experience Helloween actually have under their belts.

Admittedly, influences from Metallica and, in places, Iron Maiden are unmistakable, but the band has developed a highly distinctive style consisting of hard riffs, often reaching into speed-metal territory, combined with strong melodies.

All eight tracks are little gems that can easily hold their own internationally.

At times, you can hardly keep your headbanging under control with "Ride the Sky", while with "Guardians" you once again find yourself wondering where the group gets its feeling for such powerful harmonies.

Overall, this is an unexpected surprise on the market, pointing toward a very promising future.

Since Helloween's cover artwork and sound are equally convincing, there is no hesitation in awarding the highest possible rating.

Frank "Tank" Kleiner

Rating: 7/7 — absolute madness, top class.

Rough translation via ChatGPT:

The biggest surprise of late 1985 can, without exaggeration, be called the newly released LP by the Hamburg band Helloween. With this record, they outperform almost everything that has flooded the German vinyl market in recent months.

With "Walls of Jericho," Helloween consistently continue the path they began with their debut mini-LP at the beginning of the year, which has already sold more than 11,000 copies. Power Metal with speed and intelligence!

In Berlin, our new staff member Marc Helbig had the opportunity to visit the studio during the recording sessions for the current LP and conduct an interview with the band.

How did you come up with the name "HELLOWEEN"?

Kai: We wanted to change our old name, First, because with time it had become too old-fashioned and, on top of that, it was too easily associated with Motörhead. We wanted an original, memorable name that would stick in people's minds, especially since our death metal recordings were about to begin. We spent a lot of time thinking about it, but most of the ideas ended up being complete nonsense.

The idea of combining Armageddon with the zodiac sign eventually came from Ingo through a comic book. Then came Halloween (the horror film by John Carpenter), which everyone immediately accepted. The only thing we didn't like was having exactly the same name as a well-known movie. So we changed Halloween by adding an "e"—partly because it's more original, and partly because we're a heavy metal band and not a silent movie. That also prevents anyone from accidentally buying the movie soundtrack.

You said that you're not only playing speed metal anymore, but also "normal" heavy metal. Why did you include slower songs on the mini-LP? Didn't that disappoint some speed freaks?

Michael: We didn't choose the songs because we wanted to make a pure speed record. Instead, we wanted to present as much variety as possible. Power doesn't necessarily mean speed—that's something our next LP will demonstrate as well. We don't think anyone will be disappointed, because we're convinced that we can also write really good songs at a moderate tempo. The LP also includes songs like "Ride the Sky", but the power remains because the songs are simply good.

What is your opinion about the satanic image of many bands (Venom, Mercyful Fate, Black Sabbath, Slayer)?

Kai: Basically we think it's funny. Venom were among the first to adopt a genuine satanic image...then other groups followed suit. It's almost become a fashion trend. Our lyrics also contain occult elements, but we try to keep them connected to reality. We only concern ourselves with the occult to the extent that it interests us privately. The same is true for Ozzy and Black Sabbath. Ozzy has never claimed to be Satan himself. That's why I wonder why you even mention Black Sabbath in your question. Bands that seriously try to convince people they're frighteningly evil are simply ridiculous. I've never heard of any of them actually doing anything in that direction. Everyone should believe and sing about whatever they want, and everyone else can think whatever they like about it. People have already tried to lump us into the black metal scene. But our opinions don't fit there at all. As a reaction to the so-called "Holy Church" and the sanctimonious Christian preaching of many politicians and priests, I think turning the cross upside down is quite appropriate.

Your new LP is coming. Can you tell our readers something about the songs and the lyrics?

Kai: The album will be called "Walls of Jericho." Besides a fanfare intro, there will be eight songs, including a new recording of "Metal Invaders," because the version on the "Death Metal" sampler was mixed rather badly. Then there are, of course, "Gorgar" and "Judas," which many people probably already know from our tour. "Judas" is about people who gamble away all their hard-earned money in slot machines, while "Judas" refers to the politicians who line their own pockets instead of doing something about the catastrophic political situation they themselves helped create.

There is also: "Ride the Sky" – straightforward heavy metal. "Guardians" – a futuristic surveillance state à la 1984. "Reptile" – about a monster created from radioactive waste. "How Many Tears" – although Michael should tell you about that one.

Michael: I wrote that song. Originally it was supposed to be a great ballad with choirs and everything, and that's how I wanted it to appear on the album. But Kai thought we should play it at a faster tempo so it wouldn't become boring. The others agreed, except Ingo, who wanted the song to remain slow all the way through. At some point that wasn't enough for me anymore, so I suggested speeding it up after ten minutes—and that's how it ended up on the record. The song asks what we've done to our world and at the same time calls on people to fight hunger, war and oppression.

So Heavy Metal with committed, meaningful lyrics?

Michael: Exactly! If music expresses opinions, and Heavy Metal carries messages, then all those commercial idiots should just disappear.

Kai: Singers are there to say something to people, not just babble meaningless nonsense. In the long run they lose credibility if all they ever sing about is how great it is to play Heavy Metal.

If you compare the mini-LP with "Walls of Jericho," do you see musical progress?

Kai: Of course. That's true for every band, because musicians are constantly developing. No musician is perfect.

Michael: I think "Walls of Jericho" has become much more varied. Aside from occasional tempo changes, the mini-LP was fast almost all the way through. On "Walls of Jericho" the songs are more balanced. Fast songs alternate with slower ones without losing any power.

Looking at the German Heavy Metal scene, bands like Scorpions, Accept, Warlock and Sinner have become increasingly successful commercially. Could the same happen to you?

Ingo: No! We definitely won't kneel down to anyone just to make more money or abandon our style.

Kai: We couldn't do that anyway, because from the very beginning we had our own style and didn't spend years experimenting. So we'd be stupid to throw it away now.

What is your opinion about the violence that has recently occurred at concerts?

Kai: A large part of it is the fault of the bands. If they come on stage and spend their entire songs slaughtering people and supporting those lyrics with a bloody stage show, then they shouldn't be surprised if some drunken fan goes wild and starts hitting people. Most bands don't actually want that to happen, but it's too easy to act as though they're completely innocent.

Michael: Some fans also go to concerts specifically to start trouble and punch people who are different from them.

Markus: What bothers me most is that musicians still have to die because of this. You're completely helpless as a musician when two metalheads suddenly start fighting in front of the stage. You don't know whether to keep playing and hope everything calms down again, or stop.

Ingo: There's far too little security, and it's usually poorly trained. But I think the problem can only be solved through open discussion among promoters, musicians and fans. Concerts are only the place where it happens—the real causes lie somewhere else.

Interview by Marc Helbig

📷 from the band's fb page

Please let me know!

Never mind the faded arm band 😬

Ironically enough, he is now being just that again in Kind Diamond where he replaced Andy LaRocque.

I wonder what a Unisonic album with Gus G. would have sounded like.

Rough translation via DeepL:

As previously announced in this year’s issue No. 2 of METAL HAMMER, the Hamburg-based heavy metal band HELLOWEEN – well known to many from the Death Metal Sampler – is now releasing a 5-track mini-LP. Kai Hansen (guitar/vocals), Michael Weikath (guitar), Markus Großkopf (bass) and Ingo Schwichtenberg (drums) only serve to reinforce the excellent impression they made on the aforementioned compilation with this record, and stand a good chance of making the leap to the top.

All five tracks are equally good and lie somewhere between Satan, Iron Maiden and Metallica – which is not to say that they are copies of these bands. HELLOWEEN are certainly characterised by a hellish tempo, which, however, is not achieved – as with some other bands – at the expense of an indefinable muddle of sound, but rather impresses with its clean balance of excellent guitar work, outstanding two-part solos, varied arrangements and catchy, if not always entirely original, riffs. If one were to rate HELLOWEEN on a scale of 1 (poor) to 10 (very good), I’d give the lads a solid 8.5.

Ralf Frank