HELLOWEEN

Special Edition second re-release of the eleventh full-length album by the legendary German Power/Speed Metal band.
This album is something of a return to roots for the band. It combines many old classic Helloween elements with newer sounds and modern production. After the controversial release of “The Dark Ride”, according to Grosskopf, "The record company also wanted us to show that were are back. It's more of that 'happy happy Helloween' direction. It shows that this album is not a sequel to “The Dark Ride”".
This is the first Helloween album to feature Sascha Gerstner on guitars, who replaced Roland Grapow. No drummer is listed in the band line-up for this album. Mark Cross was hired for the position before recording, but only managed to complete two tracks ("Don't Stop Being Crazy" and "Listen to The Flies") before being forced to leave due to illness. Mikkey Dee of Motörhead played on the rest of the songs on a session basis.
After well over a dozen albums, Helloween still has an impressive knack for grafting memorably anthemic choruses over full-throttle Power Metal. What's more, their quieter, more melodic moments never dissolve into schmaltzy sentimentality (a mistake made too often by the band's many followers); the ballad "Don't Stop Being Crazy" has a certain pathos without being corny. The band's chops are in top form on "Rabbit Don't Come Easy" (aided by moonlighting Motörhead skinsman Mikkey Dee), but the quality of the songs is what leaves the strongest impression! This unusually titled album is a work in pride, power, and phallic outbursts. "Rabbit Don't Come Easy" shares many similarities with their excellent "Master Of The Rings" comeback in 1994, possessing that pent up passion and hostility that lacked since their "Keeper" days, commanding respect and admiration at once. They've been on a steady roll since then, maintaining the consistency of melody, speed and complexity and epic quality to the music with slight variations and risk taking freshness. "Rabbit Don't Come Easy" thus takes its rightful place among the many Helloween successes!!
"Do You Feel Good" was originally written during the sessions for “The Dark Ride”, but would not be recorded until the “Rabbit Don't Come Easy”.
Special Edition re-release features three bonus tracks, including covers of Accept and Queen (with the band's new drummer, Stefan Schwarzmann)!!!
Nuclear Blast Records, 2003/2013 (NB 3279-0). Made in Germany.


Tracklist:
1. Just A Little Sign 4:26
2. Open Your Life 4:30
3. The Tune 5:35
4. Never Be A Star 4:10
5. Liar 4:55
6. Sun + The World 3:55
7. Don't Stop Being Crazy 4:21
8. Do You Feel Good 4:22
9. Hell Was Made In Heaven 5:33
10. Back Against The Wall 5:44
11. Listen To The Flies 4:52
12. Nothing To Say 8:27
Bonus Tracks:
13. Far Away 4:18
14. Fast As A Shark (cover Accept) 3:45
15. Sheer Heart Attack (cover Queen) 3:31
Total playing time: 72:24


Samples: http://www.last.fm

Limited Edition of the fourteenth full-length studio album by legendary German Power Speed Metal band.
The album contains completely re-arranged and re-recorded, in Symphonic Rock/Acoustic Rock/Jazz style, best songs of legendary German Power/Speed Metal band!
Helloween takes the next step in alternative visioning! The best way for describe this is as the songs re-worked into a style that would be best described as soundtrack like. Most of the songs have a sound that seems to have grown from the Musical Stage aka Broadway. Soaring harmonies and piano mix well with the songs natural rhythms in a way that brings the term "Rock Opera" back from the 70's. Certain songs (Most notably the Lounge Lizardly "Dr Stein") break this mold, but this is a fair description of the CD's overall feel if not is purpose.
Re-recorded version of "Eagle Fly Free" is a cover version by cover band "Hellsongs" taken from their EP "Pieces of Heaven, a Glimpse of Hell" (2009) but with added vocals of Andi Deris and lead guitars of Sascha Gerstner as well as other instruments from guest musicians. Other band members did not participate on recordings of "Eagle Fly Free".
Excellent album! Gods in any style!!
Helloween GbR/Columbia Dragnet/Sony Music Entertainment Germany GmbH, 2010 (88697622312). Made in Austria. First press.


Tracklist:
1. Dr. Stein 3:59
2. Future World 4:13
3. If I Could Fly 3:28
4. Where The Rain Grows 5:09
5. The Keeper's Trilogy (Medley) 17:06
6. Eagle Fly Free 3:49
7. Perfect Gentleman 4:18
8. Forever And One 4:25 
9. I Want Out 4:21
10. Fallen To Pieces 3:28
11. A Tale That Wasn't Right 4:46
Total playing time: 59:02 min.

Bonus DVD:
1. Making Of "Unarmed" 
2. Making Of "Dr. Stein" Videoclip 
3. Videoclip "Dr. Stein"
4. Unarmed - 25th Anniversary The Interview
Total running time: 49:34 min.

Remastered re-release of the debut full-length studio album by legendary German Speed/Power Metal band.
The only full-length album featuring Kai Hansen as lead vocalist until 2021's "Helloween", although he would continue to act as guitarist on the two following albums.
Helloween followed up their very popular self-titled mini-LP with 1986's even more accomplished "Walls Of Jericho", that saw the quartet from Hamburg outperforming expectations and quickly defining their sonic identity.
The instrumental title track soon gives way to amazingly mature and complex compositions like "Ride the Sky", "Phantoms of Death", and the awesome "How Many Tears". And although these were heavily reliant on Iron Maiden for inspiration, it was Helloween's Speed Metal innovations that clearly helped make the songs so special and influential for future bands. Even the album's lyrically challenged, somewhat one-dimensional moments ("Warrior", "Metal Invaders") usually succeed, thanks to the band's uncontainable energy. On the downside, the album continued to expose Kai Hansen's limitations as a singer, but the band would soon remedy this disadvantage by bringing on teenage phenom, Michael Kiske, as lead vocalist.
While their "Keeper Of The Seven Keys, Part 1 & 2" albums are their peak, "Walls Of Jericho" made them all possible. Kai Hansen isn't Kiske, Halford, or Dickinson, but he had passion for the genre called Metal!
Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company, 1985/2015 (BMGRM078LP). Made in UK. 180g heavyweight vinyl.


Tracklist:

Side I
1. Walls Of Jericho 0:48
2. Ride The Sky 5:55
3. Reptile 3:44
4. Guardians 4:19
5. Phantoms Of Death 6:44

Side II
1. Metal Invaders 4:10
2. Gorgar 3:55
3. Heavy Metal (Is The Law) 3:59
4. How Many Tears 7:14

Total playing time: 40:32 min.