Published on Sep 15, 1998
In the time of my life when I was a serious metalhead, I got
into all the groups that were
the groups to bang one’s cranium to at the time. Artists
like Motorhead, Metallica and W.A.S.P. are still bands I listen to
with great regularity.
However, I never developed a taste for German metallers
Helloween. I can’t explain why I never got into such works as the
Keeper Of The Seven Keys albums; I can only offer up the
assertion that tastes in metal are as different as tastes in
food.
Helloween itself has had enough crises to deal with, including
the departure of guitarist Kai Hansen, the dismissal of vocalist
Michael Kiske and drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg (as well as the
latter’s eventual suicide), the viewing of a more pop-oriented
album,
Chameleon, as a failure and distribution nightmares in the
U.S. that lad people to think that Helloween had fallen off the
face of the earth.
Well, grab your pumpkins and hold on tight, ’cause Helloween is
back with a vengeance with a new label (Velvel) and a new album,
Better Than Raw, which successfully merges the worlds of pop
rock and speed metal in a blaze of glory… even if there are one
or two misfires along the way.
New lead singer Andi Deris (new?!? Hell, he’s been with the band
now for five years) is a more than capable set of pipes for this
band, easily going from a glass-shattering scream to a more subdued
vocal delivery. While some long-time fans might pine for the return
of Kiske, Deris does quite well on his own, thank you very much.
The remainder of the band – guitarists Michael Weikath and Roland
Grapow, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Uli Kusch – prove
themselves to be as powerful, if not more so, than the classic days
of the band.
Lyrically,
Better Than Raw contains some intense moments (including
some that can’t be deciphered without the lyric sheet, mostly those
in a higher range). After the classically-influenced instrumental
opening of “Deliberately Limited,” Helloween throw it into high
gear with “Push,” a song that should have any aging metalhead
flashing back to the days of their youth. Staying in the
high-adrenalin beats, “Revelation,” “Midnight Sun” and “Falling
Higher” all shine quite well.
Some of the slower numbers on
Better Than Raw tend to be the ones that have to grow on
you. The first single “Hey Lord!” takes a little time, but turns
out to be a great track, as does the politically-influenced “Don’t
Spit On My Mind”. (Believe me, I am so tempted to make a Clinton
joke here… no, no, I must withstand the temptation.) Other slower
numbers like “Time” register success on the first listen, while
still others like “I Can” just don’t catch fire like the band would
have hoped for.
Helloween also prove they’re not afraid of taking chances – by
tackling an old prayer, “Laudate Dominum” – even singing it in
Latin. Thing is, it works.
Helloween has enjoyed great success in Europe and Asia with
Better Than Raw; the question now is: Is there enough
interest in America? I do hope that this album does well in the
States, simply because it overall is a solid effort that is worthy
of people’s attention. I can even see “Hey Lord!” or “A Handful Of
Pain” getting play on the rock stations, just like Megadeth got
with “Trust” last year. At least, if there was any justice in this
world, they’d get the airplay.
Better Than Raw is one of those albums you’ll want to sink
your teeth into, even if you never developed the taste for
Helloween the first time around. Welcome back, guys.