In the time of my life when I was a serious metalhead, I got
\ninto all the groups that were
\nthe<\/i> groups to bang one’s cranium to at the time. Artists
\nlike Motorhead, Metallica and W.A.S.P. are still bands I listen to
\nwith great regularity.<\/p>\n
However, I never developed a taste for German metallers
\nHelloween. I can’t explain why I never got into such works as the
\nKeeper Of The Seven Keys<\/i> albums; I can only offer up the
\nassertion that tastes in metal are as different as tastes in
\nfood.<\/p>\n
Helloween itself has had enough crises to deal with, including
\nthe departure of guitarist Kai Hansen, the dismissal of vocalist
\nMichael Kiske and drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg (as well as the
\nlatter’s eventual suicide), the viewing of a more pop-oriented
\nalbum,
\nChameleon<\/i>, as a failure and distribution nightmares in the
\nU.S. that lad people to think that Helloween had fallen off the
\nface of the earth.<\/p>\n
Well, grab your pumpkins and hold on tight, ’cause Helloween is
\nback with a vengeance with a new label (Velvel) and a new album,
\nBetter Than Raw<\/i>, which successfully merges the worlds of pop
\nrock and speed metal in a blaze of glory… even if there are one
\nor two misfires along the way.<\/p>\n
New lead singer Andi Deris (new?!? Hell, he’s been with the band
\nnow for five years) is a more than capable set of pipes for this
\nband, easily going from a glass-shattering scream to a more subdued
\nvocal delivery. While some long-time fans might pine for the return
\nof Kiske, Deris does quite well on his own, thank you very much.
\nThe remainder of the band – guitarists Michael Weikath and Roland
\nGrapow, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Uli Kusch – prove
\nthemselves to be as powerful, if not more so, than the classic days
\nof the band.<\/p>\n
Lyrically,
\nBetter Than Raw<\/i> contains some intense moments (including
\nsome that can’t be deciphered without the lyric sheet, mostly those
\nin a higher range). After the classically-influenced instrumental
\nopening of “Deliberately Limited,” Helloween throw it into high
\ngear with “Push,” a song that should have any aging metalhead
\nflashing back to the days of their youth. Staying in the
\nhigh-adrenalin beats, “Revelation,” “Midnight Sun” and “Falling
\nHigher” all shine quite well.<\/p>\n
Some of the slower numbers on
\nBetter Than Raw<\/i> tend to be the ones that have to grow on
\nyou. The first single “Hey Lord!” takes a little time, but turns
\nout to be a great track, as does the politically-influenced “Don’t
\nSpit On My Mind”. (Believe me, I am so tempted to make a Clinton
\njoke here… no, no, I must withstand the temptation.) Other slower
\nnumbers like “Time” register success on the first listen, while
\nstill others like “I Can” just don’t catch fire like the band would
\nhave hoped for.<\/p>\n
Helloween also prove they’re not afraid of taking chances – by
\ntackling an old prayer, “Laudate Dominum” – even singing it in
\nLatin. Thing is, it works.<\/p>\n
Helloween has enjoyed great success in Europe and Asia with
\nBetter Than Raw<\/i>; the question now is: Is there enough
\ninterest in America? I do hope that this album does well in the
\nStates, simply because it overall is a solid effort that is worthy
\nof people’s attention. I can even see “Hey Lord!” or “A Handful Of
\nPain” getting play on the rock stations, just like Megadeth got
\nwith “Trust” last year. At least, if there was any justice in this
\nworld, they’d get the airplay.<\/p>\n
\nBetter Than Raw<\/i> is one of those albums you’ll want to sink
\nyour teeth into, even if you never developed the taste for
\nHelloween the first time around. Welcome back, guys.<\/p>\n
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