It's The Keepers!
(from Kerrang, February 1987)
It's The Keepers!
(from Kerrang, February 1987)
Look, before we
go any further, let me admit that when Xavier Russell returned recently from
Hanover raving about Helloween recording an album on par with Metallica's
`Master Of Puppets' LP I was sceptical. Because nothing Hellowen had previously
carved out on plastic really convinced me that they were capable of such a leap
into the major league. But the proof has now arrived...and I'm prepared to
admit my falibility on this very spot and hail Helloween as true messiahs.
Kings of a new epoch, fresh, vital and almost without peer. In my opinion this
is the most remarkable opus since Def Lappard's `Pyromania' half-a-decade ago!
But enough of this gratuitous praise and supresaturation of superlatives,
it's time to dig deep. Firstly, it's as well to point out that there are
elements drawn from many areas: the Scorpion' ear for an intense, brocadedmelody
line, Iron Maiden's hirsute use of twin guitar fury, the halcyon rhythm races of
Slayer...yeah, they're all marked out on the Helloween map.
But if I had to choose one band that the German quintet have emulated
over-above-and-beyond even this ilustrious trio then (and this is gonna surprise
many of you) is HAS to be Queen. There is an air of deja vu about the pin
sharp, astronomical vocal harmonies, the classical influences (Brahms, Chopin,
Wagner), the absolute delectation of genuinely hummable tunes all encased in
dynamic rock chord changes and amplified, acceptable violence that brings home
the early days of Mercury's Magnificents. Not that `The Keeper...' is anything
other than an ultra-modern record, laced with state-of-the-art production
nuances that leave one breathless at the imaginative techniques of Tommy Hansen,
surely the new HM production superstar.
And then the name Queensryche pops into my mind, because I believe that the
`Ryche's entire raison d'etre in the past couple of years has been to update
Queen's pioneering style and place it in a more bracing, non-anarchic context -
true rock opera! Well, so far they've failed as a result of an imbalance
between their anarchic powerchords and frenzied melodies that palls into a mess.
Helloween, with this album, have achieved what Geoff Tate et al have so far only
hinted at.
Given just how advanced and epocal (not to mention individual) this release
is, it's difficult to establish any critera for it, but certain things must be
stated. The guitar interplay between Kai Hansen and Michael Weikath is quite
astonishing, each playing at a surreptitous speed overdriven with suitably
stylised effects yet neither losing track of the desired tunefulness. I can't
really compare their bounding performace to any rock guitarists (although
Michael Schenker does spring to mind); rather it brings forth a vision of gifted
classical musicians, from Paganini to Menuhin and Du Pre to Sergovia. They
reach a peak of mountainous activity on the epic `Halloween' (the first part of
a concept due to be continued on their next LP), delivering a dual attack that
packs both sonic salvos and whirling orgiastic frenzy, at one point even
(admirably) lifting a section from Brahms' `Hungarian Dances.'
Layered lovingly on top of this axe-iomatic axis are the astonishing vocals
of new boy Michael Kiske, cast very much in the Bruce Dickinson mould but
possessed of far more control, range and power than the Maiden `Air Raid Siren.'
And Marcus Grosskopf (bass)/Ingo Schwichtenberg (drums) play their part in
fashioned, polished style. Indeed, the latter's bass drum sound on the cut
`Future World' is among the most resonant I've heard in ages.
All of which doesn't leave me much space to delve into the songs
themselves. So let me just state that each one, whilst weaving a trail of
intricasies and twisting complexities, is instantly hummable, the true sign of a
strong number. `A Little Time' boasts one of the most tingling vocal harmonies
on the chorus that I've heard in ages; `Future World,' `I'm Alive,' `Twilight Of
The Gods,' they all fly into a wind of flagship riffs and sparkle with powersawn
symphonic underbellies plus well-crafted lyrics.
`A Tale That Wasn't Right,' meanwhile, features a slow, majestic
instrumental croon. But the true gem is the lengthy `Halloween,' nearly 13 and
a half minutes of epic good vs evil music that holds you rivetted for its entire
length, something Maiden have been aiming for in recent years yet never quite
achieved.
Scoff if you must, but at least give `The Keeper...' a serious listen. I
maintain it's on of Heavy Metal's all-time masterpieces.
Malcolm Dome,
Kerrang! No. 140 February 19 - March 4 1987
Reproduced without permission - of course.