Live in the U.K.

In 1989, as a steel-struck teenager, I was so hyped up on Helloween that I bought this live cassette the instant I first laid eyes upon it it. I can still recall digging out that $6.99 from my pocket paper route money, happily slapping down on the counter at Record Town in my local mall, striding proudly forth with my new-fangled quasi-mullet and thrusting it straight into my Walkman. It might sound like some stereotypical scene out of one of those awful TV shows or films that tries to thrive off nostalgia for the 80s, but in fact it was our reality back then. At the time, I didn't have a high opinion of live albums per se...Unleashed in the East pretty much brought me into the genre as a tyke, and Live After Death was still in a regular rotation, and when I looked at the track list here I thought it was a little skimpy, but fuck it, this was one of my favorite bands to emerge from my #1 label of the era, Noise Records, I absolutely worshipped at the feet (stalks?) of the debut EP, the first three albums and the Judas single, and I was going to follow them through thick and thin on all their major label adventures, and back again. And I always have...

I even remember at the time knowing that this one was put out under another title overseas, and I think the track list is edited just a bit different, and there's a cool cartoon cover of the band playing live, damnit all if I don't like our version a little better. I believe in Uncle Pumpkin. Well, I listened to this about 3-4 times and then quickly delegated it to the tape rack right beneath Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II, remember those old tape racks where you'd have to move all the tapes each time to keep them in alphabetical and chronological order because you were a huge dork that didn't plan well in advance? I guess it was just me. At any rate, I found the sound quality on this totally acceptable, maybe a fraction clunky in some of the mix, but for the 80s it definitely was clear and professional enough, I had just decided that I'd never listen to this at any point over the studio works that I so adored. It's now about 32 years later, and I'm breaking this thing out for the first time, and the memories of the experience seem to have phased me more than the recording itself.

The distribution of material here is largely on the initial Keeper duology, probably because they wanted to focus on songs with Kiske vocals and promote their RCA material, but they do manage to close out the B-side with an epic rendition of "How Many Tears", and if my ears aren't failing me it even sounds like Kai is doing some faint backups along Kiske's impressive take on it, and the bridge with those airy, open guitar harmonies sounds fucking fantastic. The guitars and drums sound tight, you get a fair helping of Markus' lines in there, and the leads really scorch. Stage banter is fun enough for what you get, silly schlager melodies, definitely sounding like some Germans a bit nervous to get out there in front of the international audiences (this being recorded in Scotland and England), and I don't think any of the tracks stands out as weak at all, from the silly "Dr. Stein" to title track, which was obviously the hotness at the time. Even in my High School, where only a select few of us hanging out on Headbanger's Wall near the cafeteria even knew who names like Armored Saint, Running Wild and Celtic Frost belonged to, almost all of the glam, Ozzy and Metallica-addicted student populace knew this damn song and walked around humming or singing it all the time (of course they all heard it from MTV).

Listening to it so much later, I rather think I missed out on giving this one some more spins when I was young. Helloween has had such a massive legacy since, with a lot of changes, but this brings back the innocence and amazing potential I once felt for these Germans...potential which they mostly lived up to, mind you. I don't know if it's on the level of Live After Death or Live Without Sense, two of the rare lives that I listen to on a fairly regular rotation. There's just not much meat on the bones of this one, but I promise I won't wait three decades before it shows up in the queue again.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

Yes, there is a big complaint here! Why only seven songs? Just because the studio album was called Keeper Of The Seven Keys? That would be lame! Why not a double album? Seven songs is far from enough! The sound and performance as heard here could have led to a ‘Live-After-Death-ish’ masterpiece of power metal if it would have been a double album with many, many more songs. (For instance were are “Eagle Fly Free” and “Twilight Of The Gods” or even “Victim Of Fate” !?!)

Anyway, just great songs to be found here and obviously the three most sing-a-long-able tracks from the Keeper albums are here (“Dr. Stein”, “Future World” and “I Want Out”) but filling an album with these songs is like Maiden only playing the eighties singles and no obscure or epic songs.

Fortunately there is a big surprise here. Such a big one it makes the album perfect almost by itself. We are talking “How Many Tears” ladies and gentlement. One of the best two songs Weikath has ever written in his career! Hearing this massive live version with ‘big’ drums, a broad guitar sound and of course Kiske on vocals makes one release how flat the original studiorecording actually was. Talking about Kiske, check out the second time he repeats the chorus at the end of the song (“But before the world turns into a sun”) and takes the vocals even an octave higher. Mindblowing! Goosebumps people. One of the best vocals performances ever on a live album! And what a performance by Ingo Schwichtenberg on this song as well. So immensly powerful and tight.

Can you imagine what the entire Walls Of Jericho album would sound like with this massive sound and Kiske on vocals !?! My god that would have been divine! At least why not a live version of “Ride The Sky” on this album? With this sound and Kiske it would be just as magnificent as How Many Tears obviously.

Also notbale is how good “A Little Time” and “Rise and Fall” actually sound with a bigger guitar sound! The live version of “We Got the Right” once again proves the quality of not only Kiske but the band as a whole.

This album is too damn short!

Helloween at their best! I get the chills whenever I listen to this concert, every band member gives his soul for this live. This is without dought Helloween's best concert ever recorded!

This concert was recorded in late 1988 in Scotland, when Helloween were at the peak of their career and is the last recording featuring legendary guitarist and songwriter Kai Hansen . From the first song to the last, the band plays almost flawlessly with a lot of energy and emotion.

The highlight of this album is the last track "How Many Tears". A lengthy (9 minutes long) epic and really fast track, filled with double-bass drumming, which offers some great tempo changes. It starts of furiously with Ingo pounding his drums in insane speed, while never lifting his feet from the double-bass. Soon the vocals come in and the song really elevates to epic proportions. Emotional mid range vocals and perfectly clear and strong high pitched vocal delivery by Michael Kiske who sings lyrics surrounding warfare and human suffering. After the outstanding chorus a technical twin guitar solo commences which around the 3:40 minute mark brakes down to a very slow, wonderfully played harmonic part. Wonderfully executed and emotional guitar solos give way to a thunderous drum fill at 5:45 that brings back the initial speed of the song and keeps that pace until the melodic ending (this version of the song is considered a masterpiece amongst Helloween fans).

"A Little Time" is the opening track, a mid paced heavy metal number, with a catchy chorus, a varied vocal performance and lyrics describing the shortage of time in our lives. Dr. Stein" is one of Helloween's most commercial songs and a crowd favourite, catchy guitar riffs, high pitched vocals, great guitar solos and funny lyrics dealing with rock star-cloning. The extended version of "Future World" follows next. Another crowd favourite, characterised by a strong guitar riff a great sing along chorus, lyrics dealing with a utopian-fantasy place, one of the bands best guitar solos and a brake in the middle of the song were the band jams some rock and roll melodies and then the crowd sings along for a while. "I Want Out" is probably Helloween's most universally known track and a classic heavy metal anthem, consisting of catchy riffs and guitar leads, some great twin-guitar harmonies and solos and a powerful chorus.

Although all band members are in top form, especially guitarists Hansen and Weikath who play wonderfully showing all their wares, vocalist Michael Kiske is the star of the night! Throughout the whole concert his voice reaches to the heavens, hitting high-pitched notes with such emotion and precision, never heard before by any other singer in metal. Especially his outstanding performance in the track "We Got The Right" is breathtaking! This mid paced power ballad shows the depth, emotion, range and charisma of the vocals this 19 year old (back in 1988) possessed. (After listening to this live album I have to place Kiske amongst the 3 best metal vocalist ever, the others being Bruce Dickinson and Ronnie James Dio).

The only drawback of the album is that it is rather short (52 minutes) and the set list which leaves out epics like Eagle Fly Free, March Of Time, Twilight Of The Gods and Halloween. That being said, there isn't a filler or weak-played song in this album and the interaction Of Michael Kiske with the crowd is quite interesting.

If you enjoyed "Keeper Of The Seven Keys part I & II" you will LOVE this album, as it is the only live experience with this line up. Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I & II together with this live album are the best material ever recorded by Helloween!


Again if you liked the Keepers, this is a MUST BUY, if you enjoy live albums in general this is again a must buy.