Helloween Unarmed
by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer
It’s always a bit scary (for those of us over 30) when bands we follow start celebrating major milestone birthdays. More so when the band—Helloween in this case—is theoretically a second-wave band in their respective genre. You expect Judas Priest and Iron Maiden to be lighting 25+ candles, but Helloween? Next thing you know, Stratovarius will be turning 20. Oh crap, that already happened, too. But age-induced digression aside, it is great to see so many great bands of the ’80s and ’90s not only still kicking, but kicking ass. Though Unarmed, Helloween’s 25th anniversary reimagining of past hits, may not be as ass kicking as their more recent output, it acts as a fun gift to fans, assuming those fans understand what to (and not to) expect.
Opening single “Dr. Stein” wastes no time illustrating how very different Unarmed’s arrangements are from the songs’ original incarnations. Gone is the chugging metal riffing, replaced here with horns-a-plenty, leaving the song sounding strongly reminiscent of the Almighty’s ’90s hit “All Sussed Out.” Though the intro and arrangement can be a bit off-putting to long-time fans at first, it quickly becomes apparent as to why this was chosen as the opening single, as the catchy melodies that made “Dr. Stein” a classic in the first place shine through and create an excellent, radio-friendly rock hit.
Following up with arguably their best-known song, the band present “Future World” in a mostly acoustic, rockabilly/shuffle format. With its beat that mimics the chug-a-chug of a train rolling down the tracks, this take would seem a fitting song to crank up during a cross-country Amtrak trip. Interestingly, this version would actually sit well alongside former vocalist Michael Kiske’s acoustic reworkings of his Helloween tracks from 2008’s Past In Different Ways. Maybe there is hope for a reunion, even if not in a metal setting…
Fan-favorite “Eagle Fly Free” dons a folky, ren-faire twist courtesy of guest musicians from Hellsongs, and the harmony vocals by Harriet Ohlsson almost reveal what a possible collaboration between Andi Deris and Michael Kiske might sound like.
Newer tracks “If I Could Fly” and “Fallen to Pieces” are given almost R&B makeovers, both calling to mind the work of Sade and the like. These classy performances boast strong crossover appeal and could easily fit into most adult contemporary play lists.
Certainly the most monumental track on this collection, “The Keeper’s Trilogy” blends three of the band’s Keeper epics (Halloween, Keeper of the Seven Keys, and The King for A 1000 Years) into an explosive, symphonic, cinematic masterpiece. Backed by the Prague Symphony Orchestra, the songs are made even larger and powerful than their original incarnations. Of course, they lack some of the bombast and heaviness, but that only reinforces how important the original songs are.
Following a similar path, though to a lesser degree, “A Tale That Wasn’t Right” plays with a cinematic approach, though Andi Deris’ vocals sound uninspired and bring the song down, which is odd considering his generally amazing performances not only on Unarmed, but across the board.
“Forever And One (Neverland)” from The Time of the Oath is stripped down to little more than piano and voice, leaving it with a very similar feel to “Light in the Sky” and “Time Goes By,” both similarly sparse b-sides from the original “Forever and One” single. It makes one wonder if these three songs were in fact written as a trilogy, and it would be interesting to see them performed together as such.
The only two let-down songs from this collection appear in the forms of the almost unrecognizable acoustic monotony of “Where the Rain Grows,” and the country-tinged “Perfect Gentleman.” Though both are strong tracks in their Master of the Rings versions, they didn’t respond well to the stylistic revamp and only work to bring about a longing for the original.
Luckily, remaining tracks “I Want Out,” and a rare US-only bonus track, “Why,” are top-notch alternate-reality performances. The former utilizes children’s choir vocals to recreate its classic opening melody and boasts a new, Ace Frehley-esque solo; the latter dabbles in Motown, and features a bizarre, yet somehow cool, circus-like mid section. Both are also shining examples of the fun the band surely had during these sessions.
It would seem many-a-fan may be slightly put off by these new arrangements. Perhaps some will have flashbacks to Chameleon, and will fear that Helloween will have again ditched the metal for more pop-friendly waters. It seems pretty safe to say that this is not the case, and that the next Helloween album-proper will be another sing-along, double-bass-fueled headbanger. If anything, it was probably nice for the band to revisit and rethink songs that they’ve been playing on autopilot for 20+ years and remember why they liked them enough to record in the first place. Think of it as someone having their spouse dress up in the Princess Leia golden bikini just for fun. It keeps things interesting, and it’s a damn fine 25th anniversary gift.
Label: The End Records
Web: www.helloween.org
Band Lineup:
Andi Deris (vocals)
Michael Weikath (guitar)
Sascha Gerstner (guitar)
Markus Grosskopf (bass)
Dani Löble (drums)
+an assortment of guest musicians
Tracks:
1. Dr. Stein
2. Future World
3. If I Could Fly
4. Where the Rain Grows
5. The Keeper’s Trilogy
6. Eagle Fly Free
7. Perfect Gentleman
8. Forever and One (Neverland)
9. I Want Out
10. Fallen To Pieces
11. A Tale That Wasn’t Right
12. Why
Hardrock Haven rating: 7.9/10