Helloween - Gambling With The Devil
Helloween have accomplished a new album that is focused, energized and highly enjoyable. It delivers an hour of power metal and is more consistent than their last Keepers Legacy album. In the vein of "Better than raw" and several others the album starts off with a high energy, powerfuelled song. Kill it only slows down when the guitar solo hits. Andi Deris is off in extreme high pitch land here and while it is not 100% successful it is still an interesting experiment.
 
The Saints could just as well be a theme song for the Southampton soccer team. It has that effective sing a long mood, a melodic chorus and above all a powerful bombastic vibe. Great song.
 
As long as I fall is a superbly melodic tune, carried by a soulful performance by Andi Deris. It feels like a long lost older and more experienced brother of If I could fly from "The Dark Ride". Paint a new world is a standard Helloween speedy track in every way, while Final torture offers a bit more variety with a strong bridge section as its main attraction.
 
The Bells of 7 Hells is an aggressive and heavy thing. Andi's voice doesn't quite hold up for the most demanding parts and nearing the end the chorus becomes a bit too static, but overall a good and interesting song.
Fallen to pieces revisits the ultra melodic landscape and does a good job, but offers nothing new. I.M.E. and Can do it are good songs but offer nothing really memorable except maybe for I.M.E.'s nice little word play.
 
Dreambound lays down a solid race for the finish line and Heaven tells no lies jumps happily over it with a flourish.
 
Alltogether a worthy addition to the Helloween legacy. Solid.

Written by Steen
Friday, February 1, 2008
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Ratings

Steen: 7/10

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RevelationZ Comments


Comment by Craig (Member) - Saturday, February 2, 2008
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Comments: 134
Ratings: 29
I love this album, one of 2007's best for me. It took a bit of time to grow on me, probably due to the variety in the songs. I love the mix of symphonics in "As Long as I Fall" and "Fallen to Pieces" contrasting with the aggression of "Kill It" and "I.M.E."

Helloween are also the only power metal band that could possibly get away with writing an Andrew WK song ("Can Do It").

Posted by Craig
Saturday, February 2, 2008










Review by Steen

Released by
SPV - 2007

Tracklisting
1. Crack The Riddle (Intro)
2. Kill It
3. The Saints
4. As Long As I Fall
5. Paint A New World
6. Final Fortune
7. The Bells Of The 7 Hells
8. Fallen To Pieces
9. I.M.E.
10. Can Do It
11. Dreambound
12. Heaven Tells No Lies


Supplied by Target


Style
Power Metal

Related links
Visit the band page

Helloween - Official Website

Other articles
The Dark Ride - (Tommy)

Rabbit Don´t Come Easy - (Tommy)

Live With Rage, Amager Bio, Copenhagen - 9th December, 2003 - (Tommy)

Keeper Of The Seven Keys - Part II - (Tommy)

Mrs. God (Single) - (Steen)

Keeper Of The Seven Keys - The Legacy - (Tommy)

Walls Of Jericho / Keeper Of The Seven Keys, Parts 1 & 2 / Pink Bubbles Go Ape (Re-issues) - (Brian)

Expanded Reissues, Part Two: Chameleon; Master Of The Rings; Time Of The Oath; Better Than Raw. - (Brian)

Live In Sao Paulo - (Brian)

7 Sinners - (Brian)



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