Description

2006 Remastered/Expanded edition: When talking about some of metal's most influential albums of all time, you'll hear names such as Black Sabbath, Paranoid, The Number of the Beast, Reign in Blood, Black Metal, Painkiller, and so many more. Each of these albums has helped shape metal into what it has become over the years. Each genre has its own ‘Bible album’, and power metal is no different. The beginnings of power metal are not at all difficult to trace. One of the very first artists of the fledgling genre was Helloween. The bands second album and the first with the new singer Michael Kiske was released in 1987. Originally, Keeper of the Seven Keys was meant to be a double album but the record label insisted that they be divided into two parts. Today, Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt 1 is regarded as not only one of power metal's first albums, but also one of its finest. The follow up album ‘Keeper Of The Seven Keys Pt 2’ was released the year after. The first was a shorter 8 track introduction to the concept, mostly contained within the closing track ‘Follow the Sign’. Where this one differs is the more advanced sense of musicianship, combined with a greater emphasis on the satiricle side of Helloween's lyrics. Like it's predecessor, this album contains a good portion of up tempo tracks, technical flair, and a 13 minute plus epic. But song writing duties have evolved a bit, and this is where the music is a bit different. Michael Weikath has written the long epic to this album, and the results are a song that is equal in scope, but with a greater emphasis on melody, both in the vocals and the guitars. The lyrics on this track are also not quite as comical, which is a bit uncharacteristic as much of Weikath's work with Helloween is full of satire. In conclusion, this is Helloween's finest hour, although sadly it would be the last time that Kai Hansen would be in the band. This is a piece of power metal history that no current fan of the genre should be without. Track listing: Disc 1 1. Invitation 2. Eagle Fly Free 3. You Always Walk Alone 4. Rise And Fall 5. Dr. Stein 6. We Got The Right 7. March Of Time 8. I Want Out 9. Keeper Of The Seven Keys 10. Save Us Disc 2 1. Savage (single b-side) 2. Livin’ Ain’t No Crime (single b-side) 3. Don’t Run For Cover (single b-side) 4. Dr. Stein (Remix) 5. Keeper Of The Seven Keys (Remix)