Helloween – Better Than Raw

Details :

• Year of release : 1998
• Label : Raw Power RAWCD125
• Review format : CD

After the earlier loss of Kai Hansen and a decline in sales following the huge successes of the Keeper Of The Seven Keys albums the departure of singer Michael Kiske probably should have signalled the end for the German power metal band Helloween. However the clever choice of Pink Cream ‘69 frontman Andi Deris actually marked a turning point for the band and from that point they have actually continued to build a strong legacy rather than tarnish the name. The Time Of The Oath and Master Of The Rings hinted at a future many couldn’t have foreseen whilst the successful High Live CD and DVD release closed the first chapter on the new line-up the next release featured here set high standards for the band for the next century. Pumpkin’s aplenty on the excellent artwork Better Than Raw features less gimmicky moments than most Helloween releases but much of their typical flavour of traditional heavy metal.

The album opens with the deliciously pompous Deliberately Limited Preliminary Prelude In Z, a cod-symphonic piece of soundtrack style music that builds up to the heavy guitar blast of Push. A song that displays both the thrashy elements of the early days along with a melodic solo and a versatile vocal from Deris. Proud, traditional metal describes the uniquely Helloween song Falling Higher with its clever lyrics and anthemic delivery before Hey Lord! takes things a little slower and a little more melodic although once again the chorus is catchy as hell. Some vocal effects on this track don’t quite work but Michael Weikath’s solo is the stand-out moment. The uniquely titled Don’t Spit On My Mind follows and grinds out a particularly vitriolic anti-Government message with Deris sounding suitably angry whilst Revelation features a very melodic opening guitar part courtesy of Roland Grapow before exploding into a thrash guitar backed 8½ minute epic boasting no less than three guitar solos.

The dark, ponderous ballad Time, with its ticking-clock background gives Deris centre stage on his own composition before the excellent I Can demonstrates that despite the personnel changes Helloween had lost none of the ability to deliver memorable metal anthems. Very much in the vein of Future World and I Want Out with it’s larger than life chorus this marks Helloween at their very best, knocking out tracks that will stick in your head for ages. A Handful Of Pain resembles Queensryche somewhat and isn’t too remarkable whilst Lavdate Dominum is either immensely brave sung as it is entirely in Latin or is a demonstration of a band supremely confident again and willing to explore anything; indeed with some of the surprise choices of covers on follow up album Metal Jukebox it’s probably the latter. Whatever the reason it certainly takes some talent to make a Latin chorus catchy as hell! Midnight Sun is another superb track to bring the album to a close and with its galloping riffs and twin guitar attack it recalls the comparisons to Iron Maiden which have dogged Helloween for ever.

Summary : The album sealed the comeback for Helloween and lay to rest the disappointments of Pink Bubbles Go Ape and Chameleon. Building upon the first two Deris fronted releases its deceptively heavy but laced with memorable hooks and building on this Helloween gradually re-established themselves as one of Europe’s major metal acts. In all honesty, for all its excellence it fails to better the career milestones/millstones of the Keeper releases and has been bettered again by the band since but it sits as a landmark in their canon and a bloody good metal album whatever.

If You Listen To One Track Listen To : I Can

Score : 3.5/5

“I Can” – promotional video (1998)