celebrating a power metal classic of classics: Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I

Helloween

Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I

Noise Records

May 23, 1987

Michael Weikath Guitars (lead), Vocals (backing), Songwriting (tracks 5, 8), Lyrics (tracks 5, 8) ---- Kai Hansen Vocals (backing), Songwriting (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6-8), Lyrics (tracks 2, 4, 6-8), Guitars (lead) ---- Michael Kiske Songwriting (track 3), Lyrics (track 3), Vocals (lead)---- Markus Grosskopf Bass, Vocals (backing) ---- Ingo Schwichtenberg (R.I.P. 1995) Drums.

1. Initiation 01:21; 2. I'm Alive 03:23 3. A Little Time 03:59; 4. Twilight of the Gods 04:29; 5. A Tale That Wasn't Right 05:15; 6. Future World 04:02; 7. Halloween 13:18; 8. Follow the Sign 01:46; total time 37:33.

On The Metal Archives the reviewer Andreas Hansen gives this album a 100% rating, and explains some history: "Weikath suggests the then very young Michael Kiske, who was playing in the band IIIrd Prophecy and whose the Helloween guitarist had noticed his impressive skills for a singer of his age (he was eighteen). But Kiske refuses. Weikath, true to himself, doesn't throw in the sponge, persuaded that he had found the good person. At another point, someone suggests him a phone number lying around in a pocket, Ralf Scheepers' one, at this moment in Tyran's Pace - who would eventually join Hansen after his departure to form Gamma Ray. By dint of persuasions, Kiske finally accepts to join Helloween.

His dream team now in place, Weikath, with Hansen, starts working on this much-vaunted project of a double-album dealing with fantasy stories, the 'Keeper of the Seven Keys'. Sadly for them, another major impediment stands in their way: Noise refuses such a work, considered as way too ambitious and prem for the age of the band, being afraid that the album would sell very badly. The band resolves to split it into two parts and that's how this first opus saw the light of day on May, 23rd, 1987, an album that marks the real turning point of the band, coming from a heavy/speed metal sound with some melodies to what we would call later power metal.

Power metal wasn't inevitably born with this album, it is always difficult to tell when a genre is created, but this Keeper of the Seven Keys is often considered to be the album that gave prestige to this metal sub-genre, much more than Walls of Jericho in any cases."

Helloween - I'm Alive