Helloween - Unarmed - Best Of - 25th Anniversary Album (2009)

Genre: See below.
About: This band has obviously gotten bored of power metal, because this is a collection of their "greatest" hits (definitely arguable) of mostly power metal songs, redone in completely different songs. With the exception of track 5, the songs are primarily acoustic, often folk-sounding, with some jazz influences, and even flat out pop (track 10). This is obviously not an album aimed at the die hard metalheads (see: close-minded).

However, if you are in fact a die hard metalhead (more than likely true if you are on this blog), take a listen to "The Keeper´s Trilogy (Halloween, Keeper of The Seven Keys & King Of 1000 Years)". Those are the three most epic songs from the Keeper albums, and unbelievable made even more epic... they are done in an Epic Symphonic Power Metal style, similar to something Nightwish would spend a million dollars making, and completely different from the rest of this album. It's just a wall of sound and power metal and eargasms for most of 17 minutes.

The only other song I can really say with confidence you HAVE to listen to, is "Eagle Fly Free". Again, if you are a metalhead you have no doubt heard 200 covers of this song, all complete sound-alikes. Well, from the original band you have a cover that's completely redone, as a ballad-duet with a female singer... don't know who but her voice is quite beautiful.

I really do appreciate what they tried to do with this album, completely rework their songs into a different genre, and perhaps get these stuck up metalheads to try some new music... but it was done poorly at best. With the exception of track 5 and 6, these songs are not bad, just not up to Helloween's high standards they set for themself in the past.

1. Dr. Stein 03:59 [view lyrics]
2. Future World 04:13 [view lyrics]
3. If I Could Fly 03:28 [view lyrics]
4. Where The Rain Grows 05:09 [view lyrics]
5. The Keeper´s Trilogy (Halloween, Keeper of The Seven Keys & King Of 1000 Years) 17:06 [view lyrics]
6. Eagle Fly Free 03:50 [view lyrics]
7. Perfect Gentleman 04:18 [view lyrics]
8. Forever & One 04:25 [view lyrics]
9. I Want Out 04:22 [view lyrics]
10. Fallen To Pieces 03:28 [view lyrics]
11. A Tale That wasn`t Right 04:46

(Mediafire Download Link removed at the request of forceably by some d*cks that are paid by helloween to hunt down blog posts... I'm spreading your music you idiots so more people will know about it and be potential customers, but ok if you want to do that. Instead, have fun reading about the DMCA, and definitely don't go torrent this album.)


For a bit of fun, let's look at the tracks I probably would pick were I to do a "best of". I may even compile and upload one just as an alternative to the official one. First of all, I'd like it to be chronological to trace the evolution of their sound (Similar to my ELP compilation, linked in the upper right of the blog), and start with a re-recording of the song that (arguably) invented Power Metal. And later on, some songs from Helloween's least widely liked albums in the early 90s could really do with somewhat heavier re-records (even though I like them how they are, I admit they could definitely be improved a lot). I'll try to pick one or two from each album, but maybe three, hard to pick, thats the problem when a band is consistantly awesome. :)

1. Oernst Of Life (Death Metal - 1984)
2. Guardians or Cry For Freedom (Walls of Jericho - 1986)
3. I'm Alive or Twilight of the Gods(Keeper pt. 1 - 1987)
4. Eagle Fly Free or Rise and Fall, or I want out (Keeper pt. 2 - 1988)
5. Kids Of The Century or Heavy Metal Hamsters (Pink Bubbles - 1991)
6. First Time or Giants (Chameleon - 1993)
7. Where the Rain Grows or Take Me Home (Master of the Rings - 1994)
8. We Burn or Wake up the Mountain (The Time of the Oath - 1996)
9. Push or I Can, or Revelation (Better than Raw - 1998)
10. Mr Torture or The Departed, or The Dark Ride (The Dark Ride - 2000)
11. Open your Life or Sun 4 the world (Rabbit - 2003)
12. Silent Rain or Light the Universe (Keeper Legacy - 2005)
13. The Saints or As Long as I Fall (Gambling - 2007)

Feel free to debate these choices, they were made rather quick and I havent listened to this band in quite some time :)

Axewielder - The Nightcrew - 2009

Genre: Heavy Power Metal
About: Judging by the song titles, youd think this band is pretty epic, and it is. It's heavy power metal, but it is very raw, like older black metal, which i like, but some may not. This is their first full length release.

1. Heavy Metal Zombies 06:05
2. Ride On Through The Night 04:32
3. Beer Bottle From Hell 04:12
4. Axewielder Rules The Night 03:38
5. The Nightcrew 01:40
6. Raise Your Tankards High 03:02
7. Loch Lomond 03:36
8. I Am The Axewielder 02:56
9. Evil Reign 03:51
10. Metal-Horned Stallions 03:49
Total playing time 37:24

Download

Uaral - Lamentos A Poema Muerto (2007)

Genre: doom metal, acoustic, folk, influences of depressive/suicidal black metal
About: This is music to lose yourself into. The feeling of hopelessness and loneliness present here is simply amazing. But what makes them so unique is this is achieved using almost entirely acoustic guitars. Beautiful flowing spanish folk melodies. But then seemingly out of nowhere, the vocals come in. They vary from low melodic vocals to growls, and sometimes almost grindcore/frog vocals and also suicidal black vocals. And there is actually crying in some songs

The only "happy" sounding part is track 5, but that is somewhat muffled as if it is a memory of a past time, in which things were different.

The only "metal" parts of this album are usually at the climax of the song, in which the acoustic guitar is still present but overlapped with electric guitar melodies. This band must be heard to be believed.

Download

Bruce Springsteen - Working on a Dream (2009) (plus My Lucky Day video!)

Genre: rock, classic rock, singer-songwriter, folk
About: Bruce Springsteen returns from a continuation of his work from his last album, released in 2007. He sounds better than ever.

This is one of those albums that will likely need to grow on you. All that means is it is a completely original work and so your brain needs time to adjust. You may hate track 4 but then come back and like it then the third time love it. Etc.

My Lucky Day Video:

My Lucky Day


Buy - Amazon.com

Download pt 1
Download pt 2