Helloween - Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I review
| Band: | Helloween |
| Album: | Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I |
| Style: | Power metal, Speed metal |
| Release date: | May 23, 1987 |
| Guest review by: | Destiny |
01. Initiation
02. I'm Alive
03. A Little Time
04. Twilight Of The Gods
05. A Tale That Wasn't Right
06. Judas [Noise 1993 Re-release bonus]
07. Future World
08. Halloween
09. Follow The Sign
10. Victim Of Fate [Michael Kiske version] [2006 Expanded Edition bonus]
11. Starlight [Michael Kiske version] [2006 Expanded Edition bonus]
12. A Little Time [Edit version] [2006 Expanded Edition bonus]
13. Halloween [Video Edit] [2006 Expanded Edition bonus]
Keeper Pt.1" was the first HELLOWEEN-album with Michael Kiske on the vocal helm. The first two earlier releases the self-titled EP in 1985 and "Walls of Jericho" in 1986 were a style resulted form a combination between Metallica and Iron Maiden but it's on this album that their songwriting appears to be progressed and matured, and they take an important step in their musical career and with this album they bring a new genre to the metal scene: POWER METAL.
On this record, all the tracks are notable. The opening riff of "I'm Alive" is indeed a strong way to kick in the whole album, and the rest of it keep going on the same level, here we have no filler tracks neither uninspired moments at all. In particular, "Future World" and "Twilight Of The Gods" can be counted among the best songs the band have ever written, and have become crowd favourites at live-shows. The ballad is represented by "A Tale That Wasn't Right", and it appears to be quite ordinary, but the amazing vocal performance by Kiske and a great guitar solo by Weikath fully make up for it. "Halloween" is the long epic track of the album (clocking in at over 13 minutes), and is masterly varied to keep the listener interested,
The guitar work on this album is brilliant, plenty of melodic solos, dual harmony guitar parts and a good amount of guitar licks. Moreover, every guitar line is well composed and executed, the two guitarists showing all of their wares throughout the album.
The vocals are excellent. The most evident weak spot on the previous works of the band was for sure the singin'. Michael Kiske come's form a band called 'ILL Prophecy' and is the singer every band would kill to have on board, with them. Kiske sorta like Bruce Dickinson but less powerful and really clearer. It might not sound too clear because of his heavy German accent.
he album was first thought like a Double Album but the due their restrictions of the record company it came only a volume ' Keeper Of The Seventh Keys Part I'. In 1988 Helloween released 'Keeper Of The Seven Keys Pat II' that is even better than the Part I
Helloween Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I is a masterpiece and it's one of the influential album (along with its follow-up) for nowadays Power Metal-bands. Highly recommended.
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Comments
Comments: 22
Visited by: 206 users
| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718  |
Great album, a little overrated IMO, and most certainly not worth a 9.9
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Arcaliz666 Account deleted |
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| Dowi Posts: 14 |
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| Paradox0 Unasuming Madnes Posts: 592 |
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| Mountain King K i K o Posts: 1361  |
A Tale that Wasn't Right is masterpiece ballad!...I think any metal fan should listen to this album and especially that song. Future World is amazing too  ...it took me time to get used to the song Halloween but once i did i couldn't stop singing "Masquerade Masquerade"!!! lool
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| giok99 Posts: 85  |
I was 14 and this album was a revelation. I bought it three times in 20 years. Still dont have enough. The birthday of Power Metal.
---- Nothing is real
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| Deadmeat Necrobutcher Posts: 2437  |
This is one of the best power metal albums ever released!!! Halloween is the only 10+ minutes song that I like (from all bands I ve heard)..!
---- Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
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| Hrothdane Posts: 489  |
Halloween alone gives enough reason to get this album imo. 9.9 does seem rather high. Plenty of GOOD songs, but not enough GREAT songs to warrant such a high rating.
---- Despair is death, and I'm not interested in dying. Member of the True Crusade against True Crusades
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| Lord_Regnier Posts: 1469  |
The best Helloween album, after "Walls Of Jericho".
---- "Why would we fear death, when life is so much more frightening?"
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| bayern Posts: 21 |
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| Mountain King K i K o Posts: 1361 |
Twilight of the gods Insania's dead and gone Another world was born But the twilight soon will come I love this song and this album!
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| TheHumanMachine Posts: 4  |
What can i say about this one?? It is an excellent album and with the masterpiece song ¨Halloween¨ they become definetly one of the best power metal band ever and stay forever in the history of metal.
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| flying_circus4 Posts: 5  |
This was a tough album for me to get into (as were the second "Keeper" and "The Legacy") - I've always been a big fan of power metal and I figured I needed to get such an important album at some time, but after my first few listens I was not overly impressed. Fortunately, I stuck with it, and it gets better and better every listen. This is a truly classic album that deserves every bit of a 10/10 rating. If you haven't already, go find a copy of this album, give it a few listens, and find a little time to build up your life.
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| Metal Invader Posts: 357  |
Well im a bigger fan of keeper 2 then keeper 1..this album is great with some timeless songs!:)
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| RavenKing Posts: 1941  |
Written by Metal Invader on 05.03.2011 at 18:54 Opposite for me. I think a few unpleasant Flowermetal tendencies started to point their ugly head on Keeper 2 and it bringst it down a little bit for me.
---- They shake your hand and they smile and they buy you a drink They say we'll be your friends we'll stick with you till the end But everybody's only looking out for themselves And you say who can you trust I'll tell you nobody
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| Metal Invader Posts: 357 |
Written by RavenKing on 05.03.2011 at 23:10 Well I Want Out is my way into HELLOWEEN becose i find myself and my sorroundings totally in this song..so it dosent mater for me is it flower or power  but Eagle Fly Free,Dr.Stein,March Of Thime,Keeper of the 7 keys and Save Us r imo stronger songs then Halloween and Future World and stronger holdings for hole album if you know what i want to say..:P but that is just my opinion!
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| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675  |
"Twilight Of The Gods" became a crowd favourite at live shows? :\ I don't think they've played that song live since 1987!  The album is great, the only problem with it, is it's very short. "Halloween" might just be the best song of Helloween's whole career, and the rest of the album is pretty awesome too. I think I prefer the 2nd album merely because it's longer, but the quality of the material is very similar. Besides, I've always seen the 2 albums as 1 (indeed, the band originally wanted to release the Keepers as a double album, but the record company objected), rather than 2 individual albums. Anyways, this album is a total classic, and was a huge influence on the power metal genre, maybe even more so, than their genre defining first EP and album. xD
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| RavenKing Posts: 1941 |
Written by Angelic Storm on 06.03.2011 at 08:12 There's not really a decrease in musical quality from part 1 to part 2. What I dislike on part 2, mostly, is silly lyrics start to make their apparition. I also think the sound is a bit 'plastic', less alive than part 1. A few vocal parts I dislike here and there too.
---- They shake your hand and they smile and they buy you a drink They say we'll be your friends we'll stick with you till the end But everybody's only looking out for themselves And you say who can you trust I'll tell you nobody
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| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675 |
Written by RavenKing on 06.03.2011 at 15:46 Well, Weiki (Michael Weikath) has always had a penchant for writing silly lyrics. Just look at the lyrics of "Reptile" from "Walls Of Jericho", about a reptile who hides in the toilet to ambush its prey. (sample: You need a shit, so you head out for the loo, you're coming to the bog, now what you gonna do?)  I do think part 2 sounds a little bit less raw (and alive as you put it hehe) than part 1. It would have been better if part 2 had been recorded during the same sessions as part 1, like the band originally wanted to do.
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| RavenKing Posts: 1941 |
Written by Angelic Storm on 06.03.2011 at 16:42 I guess that's it, yes. Raw. Part 1 is kinda raw for Powermetal and I like rawness. It would have been great if both parts had the production of part 1.
---- They shake your hand and they smile and they buy you a drink They say we'll be your friends we'll stick with you till the end But everybody's only looking out for themselves And you say who can you trust I'll tell you nobody
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| Death To Posers Hate Thy King Posts: 268  |
We need more Power Metal like this.
---- The word gen means "illusion" or "apparition." In India, a man who uses conjury is called a genjutsushi ["a master of illusion technique"]. Everything in this world is but a marionette show. Thus we use the word gen.
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| Guib Thrash Talker Posts: 3220  |
This album is incredible I'm Alive, A Little Time, Twilight Of The Gods, Halloween, Future World, A Tale That Wasn't Right... All classics to me. When listening to this one I never skip a track.
---- - Headbanging with mostly clogged arteries to that stuff - Guib's List Of Essential Albums - Also Thrash Paradise Thrash Here
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