Customer Reviews

Best Rest & Rare

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"The Best, the Rest, the Rare" is a pretty good Helloween sampler, a good album to pick up if you want to find out what all the buzz was about Helloween in the late 80's... "I Want Out" is the opener, the song that was pushed ad nauseum by MTV to hype up the Headbangers Ball Tour (remember that?); it's nonetheless a great song and one of their more accessible, friendlier tracks... a shame they don't do it live anymore... "Dr. Stein" is next, again a great track, off the legendary "Keepers Part 2" album... "Future World" is one of their best, Michi's vocals begin to come into their own on this track... "Judas", an old Kai Hansen-era track, was one of their heaviest up to that point... great lyrics... "Walls of Jericho" is an instrumental with the now familiar "Happy Happy Halloween" fanfare... "Ride the Sky", another Kai Hansen vocal track, is one of my favorites... great drums & guitars... "Halloween", the 13+ minute opus: what can be said? If you haven't heard this track by now then you don't know what songwriting is all about... "Livin' Ain't No Crime", a b-side, is kinda cool... "Save Us": Why is this here? I mean, out of all their tracks that they can label as "the rest" or "the rare", why this? Why not "White Christmas" or better yet "Oernst of Life" (if you've heard these rare babies then you know what I'm talking about)... "Victim of Fate", a re-mix done with Michi's vocals, is pretty good; the original, off the "Helloween" EP, is still heavier, though... "Savage", my absolute favorite track off this compilation, is the fastest thing Helloween has ever done; Michi's songwriting is so good on this song, I listen to his other stuff and I wonder, "What happened? You started out so promising..."... "Don't Run for Cover" is awesome; not too fast, but heavy... "Keeper of the Seven Keys" rounds out the album, their other 13+ minute song. Not as good as "Halloween", but pretty damn close... Like I said, Helloween fans will get this just to complete the collection (as any die-hard Helloween fan already has these songs through their various albums & EPs)... Newbies may want to pick it up to listen to one of the greatest metal bands of all times... the choice is yours...

The melodies that pours forth from Kai and Mike's guitars just stir the soul. The weeping and whailing... No other band can compare.

Great non-poser heavy metal of late-80's. Michael Kiske has possibly the best voice of any rocker I've ever heard. Name is deceiving of music style.

In my opinion....Germany has had some of the best bands to come from that country. Accept, Scorpions, and Helloween.. I don't think that you can get much better than that. I only wished that this band would tour the U.S. more often. It has been over ten years since they have launched a full scale WORLD TOUR. If you like Power Metal ... than this is the album for you.

This great cd include the bests songs of Helloween, with some singles, that's why i say The Best

This album was originally put out in 1991 prior to pink bubbles go ape on noise records, the old lable of hellowen to finish out their contract. It is by far one of the best greatest hits compilations available for any band, much like alice coopers greatest hits in 1974. This album has the harder to find tracks "livin ain't no crime", "Save Us" and re-recordings with michael kiske's vocals of "savage", possibly the definitive version. Kiske re-recorded many of these old "Walls of Jerhico" tracks on this, which can also be found on the Pumpkin Box, or the album 2006 re-masters. Kia Hansen was a good vocalist, but I am glad he stepped aside to focus on guitar, because he is one of the best thrash/power guitarist around. This is well worth adding to your collection, and likely a great introduction/solo disc if a person only wants to own one helloween disc.

As far as I remember, I got this compilation from Helloween--The Best, the Rest, the Rare--the same year that it was released in 1991. For years, I have not listened to this German band hardly at all. Recently, I rediscovered them and have forged a newfound respect for their music. The musicians in Helloween are impressive, talented technicians--including singer Michael Kiske. Their songwriting and musicianship are put to remarkable display on this thirteen-track compilation. Their music sounds to me like a combination of hard rock and metal. It is aggressive, melodic, precise, and memorable. The Best, the Rest, the Rare features cuts taken from Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I (1987), Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II (1988), and material from various other sources. Whoever put this compilation together did a nice job with the sequencing--everything flows well together. The compositions that I favor are "I Want Out," "Future World," and "Halloween." "I Want Out" is a stirring, memorable song that exhibits tasteful rhythm guitar work and soloing from Kai Hansen and Michael Weikath. The catchy, energetic "Future World" is another tight tune that features a cool-sounding snare drum sound from Ingo Schwichtenberg. The tour de force "Halloween"--a composition that is just over thirteen minutes--is not only a classic song, but it is also special. This epic, adventurous track is also a nice showcase for Kiske's pleasing, versatile, operatic vocals. Hansen and Weikath's guitarwork is finessed, too. As for one of the guitarists (Hansen), he also handles lead vocals on "Judas" and "Ride the Sky." Even though the CD booklet does not contain an essay of the group, it does include the lyrics to the songs and a black-and-white photo of each member of the band. In addition, the CD is almost seventy-seven minutes. The album cover artwork is odd but interesting, too. Actually, I rate this compilation 3.5 stars. It is recommendable.

I have never listen such goods lirycs. They've surpass one of my best favorites ones METALLICA(THE BLACK ALBUM), you won't forgive yourself if you don't get the HELLOWEEN CD. 5 starts, but in my opinion they deserve 10 starts.

Four new songs! Listen "Dont run for cover" or "living aint no crime". Strong Songs! Worth the buy!