Better Than Raw (Exp) [Extra tracks, Original recording remastered]

Helloween | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 16, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sanctuary Records
• ASIN: B000F8O472
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #238,292 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Recorded at Chateau Du Pape and Crazy Cat Studios, Hamburg, Germany, and Mi Sueno, Tenerife, Spain. All tracks have been digitally remastered and features the 4 bonus tracks 'Back On The Ground', 'A Game We Shouldn't Play', 'Perfect Gentleman' & 'Moshi Moshi-Shiki No Uta'. Castle Music. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than Most, December 9, 2006

By 

Justin Gaines (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Better Than Raw (Exp) (Audio CD)

Originally released in 1998, Better Than Raw is, in my humble opinion, the absolute best album Helloween has released since the classic Keeper of the Seven Keys albums. By bringing in former Pink Cream 69 vocalist Andi Deris to replace Michael Kiske, the band seemed to regain the focus and energy missing from the last couple of Kiske albums. All of the Deris-era Helloween albums are quite good, especially those released in the 1990's, but Better Than Raw stands out as the best of the bunch.

This is Helloween doing what they do best - delivering the kind of high-energy melodic power metal that they pretty much invented in the first place. Everything about this album, from the songwriting to the music to the cover art is an improvement over its predecessors. The album is full of strong tracks, though songs like "Push," "Hey Lord," "I Can" and "Midnight Sun" stand out. This is the kind of album that would bring old-school Helloween fans back to the fold, and one of the only albums released since founding guitarist Kai Hansen left that is truly on par with his band Gamma Ray's albums.

If you're a Helloween fan, Better Than Raw is a must-have album, especially now that it has been reissued.

Edition Notes: Sanctuary finally got around to remastering the Helloween catalog in 2006, and they certainly did it right. In addition to digitally remastered sound, the reissued version of Better Than Raw serves up four bonus tracks - the b-sides "Back on the Ground," "A Game We Shouldn't Play" and live versions of "Perfect Gentleman" and the bizarrely titled track called "Moshi Moshi-Shiki No Uta," which is essentially a 7-minute drum solo with some guitar soloing thrown in for good measure. You also get expanded liner notes by Metal Hammer's Dave Ling, photos, etc. plus a nifty slipcase for the disc.

This is what a remastered version of a great album is supposed to look and sound like. If you're already a Helloween fan, it's time to replace your old version!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than just a handful of pain..., December 10, 2009

By 

Puffany (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Better Than Raw (Exp) (Audio CD)

Most of this album is outstanding - 9/10 to be more accurate. I don't understand why some people overlook this album - maybe the title puts them off (??).
As far as the original release is concerned, I would've given the album 10/10 if the 2 studio `bonus tracks' had replaced the 2 weakest tracks on the original release. That wasn't the case, so I would've given the original release 8/10.
This expanded edition has definitely improved on the original release of this album.
These guys certainly know how to make the best melodic metal music without sounding too cheesy (most of the time). It's easy to tell that a lot of intelligence and craft go into their creative output. They miss the mark at times but not on this album.
Andi Deris has a lot to do with why the songs sound so good to the ear. Lots of fans often mention that Kiske was a better vocalist. Technically - maybe so. I do love his work and every era of Helloween unlike some fans which are divided. However, Deris has something extra in his vocal delivery that consists of a raw, emotion-driven energy that makes him sound so convincing - kind of like he's singing with the same balls that Robert Plant sang with on the Zeppelin albums.

Here's a quick breakdown of the songs:

1. Deliberately Limited Prelude Period In Z: best intro to any Helloween album ever - dramatic orchestration that next leads into a monster song - 5/5
2. Push: explosive - the frantic vocals and ferocious pace gets the heart pumping - brilliant!! - 5/5
3. Falling Higher: the high standard continues with another excellent track - 4.5/5
4. Hey Lord: has an irresistible hook with the questioning `Hey Lord' chorus asking `what is it all about?'. Helloween have the brilliance to get away with commercial rock tracks without sounding corny - very few bands have that talent - 5/5
5. Don't Spit On My Mind: powerful track with awesome riffs & another strong chorus - equal favorite track on the album - 5/5
6. Revelation: about three quarters of the way to being real good....2 minutes shorter would've helped. I still dig it but would have preferred Game We Shouldn't Play for a place on the original - 3.5/5
7. Time: a slow, chiming, haunting track with excellent chorus & backing vocals - 5/5
8. I Can: this one rocks. Great tune. Another user-friendly song with a positive attitude that yet again refrains from being corny (just) - 4/5
9. A Handful Of Pain: I can hear Bowie in the vocals here. Another great chorus with attractive backing vocals - 5/5
10. Lavdate Dominum: excellent verses with the right build up that unfortunately leads to a lame chorus. Could have been much better - the weakest track on the `original' album only surpassed on the downside by the last `bonus' track on this expanded edition - 2.5/5
11. Midnight Sun: energetic work-out and a worthy ending to the original release - 4/5

Bonus Tracks

12. Back On The Ground: this one gets the heart pumping as well. Excellent track that leaves me asking why it wasn't included ahead of Lavdate Dominum on the original release 5/5
13. Game We Shouldn't Play: this bonus track is an absolute bonus indeed! - too good for a bonus track. 4/5
14. Perfect Gentleman: rockin' live version of one the most `loaded' and fun songs ever - a Helloween classic - 5/5
15. Moshi Moshi Shiki No Uta: drum solo with some nice guitar at the end...unnecessary! - 1/5

I don't know how many times I've been disappointed by the bonus tracks on albums over the last few years by different artists however, this is one that works the way you would hope. If you've already got the original release, like it, but aren't sure whether this is worth it for the extras, don't think about it - get it! If you haven't heard this album before, check it out and see what you think.
Anyway, I'm tired and going to bed.

Rock on!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So you got tired of Helloween?, April 4, 2007

By 

James M (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Better Than Raw (Audio CD)

So you loved the Keepers albums, kept buying the ones after that hoping they would come out with something decent, and was let down time after time again? You aren't impressed with Andi Deris's voice, or you heard "The Dark Ride" and "Rabbits Don't Come Easy" and thought the songs were booooooriinng??? Don't give up yet! Better Than Raw is definitely a break from the string of highly unsuccesful, bland, albums that Helloween has been cranking out in the 90's. Ok, fine, so Keepers Pt. 3 was great, but it was not on par with Keepers 1&2. But this one is even better than Keepers Pt. 3. The music is definitely Heavy Metal, it is rough, has some progressive aspects to it, but there is also some variety.

The catchy songs "Hey Lord" and "I Can" really got me into the album. But the intense "Push" not only features some creative vocals from Deris, but is probably the high-point in songwriting for the album. Heavy, yet catchy. Not too distorted, and the vocals actually aren't that bad! Revelations is the real proggy one, Time is a really different song with an acoustic intro that brought great dynamics to this album, and lets see...Laudate Dominum is this really cheesy happy latin power metal song that I ended up loving (then got sick of). A few boring tracks that I couldn't get into such as Midnight Sun and Back on the Ground, but overall the songwriting is definitely a few notches up from other boring Helloween releases.