Customer Reviews

Unarmed: Best of 25th Anniversary

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've always been proud to be a member of the metal genre. Metal fans are the most loyal and devoted of any musical genre-they don't care how old a band is, if they had any chart topping singles, if they are overweight or just plain ugly. It's the music that matters, and that's what makes the metal scene great. On the downside of this, some metal fans are the first to jump all over a band's case when the band has done something the fan doesn't like(having a somewhat poppy sounding song on the album, playing a chord that sounds too "modern", using a drum machine on one track, and many other offenses).
Recently I have read some pretty harsh things online about Helloween's new Unarmed cd. Helloween have been in this boat before back in the day with the notorious Pink Bubbles Go Ape and Chameleon albums, so I'm sure the were expecting this type of reaction. I love the fact that they don't let it get to them. In fact, I have seen an interview with Michael Weikath on Youtube where he states(in regards to Unarmed) that a lot of people will hate this album, and he suggests people listen to it before purchasing. I have never heard a band member say something like that when promoting their new album! I was rather impressed by that statement.
So how is this new album? Well, it's probably not gonna get a ton of play in my cd player, but damn it, I enjoyed it. Like the style of music or not, Helloween's having a good time here. One of the things that's always made Helloween one of my favorite bands is their lighthearted nature, and their ability to not take themselves so damn seriously.
As you may already know, Unarmed is a "Best Of" anniversary album with the band doing non-metal versions of their classic songs. Faster Helloween songs are now slower acoustic ballads, songs have been converted to a more mellow rock, even jazzy sound. In fact, some of the songs are so far removed from metal that the intent is obviously to be a bit funny. It reminds me a bit of what Blind Guardian did with The Forgotten Tales, minus the cover songs from other groups, and a bit more tongue in cheek.
Some folks might think Helloween are disgracing themselves. Honestly, lighten up. Helloween are a metal band and will continue to be a metal band. They're not doing this album to become pop stars. This was just an oddball sidestep meant to be a fun time.....and it really could be if you let it.

I was not sure what to expect from this album. It is conceptual and very unique to be sure. Personally, I like it very much. I have been a die hard Helloween fan for over 20 years, and I would suggest this album to any fan who feels the same.

This album is not hard rock, It is soft rock/jazz/classical remake of previous songs. The obvious pinnacle of this album is the keeper trilogy with an 80 piece orchestra and chamber chior. It is the most fascinating 17 minutes of music I have heard to date from any band.

All things considered I am very happy with this album and as always, cannot wait until they release their next album

I've had this album for around 2 months now as it was released much earlier on Amazon UK. - the bad thing about getting it early was that I missed out on getting the bonus track `Why' which was included here.
From a personal viewpoint, I wasn't all that pleased when I saw the track listing, but we all have different favourites.
The interest is in how they reworked/rearranged the songs. Across the album you'll find on different tracks: a 70-piece orchestra; a choir; guest musicians; and even kids!

Personal Highlights:

The sound quality - absolutely awesome when played loud through a decent sound system.
The production is crystal clear -If I Could Fly is a definite highlight with Deris staring here - his new more limited than before vocal range suits this track perfectly.
Future World works really well and includes a surprisingly entertaining short percussion passage near the end.
The Keeper's Trilogy is awesome. Have a listen to the high-intensity orchestration come in after the quiet intro to the `King For A thousand Years' section - unbelievable! Ala the James Bond `Live And Let Die' type of excitement. Sonically, it works as well as when the guitars & drums come crunching in on the original version of 'King...'.
Perfect Gentleman - before I had even heard the album, I couldn't picture this track working very well in another format and ended up pleasantly surprised. - the lyrics are much clearer on this version.
The priceless version of Falling To Pieces blew me away from the first bar. It's at least as good as the original. It's very rare when you have a great song and then an alternate version which is different but equally as good. The word `beautiful' probably best describes this rendition with another well-suited vocal by Deris..
What almost works perfectly is I Want Out. Deris delivers it well enough and kids do the backing vocals which is okay but it's a bit of an overkill as in `Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2'. Kids are okay but I prefer dogs. Still very catchy though.
Musically, this upbeat Dr Stein is very catchy with the brass addition & backing vocals, but I don't think Deris's vocals quite work throughout the track. In fact, his new vocal range sounds uncomfortable at times and does drag the album down a notch although still very good to excellent in certain songs or sections of songs. The guy has been one of my favorite vocalists in the past with his passionate delivery but I think nearly all my other favorite male vocalists (Plant / Gillan / Halford) have all come across problems with their vocals as they have aged.

The DVD is well put together with interviews about how they made the project come together. The guys do come across as being likeable and down to earth.
It also contains a typically loaded Helloween-style film clip of Dr Stein.
There is one thing that bothers me: how could they call this a 'best of' when it's clearly just a re-working of some of their songs in another format backed by outside guests?? - kind of like Page/Plants Unledded album.

Overall, the album is brilliant most of the time but doesn't always work. The usage of the special guests is extremely effective (apart from the kids).
Helloween stated on the DVD that they were very proud of their achievement and that it wasn't an easy project by any means. Their great effort is very rewarding.
I'm definitely glad they released this and I don't miss the hard-edge of the originals when I'm in chill-out mode.

Would I recommend this to Helloween newcomers? Maybe. I'd firstly recommend any album apart from Pink Bubbles, Chameleon, and Rabbit, which I still like enough anyway. Get this after you know the original versions, or if you don't particularly like hard rock - the songs stand alone in any format - so yeah, knock yourself out.

If you are new to Helloween, this isn't the best introduction to the band. Another compilation or Keeper of the Seven Keys 1 or 2 is a better way to start.

That being said, I am a long time Helloween fan; Michael Kiske was still singer of the band when I got into them. Helloween has almost become synonymous with Power Metal, combining speed & precision, with catchy sing-along choruses, twin harmony solos, and constant double bass drumming.

If you only like Helloween's power metal side, then this album will probably not appeal to you. Helloween has always had a fun side, and if you remember the Chameleon album (and to a lesser extent Pink Bubbles Go Ape), then you might recall that Helloween had a more experimental side, which is reflected on this album. All the songs are well-known, but at first it is rather bizarre listening to all the reworked versions on this album.

The more I listen to it, the more I like the album.

Dr. Stein - This a very upbeat, almost ska-like rendition of the classic Helloween hit, including some honky-tonk, boogie-woogie piano, and saxophones.

Future World - This is a pretty straight-forward unplugged version. The songs is flawless, so it works acoustically as well as a power metal anthem.

If I Could Fly - Although the original featured piano, it was a very dark, moody song. They turned it into a much brighter, almost poppier version, pretty cool if you ask me.

Where The Rain Grows - They turned this upbeat rocker into a half-time acoustic ballad. Interesting

The Keeper's Trilogy (Medley) - One of the highlights of the album! Very orchestral! Many parts are like a filmscore a la Danny Elfman. This is the only song on the album where you will hear double bass drumming. Many of the guitar parts were replaced with strings & horns. The choir adds nicely to the overall epic feel of these songs.

Eagle Fly Free - Like "Where the Rain Grows" they turned this fast-paced power metal track into a half time ballad, including some female background vocals.

Perfect Gentleman - This doesn't deviate much from the original, as it was already a fun song to begin with.

Forever & One - This song was originally a power ballad. Piano is very prominent, and the choir adds very nicely to the song, making it almost like a gospel version of the original.

I Want Out - They added some children's choir as background, which reminds me of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2" It's almost like a campfire, sing-along version.

Fallen To Pieces - Although this song is mostly acoustic, it has some strange/interesting electronic things going on in the background, turning it into a very ambient version of this song with an almost electronica type feel/vibe.

A Tale That Wasn't Right - Possibly the highlight of the album. This is a very orchestral (almost completely classical music) version of the original power ballad, which was a great song to begin with. Andi sings his heart out (although I think most of us still prefer to hear Kiske singing the old songs).

Why? (Hidden bonus track) - This is also an interesting version. They changed the grooves in the drum, so the song seems faster. OK version, I can see why it's a hidden or bonus track.

I was truly skeptical when I first heard of this album several months ago. I was expecting a been-there-done-that metal-band-in-front-of-an-orchestra kind of release. But being a long time Helloween fan (since the mid-80s), owning every album they have ever released, having seen them live twice, I wasn't going to dismiss it. And man, does Helloween deliver!

I have read a number of negative reviews on various metal sites, some saying Helloween has sunk to a new low. I couldn't disagree more. This album is amazing! The level of creativity, love and care that has gone into the work of rearranging these songs is truly astounding. The mix of pop, jazz, classical and whatever other genres have been included enriches these songs to a whole new level.

I love the saxes on Dr. Stein, the acoustic guitars on Future World, The guitar and piano work on If I Could Fly, the choirs (even the children's choir), the orchestra, the beat, the rhythms, the female vocals on Eagle Fly Free.... There are so many details woven into every song, for the first time in ages I find myself just sitting and listening to the music, discovering new details on every listen.

Helloween is a band that is not afraid of experimentation, of taking chances. They proved that on Chameleon, Metal Jukebox, and on the panned-by-many but what I consider their best album, The Dark Ride. And they prove it again with Unarmed. Compare that to Gamma Ray, created by Kai Hansen when he left Helloween way back when. I love Gamma Ray too, but there are no surprises there, you always know what you get.

Here's to Helloween! I hope you never stop surprising me!

To tell you the truth I was afraid to buy this album when I saw it in my local FYE cd store because I feared this album would be nothing but a total disaster like some of those idiot rumors said it would be but I thought wrong. First of all this is not a metal album, It's more of an experimental classical rock jazz orchestra type music (like chameleon) but that doesn't mean it can't be good, The band celebrates their 25th anniversery with this album, They have re made and remixed their classical helloween songs into jazz, soft rock, pop, and rhapsody style orchestra with great choir singing for the keepers trilogy and I must say I loved it alot, and it is only recommended for those hard core long time fans who have grown up listening to their music, Many fans may have given up on this band but some fans still appreciate new and different things from helloween like me. If your new to helloween then I wouldn't recommend that you start here, Pick up keepers 1 & 2 or better than raw and the dark ride and give those albums a spin but if your a long time fan then give this album a chance.

Overall: Great album none of the songs were in anyway mediocre at all and it deserves credit! And I wish they would stop adding extra songs as bonuses such as the song why? And just add em like it truly belongs in the album because I don't have it and that really pisses me off.

BTW! Check out the music video of their blues brothers style of Dr. stein on you tube for laughs!

Stay metal! \m/ \m/

Helloween is one of those odd bands. They have been around forever, are mostly remembered for the kitschy video for "Halloween", have a fan base that walks the fine line between Thrall and Zealotry and were never given the critical acclaim deserved for their role in setting the stage for most of today's Melodic Metal.

I am pleased that the re-envisioned music finally has a chance to match Helloween's lyric prowess. They always had the ability to ask questions about us in a spiritual manner without sounding preachy, ("Why", "A Tale that wasn't Right", "Where the Rain Grows") or in a humorous manner ("The Game is On", "Mr Torture", "Mrs God"). However, at times the band has been limited sound wise by it's metal genre. Whenever Helloween reached to be more than that "Halloween" sound, they were severely rebuked by all sides. How the band survived the colossal failures of "Pink Bubbles Go Ape" (Yea, it is as bad as it sounds to say) and "Chameleon" (nowhere near as bad as most think, and a brilliant insight as to how the band got to this release) is a miracle in it's own right.

As for "Unarmed", Helloween takes the next step in alternative visioning. The best way I can describe this is as the songs re-worked into a style that would be best described as soundtrack like. Most of the songs have a sound that seems to have grown from the Musical Stage aka Broadway. Soaring harmonies and piano mix well with the songs natural rhythms in a way that brings the term "Rock Opera" back from the 70's. Certain songs (Most notably the Lounge Lizardly "Dr Stein") break this mold, but I think this is a fair description of the Cd's overall feel if not is purpose.

I give the guys credit for not doing what has been stomped to death before; Unplugged (Nirvana, Alice in Chains and KISS ruled the early 90's with this) or Symphonic Rock (Metallica's "S&M", KISS's "Alive IV") as seen nearing the Millenium. This is fresh and that in it's own right is a feat these days.

Who would like this? It is hard to tell. You really need to listed to this before you decide to buy it. If you were a Metalhead who had larger boundaries than most, but not completely crossed over to John Tesh, look into this. If you have ever owned Savatages "Streets; A Rock Opera", Darling Cruel's "The Passion Crimes EP", KISS's "Music From The Elder" or any "Trans Siberian Orchestra" you might be part of the odd un-named generation that will love this as much as I.

PS, Though effective in the Metal Genre, I would have never though Andi Deris could have pulled this off vocally. I have a new found appreciation for him after this. He may not be blessed with much range, but like Jon Bon Jovi, he really knows how to use what he has effectively.

I think it's quite clear now that, while Helloween is one of the best metal bands out there, this album won't sit well with all of their fans. In case you don't know, this is a "best of" album from the band. But it is far different from anything you'd expect from the usual greatest hits CD.

I've been a fan of the band for quite a while and I feel that one of Helloween's greatest qualities is that they don't like to nail themselves down to any style, trend, etc. Don't get me wrong, they're definitely a metal band. But they're not just SOME metal band, they're Helloween! That being said, with this album they take just a handful of great songs from their arsenal and re-record them...but they do so in ways where the songs would usually fall into a totally different genre. It really surprised me, one, because it wasn't at all what I expected and, two, because I actually really liked it! I never thought I'd have so much fun listening to a jazzy Dr. Stein! They've done what I feel to be a brilliant reconstruction of these songs. I actually think this album's versions of If I Could Fly, Fallen To Pieces, and Perfect Gentleman are the best versions. Most, if not all, of Helloween's fans have heard these songs before, but these versions of the songs can also stand on their own apart from their previously recorded versions because of how the band has handled this album. Though it may have received a great deal of negative feedback, I think that this album proves how talented, diverse, and fun these musicians really are. I wouldn't say it's underrated, but it definitely seems under-appreciated.

I'd highly suggest that anyone interested in this album should listen to the tracks before buying the album. If you're the type of metal fan that can't stand listening to any other genre, this album is not for you. If you're open to a different sound for these Helloween songs or just a fan of music in general, there's a good chance you'll enjoy this so give it a shot.

For those of you who are new to Helloween, or old fans that are thinking this may be a nice, updated greatest hits CD, it is a whole lot more than that. For over a month now I have had the Japanese release of this, and it is 11 tracks, around 60 minutes of many of their best songs re-worked into orchestra and choir (adult and childrens). There is also a DVD 30 minutes on the making of this album. A couple of them almost come of with a folk type sound, like the track Eagle Fly Free. Many of the orchestra sounds have been "done" before by other bands (Scorpions, Metallica, Deep Purple, Ect...), and are mixed well, but would not stand out as original. Much of the Keepers Trilogy sounds like it could be a movie soundtrack at times, and could be laid overtop of a live action performance story about the tracks. There is even a hint of pop sound here. Favorite songs are Perfect Gentleman, Eagle Fly Free, and Keepers Trilogy. This may be for the hardcore fans only though, and can be seen as a good thank you to fans who have grown up with their music over the last 25 years. This is not likely to be at the top of most thrash/power metal fans playlists. However, as pointed out in discussions after my original posting on a different version listing that has been deleted, this album could be an access point for people who may not have ventured into this genre before. Worth a few spins in the CD player, and for me, I hear more things things I like every time I listen. I have actually bumped my rating from a 3 to a 4.

FYI: I now have the US version release, and it does not come with a DVD (though the original amazon listing had CD/DVD), but it does have a very cool version of Why as a hidden bonus track #12. Thank you again Helloween for 25 years of music.

It had been a while since I listened to Helloween and bought this on a whim. I threw it in and started hearing horns and a way different arrangement of Dr. Stein at first I thought "What?!" but as I started running down the cd I was blown away by the musical diversity of the band. I always knew they were great players but never really thought about what they would sound like playing outside the parameters of their defined genre. It's a different take on Helloween classics and usually hard rock and metal bands fail miserably when they attempt daring projects like this, reworking their material in attempts of being "new" and "different" and "updated" but Helloween really pulls it off. They achieve it with style, taste and integrity. These guys are world class musicians and this album just reinforces that. Other metal bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Queensryche and Judas Priest should take a few notes on how it's done.