The Dark Ride [LIMITED EDITION]

Helloween

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 25, 2002)
• Original Release Date: December 5, 2000
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Limited Edition
• Label: Nuclear Blast
• ASIN: B00004ZC40
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #129,428 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

2002 and long overdue domestic release, The Dark Ride was produced by Roy Z (Rob Halford, Bruce Dickinson) and is Helloween's first release for Nuclear Blast Records. The first pressing will feature a bonus CD single entitled 'If I Could Fly', which is backed with 'Deliver Us From Temptation' & If I Could Fly (extended version). The 2 standard jewel cases are housed in a slipcase.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars sure is quite a dark ride!, January 25, 2004

By	Matt Stoessel (Tolland, CT USA) - See all my reviews

I listened to this album last night and the title track this morning. What a CD! You'd expect them to be writing music different than what the newer bands are up to (Edguy, Sonata Arctica, Dragonforce), but Helloween pleases me. I have Keeper... Part I and love it even more than this one. DO NOT get turned off because of the bands about 20 year career. These guys put out power metal no different than what the modern masters do.

The first thing I must make note of is my favorite song, "The Departed". What a unique song! I love all the evens on the CD - that's it. The opening group of notes should catch your attention. I've never heard another song like it. I just love it!!!

Also on my list of favorites lies the opening song, "Mr. Torture", which has awesome guitarring. A bit short, though (3:30). If I could Fly is okay, but I don't think the music is good enough for the lyrics. The title track is pretty good, but for a closer AND a title track, more should have been done. That song is the longest on the album clocking in at 8:50. The biggest surprises are the ultra-gloomy track 4 and track 10. 4 is great. You don't hear gloomy CDs like this one too much, and to have a song that stands out as gloomy on an already gloomy album says something. This song is so slow and the vocals are so dark... wow! Its another one of those different ones. However, I did earlier say that Helloween is no different from the modern bands, right? Well, track 10 doesn't disappoint you. At the 1:54 mark, one of the coolest "between choruses" starts, and boy is it awesome! Its nothing compared to the likes of "The World Will be Better" by Heavenly, but its my favorite "between choruses" on the album, with "Mr. Torture" (track 2)'s "between chorus" as a close 2nd.

Now for keyboards... They're not that apparent, but this kind of music doesn't need them. Helloween isn't like Brainstorm or Manowar, but more like Gamma Ray. The Departed uses keyboards, but other than that, the vocals and bass are the focus, so keyboards aren't really needed to enhance the sound like they are say with Sonata Arctica. Oh yeah, the cover art is perfect for the gloomyness of this album, which is described well in other reviews. Just believe me when I say that these songs that I mentioned are all different from each other and that there is something here for every true metal lover.

So much has been said about Helloween over time that I just don't know what else to write here. I expressed my opinion like all other times - what else can I do? ...I know... "BUY IT!"

When you do get the chance, say if this review helped you or not and then go read some of my others. Thanks for reading!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent album!, April 10, 2001

By A Customer

When someone mentioned power metal, three bands come out of my mind: Helloween, Accept and Scanner. These bands are the purveyors of aggro-melodic music. But Helloween sticks out like a sore thumb. Many bands have attempted or imitate thier style, but in a long run, they became boring. I've been a Helloween fan since Kai was still singing for them. OK, no more comparison who's the better singer. I could never imagine Mike Kiske singing on this album. Andi Deris is a perfect replacement, he may not have the same range as Kiske, but he gave the vocal part a new direction. The Dark Ride itself is a marvelous concotction of aggro-melodic and darker tones mixed into one album. I do think this surpasses "Time of the Oath" in a million ways. Mature songwriting, excellent showcase of talent. A must-buy!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helloween's Best, December 24, 2000

By	C. Cook (Florida) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I loved the old Helloween lineup on Keeper Part I and II and Walls of Jericho, but once both Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske left I pretty much tuned out. However, I'm very glad I decided to give this cd a try because it's amazing! It sounds like what they would have released right after Keeper if they hadn't started putting out that other stuff. The album is dark, but is very melodic, and uses alot of those anthemic choruses unique to Helloween and power metal in general. Every song is good and this is a great cd to listen to all the way through, but my favorite tracks would have to be "Mr. Torture" (wow i never thought I'd hear a catchy song about S&M), "If I Could Fly" (a beautiful anthem about not being able to accomplish our goals), and the ultra-catchy "We Damn The Night" and "The Departed Sun Is Going Down". Buy this album now.