Concert: Hellish Rock 07-08 Tour, Helloween and Gamma Ray (or the ministers of power metal, together!!)

Absolutely magical metal night that I lived on January the 15th; I have no words for describing the brilliant musical experience offered by the ministers of Power Metal, Gamma Ray and Helloween, joined in the Hellish Rock 07-08 tour. A total of 5 hours and a half of metal (4 and a half real hours if the mid-times for modifying the scenario between the bands ern't counted), the following day I was very very deaf, and I felt in the same way as a truck passing over me repeatly (because of the non-stop headbanging and jumping :P), but it had been really a must-be experience :D

While I was in the queue, I listened to Blast from the Past (the until-2000 Gamma Ray greatest hits) and Gambling with the Devil (the last masterpiece from Helloween :P), I had a good idea about carrying my iPod Nano with me for awaiting 2 hours and a half to enter (although it was because of a bad organization, there were 2 official concert starting times, 18:30 and 19:30, and there was finally the last one... :S).

But the moment arrived, and all the hordes of metal entered to the Razzmatazz1, plenty of people (oh, a good new!! this concert (ALL the concert) was recorded for a future DVD!! so, it will be possible to see me in a devil-possessed mood XD). So, let's go with the supporting band, Axxis, and subsequently, Gamma Ray and the last one, Helloween. The final concert of the saga that i entitled a few months ago The Poker of Pumpkins :)


* Part I: Axxis; or when the audience is already becoming with the supporters...

It's true that Axxis was a deluxe band for being only a supporter, but within the half an hour of their performance, people was transforming themselves onto a savage mood, and like the vocalist said through the microphone, "OMG!! We are only the supporters!!!"; simply impressive XD Another anecdotic thing was that the singer talked us in catalan!! reading from a paper, but it was a nice point!!! Thank you Bernhard!!! :D

But well, I must concentrate on the setlist, mustn't I? :P With a bombastic intro (Voices from Destiny), the concert was conducted to the first metal song, Doom of Destiny. I didn't know about this band, and I enjoyed (although not in the same degree than the savage hordes of razzmatazz :P) their concert, specially when they played Blood Angel and the potent as long as easily chorusable Kingdom of the Night :) About 30 minutes of good metal while the singer offered us his peculiar style of dancing XD simply amusing :P




Axxis setlist (about 0:40:00):

1. Voices from Destiny (Intro)
   
2. Doom of Destiny (Arabia)
   
3. Tales of Glory Island
   
4. Blood Angel
   
5. Little Look Back
6. Kingdom of the Night
   

• Pros: the spectacular receivement of people to this band, and the mutual connection; good concert at all :)
  
• Cons: I didn't know anything about this band for the time of concert, and now I'm sorry for this...
• Best Track: Blood Angel

* Part II: Gamma Ray; the ministry of classic power metal with no complex

I must say again that, although Gamma Ray and Helloween are more than 20 years old as bands, I've never seen them in a live concert, so only the experience of being in front of a scenario where the two ministers (and creators) of Power Metal were going to join the same tour, was incredible :) And besides, the performance of the two german bands were fantastic :P

It's true that the tour was commanded by Helloween (their scenario was the most complex w.r.t. the two others), but Gamma Ray hadn't the role of supporters but special guests, so, if Axxis had their half an hour for offering us their songs, Gamma Ray had more than the double of time: more than hour and a quarter.

The show began, as a ritual, with Welcome, the intro of their first album, Heading for Tomorrow. And then, the first thunder song, from their new masterpiece Land of the Free II: Into the Storm, the first song of the album :P Effective riffs, 4-minute song plenty of energy, and Kai Hansen with good qualities during the first part of the setlist and really enjoying the audience, chorusing every melody arising from his mouth through all the concert. And after this song, a classic piece: Heaven Can Wait. From so on, the Razzmatazz were transformed to a pressure cook until the last song of Helloween setlist finished, absolutely terrible, but very nice too XD




The negative point of Gamma Ray is, inexplicably, they didn't perform Land of the Free, and I can't understand the reason, because in Madrid concert it was in the setlist!! T_T holy shit! I think they simply forgot to perform reading the setlist on-line, because... you guys, you were in the tour of Land of the Free II, waht about don't performing the entitling song Land of the Free!!! aaaaaaargh... Although this, there were great moments in the concert, e.g.: when they played the powerful song From the Ashes from their new album, a magnificient performance of one of (in my opinion) the bests songs of LOTF2.


After that, Real World, and then the second part (the classic part) of the concert began, and of course, with the masterpiece of Hansen, included in the first part of Land of the Free album: Rebellion on Dreamland. When the first acoustic guitar notes began to sound, the ovation of people was simply unforgettable; I was waiting for this moment, and it deserved all my expectings... Kai in state of grace, the band absolutely brilliant during all the 9-minute song, and the entire audience in the role of the choir in the chorus section while the headbanging didn't stop!! For rebeeeellion!! Revoluuuuution!! Halleluuuyaaah!! For rebeeeeeliooon!! uaaaaaaaa what a moment :P simply magic for me :D The video of this song, pitifully, is not from Barcelona but from Antwerp (Belgium) :(



And then, the turn of another classic songs, like Heavy Metal Universe, where Hansen played with us the chorus section Heavy Metal Univeeeeeerse!!! at the end of the song; curious thing, it was successful and nice XD the next, the powerful Ride the Sky, with the best high-pitched notes from Kai Hansen with their vocal chords much more relaxed after performing classic songs where are really the people who sing the songs :P Somewhere Out in Space was the chosen one for finishing the concert before the bis, Send Me a Sign, which was the real last song from Gamma Ray (or not? read Helloween chronicle for more info, mwaaaahahahahahaha)



Gamma Ray setlist (about 1:20:00):

1. Intro: Welcome
2. Into the Storm
   
3. Heaven can Wait
   
4. New World Order
   
5. Fight
   
6. Empress
7. From the Ashes
8. Real World
9. Rebellion on Dreamland
10. Heavy Metal Universe
11. Ride the Sky
12. Somewhere Out in Space
    

    ---

13. Send Me a Sign
    

• Pros: all the concert, Kai was full of energy and the rest of the band connected very well with the audience; everybody enjoyed the setlist, this is really clear.
  
• Cons: they didn't perform Land of the Free... o_O I can't understand this decision :S I'd like to hear the fast and great Man on a Mission and Tribute to the Past too...
  
• Best Track: Rebellion in Dreamland, because it was the first time I was in a Gamma Ray concert and the atmosphere covering this song is absolutely special.
  

* Part III: Helloween; or when Andi Deris finally found its place beside Michael Kiske and not behind...

Before starting this chronicle, I consider that I have to say a few words about Andi Deris: yes, he is NOT Michael Kiske, he will never sing like him, and so, Andi won't be never able to sing the classic Keeper songs like Michi; however, I think Andi isn't bad singer, he has achieved his own style of singing (i.e.: listen to Kill It or The Bells of 7 Hells from Gambling with the Devil and you will understand what I'm referring to), and I also think he has found a good way of singing the Kiske songs with its style, without trying to emulate Michael's powerful voice. It's like Edu Falaschi singing old Angra songs... he is not Andre Matos, but he don't punish the songs!!! They are different singers with different vocal ranges, it's only that. And the old songs are a must-have in every concert, it's like a ritual...


Well, once said this, I will afirm that Andi Deris was very tidy and he take too much support on the audience in some parts of the concert, and altgough he don't affinate well some high-pitched notes of some songs (e.g.: March of Time), but equally he did a splendid work (listen to A Tale that wasn't Right video and you will be able to build your own opinion respect to that). However, the setlist was supporting too much songs from the three Keeper of the Seven Keys albums (I don't think this is a bad idea, but for the sake of the god, why didn't you perform more songs from your new album?? Only three!!! I can't understand it, in my opinion Gambling with the Devil is a very good album, with a huge personallity, and Kill It would be a great song for a live performance... is it maybe too much difficult to sing that high-pitched notes, Andi? Oh my god...).


Anyway, I must talk about the show XD after the spoken intro of Gambling album, the concert began with a short song... the classic Halloween!! wooooooow, the classic 13-minute song for beginning the concert!! Here Andi did a very good high-pitched notes, although it's true that audience sang much more than Andi himself XD maybe because of that he achieved well the high notes of the chorus melody :P



After that, a classic song, but now from Deris' age... Sole Survivor, from the first masterpiece with Andi Deris as the singer, Master of the Rings. And the next song, another classic Kiske age song, March of Time (although here Andi wasn't so inspired like in Halloween... but apart of this, a very good song :D I was glad because I could listening it live :D).

Half an hour had passed, and then, there was the moment of the first Gambling song, the single, As Long as I Fall (available nowadays from my own mp3 player of the blog, Echoes of Metal). The audience received the song very well, strange thing because it has a huge amount of detractors :S (I really like it, although it's very similiar to If I Could Fly :P); and then, the classid ballad from the Keepers, A Tale that wasn't Right, perfectly executed by a Andi Deris in state of grace (see the video for a clear example of it :P).



And now the turn of the second song from Gambling, the powerful Paint a New World. I would prefer The Saints, but this is also a good song :P Perfectly executed, this fast song arise energy from all the audience, although the connection wasn't as full as with other songs...

The next thing was the most incredible show I've ever seen in a metal concert... during the drum solo of my admired Dani Löble (although the solo was maybe too long...), a small scenario was rosen over the real scenario, from where entered Deris, Grosskopf and Gerstner, customized like dwarves!!! hahahahahahahahahaha simply hilarious!! And with a filtered voice (like the smurphs XD), these strange dwarfoween band performed (with a guitar toys!! XD) the classic song Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple... unforgettable moment, eternalized by this video... they are must-seen images!! And the grand finale, Weikath with an UCI killing the dwarves, tired of their poor voices!! XDDDDDDDD



After this carzy show, the second (and last) long song, the opening masterpiece for the Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy, the great 14-minute song King for a 1000 Years, impecably performed, and with a relaxed Deris that did a perfect work with this song, including the high-pitched final minute ending (I'm not able to sing something like this, oh my god!! not for the notes, but for the octave ascension progression, too much sharp :S). Like in Halloween, audience gave a very good feedback to the band, chorusing the melodies and headbanging all the solos and instrumental interludiums :) Here I must do a special mention to Sascha Gerstner, the new guitarist, now much more in the spectacle line than Weikath himself (strange, being a former band member with Gamma Ray's Hansen and Grosskopf :S).

Afer this long sounding circuit where all the band members can offer the audience proofs of their hability with their instrument, there was the turn for another classic song, or better said, a hymn for Helloween, Eagle Fly Free!! A song that Deris has achieved to perform with a his own style and has even arranged the chorus section for not be accused to try to cemulate Michael Kiske. However, Andi couldn't be well heard XD all the people followed all the melodies and lyrics and I don't really know if the singer's performance was good or not XD (I was in the fifth row, 5 or 6 meters close to the scenario :P)

And then, the turn of the most powerful song of Gambling with the Devil, with the same riff than in Occasion Avenue (hehehe): The Bells of the 7 Hells!!!

I must admit I was possessed by the devil itself in the time of this song, I really love it :$ Very well sung, very well performed with a middle part of the audience singing the chorus melody ([...] we ring the beeeells, of the seven heeeeells!!), and Dani Löble did an excellent job in drums (specially in the double bass, very complex in this song!!), as he really did within the entire concert (I love this drummer, he is a crack!!).



Then, Helloween chose to perform If I Could Fly... well, I'm not able to find anything special to this song (now all Helloween fans are wanting to kill me XD), but, apart of this, I can't understand how they performed this song when its clone, As Long As I Fall, was also performed (with an entire hour of diference, it's true, but I don't still understand this decision :S). Besides, in live performances Deris decides to sing this song more high-pitched than in the recording, and sincerely, I prefer the recording version :S Quite strange moment, really... but the final regular song, another classic from the original Keepers, was easily able to encourage me to return to the savage headbanging and singing: Dr. Stein, another masterpiece song (although Andi Deris performed it too much strangely; it's clear that he's not able to sing the chorus section, but his arrange is not so good as the original :S).



A pause with no Helloween band members in the scenario and the audience acclaiming their return, and finally, they appeared again, with Andi Deris dressed with a red discrete jacket and a hat XD Ideal for singing Perfect Gentleman, who was introduced to the Medley they performed then. Apart from Perfect Gentleman, they joined Power, Where the Rain Grows, I Can, and for the grand finale, the ending of their classic Keeper of the Seven Keys. Oh My God, what en emotive moment when Andi started to say yooooouuuuu areeeeee.... Keeper of the Seves Keeeeyyyyyyysssss... simply amazing, uaaaaaaaaaaa...


The band went out when the medley finished, and then, the magical moment, the historical moment, the bis section everybody awaited for!!!! The returning of Helloween, but also with all the members (except Zimmermann the drummer) of Gamma Ray!! Wooooooooowwww, finally the legend had become reality: Kai Hansen playing again with their old band!!!! And what better songs to play than the high acclaimed themes Future World and I Want Out (although ---and I'm going to be tortured for all the horde fans of Helloween what I'm going to say :S--- I don't like I Want Out very much :S).



With a nice and rythmic choreography between Hansen and Weikath, the two both performed the solo of Future World at the same time, while Henjo Richter was enjoying very much, as long as the Helloween members were sharing the song notes and lyrics with Gamma Ray guys. And while this historical moment succeed, beach balls that were really pumpkins fell from the ceil, and people began to play with them XD incredible, what a grand finale for a huge concert (the most long I've been o_O).


Simply perfect, amazing, unforgettable, and mystic. A 10/10 concert :) And its' true, there were too much Keepers' songs in the Helloween setlist... but for me it wasn't a disappointment, because it was the first time of a Helloween concert, and just like that, it felt to me like a perfect anthology of Helloween, so I enjoyed it very much :D

Helloween setlist (about 2:15:00):

1. Gambling with the Devil (intro)
2. Halloween
3. Sole Survivor
   
4. March of Time
   
5. As Long as I Fall
   
6. A Tale that Wasn't Right
   
7. Paint a New World
8. (Drum Solo + Dwarves Show: Smoke on the Water)
   
9. King for a 1000 Years
10. Eagle Fly Free
11. The Bells of the 7 Hells
12. If I could Fly
13. Dr. Stein

    ---

14. Medley: I Can / Where the Rain Grows / Perfect Gentleman / Power / Keeper of the Seven Keys (finale)
    

    ---

15. Future World (with Gamma Ray)
    
16. I Want Out (with Gamma Ray)

• Pros: absolutely everything, even the Kiske songs sung by Deris (yes, it won't be never like Kiske... but at least it gives a touch of its own personallity on the songs), the elves show, the sing-along on The Bells of 7 Hells, and of course, the grand finale with Gamma Ray on the scenario performing Future World and I Want Out. Sublime... maybe the sound could be better, but it sounded quite well :)
  
• Cons: It's strange that, being a tour of their new album, only 3 new songs were played in teh concertr, with a setlist more concerned about the Keepers; why didn't they performed The Trinity in the complete idea (The Bells of Seven Hells, Fallen Into Pieces, I.M.E.) and Kill It! overcoat!! T_T. And more songs from Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy would had been a great idea, like The Invisible Man or Silent Rain...
  
• Best Track: Because of its long duration and the icnredible connection with the audience, King for a 1000 Years (also, it's one of my favourite songs of Deris' Helloween indeed :$).