Helloween

With the two-part concept album Keeper Of The Seven Keys, Helloween became one of the most influential bands in the power metal genre. Helloween has spent over 20 years crafting albums that jumpstarted a new style of music, one that combined progressive, speed, and heavy metal. The band is still going strong, even with several line-up changes and a shift towards a harsher sound.

Helloween (originally called Iron Fist) was formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1984. In the beginning, Kai Hansen pulled double duty as both the guitarist and lead vocalist. His only contribution vocally was Helloween’s 1985 debut Walls Of Jericho. In 1986, after struggling to both sing and play guitar during live shows, Helloween recruited a young Michael Kiske to be the new vocalist.

Power Metal Pioneers:

Keeper Of The Seven Keys would be Helloween’s biggest success to date. Split into two separate parts, the concept album would be recognized by many as the beginning of the power metal genre. ock festival in 1988.

In late 1988, founding member Hansen left the band and was replaced by Roland Grapow. His first contribution to the band was 1991’s Pink Bubbles Go Ape. This album, along with 1993’s Chameleon, would show a drastic shift in the band’s sound, heading into a more pop-influenced direction. Critics reacted negatively to both albums and Helloween’s fan base began to dwindle.

Kiske Departs:

With the lackluster reaction to Pink Bubbles Go Ape and Chameleon came internal conflicts in the band. Helloween was dropped from EMI Records and the band fired singer Michael Kiske, who was the primary catalyst for the new direction the band was taking.

Andi Deris would come in to replace Kiske, and with a new vocalist came a return to form for the band throughout the ‘90s. Albums such as 1994’s Master Of The Rings, 1996’s concept album Time Of The Oath and 1998’s Better Than Raw brought back the fan base that they lost in the early ‘90s.

More Turmoil:

However, the band shifted their sound again, with a darker vibe and harsher vocals. 2000’s The Dark Ride was the first evidence of this changing sound, and the overall reaction to the album was quite negative, with the album becoming one of the worst selling of the band’s career. Helloween’s lineup changed again, with half of the band departing, including guitarist Grapow and drummer Uli Kusch. 2003’s Rabbit Don’t Come Easy was the first with new guitarist Sascha Gerstner. The band elected to use session drummers.

Revisiting The Past:

In 2005, Helloween returned to their early masterpiece with Keeper Of The Seven Keys-The Legacy. Fans and critics were positive towards it, as well as 2007’s Gambling With The Devil, which had the band return to the grittier sound of The Dark Ride.

If You Like Helloween, You Might Want To Check Out:

Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, Iced Earth

Current Helloween Band Members:

Andi Deris - Vocals (Pink Cream 69)
Michael Weikath - Guitars
Sascha Gerstner - Guitars & Keyboards
Markus Grosskopf - Bass
Dani Löble - Drums

Former Band Members:

Michael Kiske - Vocals (1986-1993)
Kai Hansen - Guitar (1983-1988)
Roland Grapow - Guitar (1989-2001)
Ingo Schwichtenberg - Drums (1983-1993)
Uli Kusch - Drums (1994-2001)
Mark Cross - Drums (2002)
Mikkey Dee – Drums (2002)
Stefan Schwarzmann - Drums (2002-2005)
Jörn Ellerbrock - Keyboards (1991-2003)

Helloween Discography:

1985 Walls Of Jericho (Noise)
1987 Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I (Noise)
1988 Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part II (Noise)
1991 Pink Bubbles Go Ape (EMI)
1993 Chameleon (EMI)
1994 Master Of The Rings (Castle)
1996 The Time Of The Oath (Castle)
1996 High Live (Castle)
1998 Better Than Raw (Castle)
1999 Metal Jukebox (Castle)
2000 The Dark Ride (Nuclear Blast)

2003 Rabbit Don’t Come Easy (Nuclear Blast)
2005 Keeper Of The Seven Keys-The Legacy (SPV)
2007 Live In Sao Paulo (SPV)
2007 Gambling With The Devil (SPV)

Recommended Helloween Album

Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I and II
The two-part concept album Keeper Of The Seven Keys was highly influential in the creation of power metal, with many future bands in the genre taking cues from the speed/heavy metal hybrid that Helloween played. While individually solid, together the two parts combine to make an epic masterpiece, even with the occasional cheesy and overwrought moments. With the 13-minute “Halloween” on the first part and the title track clocking in at the same length on the second part, along with emotional ballads like “A Tale That Wasn’t Right,” Keeper Of The Seven Keys is one of the greatest power metal albums of all time

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Rush (Canadian Art Rock)

Rush biography

RUSH is a pioneering line-up of the Seventies Progressive rock, who influenced most hard-rock and even heavy-metal power trios. This brilliant band is composed of bassist-singer Geddy LEE, guitarist Alex LIFESON and famous drummer Neil PEART. In 1974 John RUTSEY was replaced by Neil PEART who also assumed the role of the band's primary songwriter. Their instrumental virtuosity is mind-blowing, their lyrics are some of the best I've ever read, and every album they've released contains a shattering classic. Through their 20+ year career, they've proved to be the masters of their respective instrument while creating incredible music.

Now, a brief summary of the band's career ...
Through the history of RUSH, they have passed through many distinct phases. Every one of these phases represents a triumph in music, allowing the band to move on. As at the end of all of RUSH's phases, a live LP was released. This tradition began with "All The World's A Stage", recorded live at Massey Hall in Toronto, Canada. Since then, the group has released three additional live albums: the best selling "Exit... Stage Left" (1981), "A Show of Hands" (1989), and the three-disc set "Different Stages" (1998), which encompasses three decades of the group's music.

FIRST PHASE (1974-1976):
In the beginning, they started off as hard rock blues outfit with John-boy before he left and Neil came in, bringing his sci-fi mind into the works. The music seems to be a transition between straight-ahead rock tunes and more complex progressive tracks. "Caress of Steel" is a landmark album in the history of RUSH. Lyrically and musically, "2112" was a masterpiece. This multi-platinum release remains one of RUSH's best-selling albums.

SECOND PHASE (1977-1981):
They moved headlong into progressive rock in the later part of the decade, starting with the album previous and right on to their massive breakthrough, 1981's "Moving Pictures". Synthesizers were now employed by the band, played in the studio and on stage by Geddy. This was the end of transition from long epic pieces to shorter, more concise, and intricate songs. "Permanent Waves" is widely considered to be second only to "Moving Pictures" as RUSH's finest achievement.

THIRD PHASE (1982-1989):
RUSH embraced the 1980s sound with "Signals", making heavy use of synthesizers and keyboards for the first time in the band's history. Keyboards have become a very large part of the music, and the interplay of guitar...RUSH is a pioneering line-up of the Seventies Progressive rock, who influenced most hard-rock and even heavy-metal power trios. This brilliant band is composed of bassist-singer Geddy LEE, guitarist Alex LIFESON and famous drummer Neil PEART. In 1974 John RUTSEY was replaced by Neil PEART who also assumed the role of the band's primary songwriter. Their instrumental virtuosity is mind-blowing, their lyrics are some of the best I've ever read, and every album they've released contains a shattering classic. Through their 20+ year career, they've proved to be the masters of their respective instrument while creating incredible music.

Now, a brief summary of the band's career ...
Through the history of RUSH, they have passed through many distinct phases. Every one of these phases represents a triumph in music, allowing the band to move on. As at the end of all of RUSH's phases, a live LP was released. This tradition began with "All The World's A Stage", recorded live at Massey Hall in Toronto, Canada. Since then, the group has released three additional live albums: the best selling "Exit... Stage Left" (1981), "A Show of Hands" (1989), and the three-disc set "Different Stages" (1998), which encompasses three decades of the group's music.

FIRST PHASE (1974-1976):
In the beginning, they started off as hard rock blues outfit with John-boy before he left and Neil came in, bringing his sci-fi mind into the works. The music seems to be a transition between straight-ahead rock tunes and more complex progressive tracks. "Caress of Steel" is a landmark album in the history of RUSH. Lyrically and musically, "2112" was a masterpiece. This multi-platinum release remains one of RUSH's best-selling albums.

SECOND PHASE (1977-1981):
They moved headlong into progressive rock in the later part of the decade, starting with the album previous and right on to their massive breakthrough, 1981's "Moving Pictures". Synthesizers were now employed by the band, played in the studio and on stage by Geddy. This was the end of transition from long epic pieces to shorter, more concise, and intricate songs. "Permanent Waves" is widely considered to be second only to "Moving Pictures" as RUSH's finest achievement.

THIRD PHASE (1982-1989):
RUSH embraced the 1980s sound with "Signals", making heavy use of synthesizers and keyboards for the first time in the band's history. Keyboards have become a very large part of the music, and the interplay of guitar, drums, bass, and keyboards became technically almost impossible to play live. The two LPs that followed, "Grace Under Pressure" and "Power Windows", also followed nearly the same mold. They reached the zenith of its keyboard experimentation with "Hold Your Fire".

PRESENT PHASE (1990 to today):
Moving to a new label, RUSH embarked on their present phase with "Presto". So, after mercifully ending their synth period, RUSH went into a sort of pop/rock phase for this stage in their career. They sought to remove the dominance of keyboards in the music, and go back to a bass-drum-guitar sound. But after their tour for their 1996 record "Test For Echo", the band took six years off before returning in 2002 with the release of their new album "Vapor Trails". In 2004 they released a covers album, "Feedback" to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary in the current lineup. A tribute to Rush's early influences it contains covers of such luminaries as "Cream", "The Who" and "Blue Cheer".

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Discography :

Date	ALBUMS / Singles
1973	Not Fade Away
1974	Finding My Way
1974 July	RUSH
1974	In The Mood
1975 February	FLY BY NIGHT
1975 May	Fly By Night
1975 October	CARESS OF STEEL
1975 November	Bastille Day
1976 April	2112
1976 June	Lessons
1976 September	ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE
1976 December	Fly By Night (Live)
1977 February	The Temples of Syrinx
1977 September	A FAREWELL TO KINGS
1977 November	Closer To The Heart
1978 April	ARCHIVES
1978 November	HEMISPHERES
1979 January	Circumstances
1980 January	PERMANENT WAVES
1980 February	The Spirit of Radio
1980 April	Entre Nous
1981 February	Limelight
1981 February	MOVING PICTURES
1981 March	Vital Signs
1981 May	Tom Sawyer
1981	RUSH THROUGH TIME
1981 October	Freewill (Live)
1981 October	EXIT... STAGE LEFT
1981 October	Tom Sawyer (Live)
1981 December	Closer To The Heart (Live)
1982 August	New World Man
1982 September	SIGNALS
1982 October	Subdivisions
1983 April	Countdown
1984 April	GRACE UNDER PRESSURE
1984	Distant Early Warning
1984 May	The Body Electric
1984	Red Sector A
1985 October	The Big Money
1985 October	POWER WINDOWS
1985	Mystic Rhythms
1987 September	HOLD YOUR FIRE
1987 October	Time Stand Still
1987	Force Ten
1988 March	Prime Mover
1988	Marathon (live)
1989 January 2	A SHOW OF HANDS
1989 November 17	PRESTO
1990 January	Show Don't Tell
1990 September 4	CHRONICLES
1990	PROFILED!
1991 September 3	ROLL THE BONES
1992 February	Roll The Bones
1992 March 19	Ghost of a Chance
1992	THE STORY OF KINGS (INTERVIEW)
1993 October 19	COUNTERPARTS
1994 March 24	Nobody's Hero
1994	Stick It Out
1995 October 3	THE RUSH INTERVIEWS VOLUME 2: GEDDY LEE
1996	Test For Echo
1996	Half The World
1996 September 9	TEST FOR ECHO
1996	Driven
1997 May 5/6	RETROSPECTIVE, VOLUME 1 (1974-1980)
1997 June 3	RETROSPECTIVE, VOLUME 2 (1981-1987)
1998 November 10	DIFFERENT STAGES
1998	The Spirit of Radio (Live)
2002 May 14	VAPOR TRAILS
2002	PROFILED
2002	One Little Victory
2002	Secret Touch
2002	Sweet Miracle
2003 May 21	SPIRIT OF RADIO: GREATEST HITS
2003 October 21	RUSH IN RIO
2004 July 6	FEEDBACK

Iron Maiden Forefront of New Wave British Heavy Metal

Iron Maiden was formed by bassist Steve Harris in 1976. They released their first album in 1980. The band's first two albums did reasonably well, but with the 1982 replacement of vocalist Paul Di'Anno with Bruce Dickinson, their success skyrocketed. 1982's The Number Of The Beast is a classic heavy metal record. Maiden were at the forefront of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.

Throughout the '80s and early '90s Iron Maiden released a string of highly successful albums. In 1990 they even had a number one single in the UK, "Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter."

Lineup Changes:

After 1992's Fear In The Dark debuted at number one the UK album chart, vocalist Bruce Dickinson left the band and was replaced by Blaze Bayley. Two studio albums recorded with Bayley were commercial and critical disappointments.

Reunion:

In 1999, Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith, who had also departed the group in the early '90s, rejoined Iron Maiden. They continue to tour and record new material.

Current Iron Maiden Members:

Bruce Dickinson - Vocals (Samson, Shots, Skunkworks, Speed)
Dave Murray - Guitar (Evil Ways, Psycho Motel, Urchin)
Janick Gers - Guitar (Di'Anno, Fish, Gillan, Gogmagog, White Spirit)
Adrian Smith - Guitar (A.S.A.P., Broadway Brats, Evil Ways, Psycho Motel, Skunkworks, Untouchables, Urchin)
Steve Harris - Bass (Gypsy's Kiss, Smiler)
Michael "Nicko" McBrain - Drums (The 18th Fairfield Walk, The Blossom Toes, McKitty, Streetwalkers, Trauma, Pat Travers, Trust)

Former Members:

Paul Mario Day - Vocals (1975-1976)
Dennis Wilcock - Vocals (1976-1977)
Paul Di'Anno - Vocals (1977-1981)
Blaze Bayley - Vocals (1993-1999)
Terry Rance - Guitar (1975-1976)
Paul Sullivan - Guitar (1975-1976)
Ron "Rebel" Matthews - Drums (1975-1976)
Bob D'Angelo - Guitar (1976)
Terry Wapram - Guitar (1976)

Tony Moore - Keyboards (1976)
Barry "Thunderstick" Purkis - Drums (1976)
Doug Sampson - Drums (1977-1980)
Tony Parsons - Guitar (1979)
Clive Burr - Drums (1980-1982)
Dennis Stratton - Guitar (1980)

Iron Maiden Discography:

1981 Iron Maiden (EMI)
1981 Killers (EMI)
1981 Maiden Japan (live EP) (EMI)
1982 The Number Of The Beast (EMI)
1983 Piece Of Mind (EMI)
1984 Powerslave (EMI)
1985 Live After Death (live) (EMI)
1986 Somewhere In Time (EMI)
1988 Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son (EMI)
1990 No Prayer For The Dying (EMI)
1992 Fear Of The Dark (EMI)
1993 A Real Live One (live) (EMI)
1993 A Real Dead One (live) (EMI)
1995 The X-Factor (EMI)
1998 Virtual XI (EMI)
1998 Live At Donnington (live) (Raw Power)
2000 Brave New World (EMI)
2003 Dance Of Death (EMI)
2005 Death On The Road (live) (Sanctuary)
2006 A Matter Of Life And Death (Sanctuary)

Essential Iron Maiden Album:

The Number Of The Beast
The addition of vocalist Bruce Dickinson for their third studio album in 1982 put them over the top. His powerful voice and charisma were exactly what Iron Maiden needed. This is a great album from start to finish and a heavy metal classic.

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