HELLOWEEN „Gambling with the Devil”

Music: Power Metal
Country: Germany
Web site: www.helloween.org
Cool Songs: Kill It, The Saints, The Bells of the 7 Hells

The pumpkin-headed progenitors of power metal return with Gambling with the Devil. The said album contains some of the darkest, heaviest material of the bands illustrious career. Crack the Riddle fittingly opens the album. This track stays true to the something wicked evil carnival theme adorning the cover. Warped carnival music, crowd noise and a demonically-distorted voice bring in the album. The sound of a wheel of fortune, or, ahmisfortune, bleeds into the next track, Kill It. Kill it is one of the fastest, heaviest tracks, while still retaining the trademark, strong vocal hooks. Vocalist, Andi Deris even lowers the pitch of his voice, into uncharacteristically black metal mode.

The Saints is another speedy number, although the bulk of the song is typified by more strong choral hooks. This track features one of the best sing-along choruses on the album, and fine drum fills, which bridge the pre-chorus and the chorus. As Long as I Fall follows. Foreboding keyboards usher in this track and give the impression this one will follow the shadowy trail of the first two tracks, which is precisely what it does when the keys and ending violin are present, although the happy-go-lucky chorus erodes this creepy mood.

The Bells of the 7 Hells, Fallen to Pieces and I.M.E. signify a three-song concept. The first track in the trilogy exhibits more creepy keyboard theatrics and some tight drum-guitar connections. Fallen to Pieces starts with clean guitar and more keys. The music dynamically rises during the chorus; Deris voice rises and falls epically. Also of note is the killer guitar solos in this track. I.M.E. shows the guitarists at their best. The main rhythm consists of a low end, mid pace groove that, at one point, switches to Maiden-like finger tapping. All three tracks in the trilogy are definitely some of the albums high points.

The early reaction to Gambling with the Devil has been of high praise. Talking to one of my friends, he claimed it was their best, post-Kai-Hanson effort, which is hard to argue. HELLOWEEN succeeded in experimenting with a mood normally foreign to the group. Gambling with the Devil is by all means one of the darker-toned records of the bands career. Their style is still in tact, still offering plenty of grand, vocal hooks, but the sinister mood and heavier direction surely adds some variation to a group that has continually released albums for nearly a quarter of a century with little diversity in its sound. They are credited as the inventors of the power metal style and the power metal scene reflects that dubbing, so the group needs to separate itself from the legions of wannabe pumpkin heads. With Gambling with the Devil, they have succeeded in doing just that.

note: 8/10

Tracklist

1. Crack The Riddle (Intro)
2. Kill It
3. The Saints
4. As Long As I Fall
5. Paint A New World
6. Final Fortune
7. The Bells Of The Seven Hells
8. Fallen To Pieces
9. I.M.E.
10. Can Do It
11. Dreambound
12. Heaven Tells No Lies
Total playing time 57:33

Line-up

Andi Deris – Vocals
Michael Weikath- Guitars
Sascha Gerstner- Guitars
Markus Grosskopf- Bass
Dani Löble – Drums