Helloween (Vienna - Planet Music - 08.11.03)
Written by: Aleš Podbrežnik

Finally! Helloween closer to my home (Ljubljana, Slovenia). I came to Vienna merely focused on hot footed Rage, which released in my humble opinion metal album of a year. Well Rage was a support act, with only 50 minutes to play. But this night was full of surprises, especially what concerns Helloween.

First went on stage Vivian, a progressive metal band from Austria. Band's name sounded completely unknown to me. But they must be quite popular in Austria, at least hall was applauding very intense. These guys showed some great technical skills. They combine straight forwarded double guitar riffing counterweighted with orchestra in one (keyboard arrangements) that sounds quite familiar to what Symphony X are doing. A lot of melody! Singer was a killer. His performance was strong, very self confident. A real frontman. Band's position on stage was a bit strange. First problem. Band was given very small space to rock on stage. And second, more serious, was? Guy who took care for all guitar lead breaks got almost completely hidden behind monitors. Rhythm guitarist with his Fender Stratocaster was positioned in center of a stage. Next to singer. It should have been opposite.

Only vocalist was working hard on keeping an eye to eye contact with public. All the rest were acting as if they were Christ's sculptures made out of woods, not rocking much. Sound was very good. All soloing parts were sounding clear, keyboards laid in nice equilibrium with rhythm guitar and soaring vocal was strong and pushed in front. They were convincible from this point of view. But as I said. Very dead acting.

Next thing that needs to be discussed here is their style. They didn't succeed to show certain uniqueness that is desired from certain newcomer on a rock scene. Especially last song was pure copy of Savatage song Believe. Also musical face needs some improvement in future. It is quite unusual when slow doom fashioned atmosphere suddenly switches without any bridge into Iron Maiden eighties The Trooper fashioned rhythm drive. And straight copying of Savatage really disappointed me! It is not enough if you show certain musical skills. You have to use your own imagination as well. Vivian has nice feeling for copying and unfortunately lack of enthusiasm. Anyway performance done with no mistake. Well dear Austrian fellows hate me or not, but your progressive metal jewel just couldn't get me under it's flag. Vivian still has knowledge resources that can be used as improvement of their musical stand. Let us wait and see what the future will bring. Wish them all the best!

Rage got 50 minutes to kick some real ass. It seems a little time, but enough for powerful trio to blow away the audience. As if thunder crushed straight in the middle of Planet Music. Orgy Of Destruction was played with bones and muscles. I expected taped intro, as it was used on previous co-headliner tour with Primal Fear in 2002, and I got wrong. First Mike set behind his drum kit, and began to dictate the tempo. Suddenly Peavey appeared behind microphone providing some weird alien vocal sounds. Somewhere in middle of intro Victor, wearing T-shirt with number 15 that belongs to "Metalurg Magnetogorsk" ice hockey team, jumped in with his razor riffage. After Peavy's word: "Excellent!" War Of Worlds started all guns blazing. Trio was well shaped on stage, showing extreme good mood. They succeeded immediately to form great contact with audience. After Great Old Ones first mini highlight grinded the hall. Soundchaser rammed in. Hellish drive! Mike's drum rollings detonated through hall, while Victor's Judas Priest fashioned main riff made basics for Soundchaser. Atmosphere changed completely with Victor's genuine and soulful middle instrumental part! I was shivering down the spine. Victor ruled the scene here! I was screaming along with Peavy and the rest in hall as a crazy maniac. What a spontaneous jam! Sound was supreme. At certain moment I was under impression of watching three soundchasers running down the stage. With use of little imagination, all three guys were truly looking as perfect combination of men and machines. With such intense approach, perfect tuning, and strong self control, they left no possibility for mistakes to be found. Pure jamming of this hellish chemistry resulted in complete on stage blazing. Rage prepared surprise I was dying for! With little medley consisted out of two songs. This was the shortest medley of my life. Medley started with song from my favorite band's nineties album "Black In Mind" (1994), thrashy Sent By The Devil. It was performed till the part where first lead break should start, where they stopped awhile, and Peavey announced song called Firestorm, an opener from their "The Missing Link" (1993) studio album. With Down ("Unity", 2002) entire hall was again more active by singing the verses of that song. While Peavey and Mike went for a short break, Victor used Lunatic ("Welcome To The Other Side", 2001) as an opening intro for his solo session. Again fully focused on Victor's taping experiments, I wasn't able to follow his speed of hands with my natural abilities for visual perception. Victor said "bye, bye" to his guitar picks. Fingers of his right hand were more sticking to fretboard instead of being placed in "normal" playing position. At the end, his solo adventure turned into opening motive of Set This World On Fire ("Unity", 2002). Crowd was back alive on its feet!

It was Mike's turn now! I won't doctorate here. You must see this. Mike's drumming speaks alone for itself. Hard to believe this is a reality! Like octopus, climbing with whole body over his drum kit. Mike broke a few drum sticks (as expected). Actually he made some fine wooden slides out of them! Mike "Mr. Loudness" Terrana fully powered the climax while murdering his drum kit. His gutsy solo got shortened in comparison with one he did on previous tour, when his solo lasted over 20 minutes. We anticipated the loudest drumming on Earth and surely not from this world!

Trio took as back in eighties with their hit Don't Fear The Winter ("Perfect Man", 1989). There is direct link between "Perfect Man" and "Soundchaser". Concept! Remember verse in Good Old Ones "...so called perfect man..."? Peavey asked once again audience for "small" collaboration. Higher Than The Sky ("End Of All Days", 1996) followed. Rage ended their gig with this straight puncher by bringing atmosphere on its melting point. I felt a real heat we all were bathing in.

Rage concert is your obligation, dear friends. I thought they will kick soul out of my physical body. Mission of "chasing the sound" was successfully completed! I am Rage addict, gotta see them again and again! While "Raging" boys were leaving the stage, I felt unsatisfied: "Supreme, but...Damn, it was to short, again!" Guys, please do a headlining tour as soon as possible. Hope it won't be focused just on locations around Hamburg.

Now Helloween! It was third time for me to see them. First, when they were support act to Iron Maiden in Italy (Trieste, 06.05.1998) and second in Stuttgart (16.04.2001) during their promotion of "The Dark Ride" album. As they hit the stage, I got a bit confused. They started with kind of introduction that usually serves as classic fade out of a certain show. No, no, no it can't be true. But riff that followed confirmed I wasn't dreaming. It was Starlight! I am all shivers right now and all I had to do was to set my mind back on this evening. Andy was high like hell. I never had opportunity to hear this guy soaring so high. Not just that. I forgot to add powerful and convincible high soaring, with ear splitting effect. Starlight turned almost with no pause into Murderer. And I was looking to my brother Peter who was standing next to me, he was still shaking off with his head from left to right, 'cause he too still couldn't believe it. And we got still more to follow. Andy said: "Hello to you all! Vienna, how are you feeling tonight? Please, allow us to move further into Keeper's era!" It wasn't I Want Out, nor it was Dr. Stein or Future World. It was Keeper Of The Seven Keys itself! Now can you imagine how the crowd was reacting? We were all "insane-i-acs". Helloween went over all my expectations. I was sure that they will include bunch of new songs from their latest studio effort, but I was absolutely and fortunately wrong. It seemed as Helloween chose to promote more their "Treasure Chest" (2002) best of album, instead of "Rabbits Don't Come Easy" (2003). "Keeper's" era lasted and lasted through Future World and further on with Eagle Fly Free, where as usual Markus got some huge ovations while he was taping his fill in. Crazy in all senses! Are we in mid eighties? Andy was supreme. I like his style. He can easily change a few disguises with his vocal abilities during one single song and this brings in recent Helloween musical shape kind of unpredictability and rises the atmosphere. And convincible performance of Kiske's and Hansen's stuff proved, Andy joins first class metal vocalists on planet Earth. My strong opinion till that unforgettable evening in Austria was Helloween are frustrated of playing older stuff because Andy is not capable of performing it. I am sorry Andy. I don't know true reason why Helloween after "Master Of The Rings" (1994) reunion mainly ignored inclusion of "Walls Of Jericho" (1985) stuff in their previous touring set lists. All I can conclude is that times weren't right for those days Helloween line up. Clash of egos, or maybe they were sick and tired of performing it.

Forever And One ("Time Of The Oath", 1996) calm down the scene. I was in need for such a move, 'cause I've started sinking in my own sweat. Andy who is experienced with such problems took some humanitarian rescuing actions by delivering the bottles of water to the crowd. He enjoyed while observing if fellow whom he threw the bottle will catch it. I failed. Peter too. There were too many thirsty mouths with grabbing hands around us. And seventh song was finally something taken from newest "Rabbits" album. Powerful Open Your Life, with its cozy refrain and easy structured verse, enabled the audience to join in easily. Hey Lord! and If I Could Fly were something special in set list. At least what concerns atmosphere. Both capture high atmosphere in melancholic choruses, yet based on easy main riffs that run very fluid and make you wanna rock like beast. Especially If I Could Fly was short, but very strong high atmospheric moment of a gig. Entire guitar solo in If I Could Fly was done by Sascha!

Sascha's precise picking over riffs breathed in great equilibrium with Weike's. In comparison with Weike, who is nod to the old school and uses Gibson guitars (Les Paul model), younger Sascha stick to Ibanez custom with sharp edged headstock. Grapow was strong and rigid ego, strictly focused on his own musical desires, while Sascha gives an impression of being able to respond quick and easy when facing diverse musical challenges. He quickly extracts from Helloween musical directions of past and effectively integrates it into present. Seems that Helloween got right replacement.

Helloween ended main part with Power. On last tour in 2001, Power served as an opener. Before its last chorus, Helloween stopped. Andy who was followed by rhythm line got his five minutes, by dividing audience on left and right side. Nice little competition was to follow. Andy's right side won, 'cause it was louder! Andy brought in hall pure positive vibes by making some huge jokes with constant smile on his face. Helloween swept into chorus for the last time. Power was spiced up with fantastic classical fade out. So they disappeared. Not a lot of songs but quite a long gig. Sun 4 The World was first encore. Song full of different switches and moods, with Sascha who played opening tunes on strange kind of instrument. It looked as a hybrid between sitar, harp and electric guitar. Atmosphere got higher! Happy Helloween just couldn't left the audience without some taste of Walls Of Jericho! I am talking about How Many Tears. Andy jumped in high sequences supremely once again. You know blazing nature of this song. And its Vienna performance made no difference. It was pure blast again! This epic crusher with its length well over six minutes meant last song of a gig. Best possible choice to close the gig. Entire Helloween gig lasted one hour and 40 minutes!

Helloween really moved me! First reason for my excitement was killing set list no one would dare to imagine even in his wildest dreams. On "The Dark Ride" tour they played 16 song (intro included). Now they did it fifteen (intro included). Only four songs remained the same in "The Dark" and "Rabbits" set lists: Dr. Stein, Eagle Fly Free, Power and How Many Tears. Isn't that exciting? "Rabbits" means kind of resurrection for band. Musically speaking it is not better or worse than its predecessor. It is important as a precursor record. It represents a new stage of band's evolution. With having Stefan and Sascha in line up, fresh wind blows again for Helloween. Gathering all my memories on this special evening from Planet Music, I just still somehow can't switch myself into ordinary presence. Is this reality or am I still "only" dreaming. Best Helloween gig so far.

Rage set list (Vienna, Planet Music, 08.11.2003):

01. Orgy Of Destruction
02. War Of Worlds
03. Great Old Ones
04. Soundchaser
05. Sent By The Devil
06. Firestorm
07. Down
08. guitar solo: Victor Smolski (incl. Lunatic)
09. Set This World On Fire
10. drum solo: Mike Terrana
11. Don't Fear The Winter
------------------------------------------- Encore
12. Higher Than The Sky
=============================== End

Helloween set list (Vienna, Planet Music, 08.11.2003):

01. Intro
02. Starlight
03. Murderer
04. Keeper Of The Seven Keys
05. Future World
06. Eagle Fly Free
07. Forever And One
08. Open Your Life
09. Hey Lord!
10. Dr. Steinv
11. Back Against The Wall
12. If I Could Fly
13. Power
----------------------------------- Encore
14. Sun 4 The World
15. How Many Tears
=========================== End