HeavyHardMetalmania: Helloween Keeper of the Seven Keys

Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1 is the second studio album from German power metal/heavy metal band Helloween, released in 1987. It marks the first appearance of vocalist Michael Kiske, and is considered to be one of Helloween's best albums, credited by many to be the birth of power metal. "Future World" was released as a single and a music video (omitting over 8 minutes of the song) was made for "Halloween." The band originally planned to release Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1 and Part 2 as a double album, but their record label refused, insisting that the albums be released separately. But much later in 2010 both albums were released together with bonus tracks.

1."Initiation" Hansen 1:21

2."I'm Alive" Hansen 3:23

3."A Little Time" Kiske 3:59

4."Twilight of the Gods" Hansen 4:29

5."A Tale That Wasn't Right" Weikath 4:42

6."Future World" Hansen 4:02

7."Halloween" Hansen 13:18

8."Follow the Sign" Hansen/Weikath 1:46

1. "Victim of Fate" Hansen 7:00

2."Starlight (Remix)" Hansen/Weikath4:15

3."A Little Time (Alternative Version)" Kiske3:33

4."Halloween (Video Edit)" Hansen 5:02

Michael Kiske - Vocals
Kai Hansen - Guitar, Front Cover Concept
Michael Weikath - Guitar
Markus Grosskopf - Bass
Ingo Schwichtenberg - drums

Tommy Hansen - Co-Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Emulator
Edda & Uwe Karczewski - Cover Design
Limb - Sleeve & Back Cover Concept
Tommy Newton - Producer, Engineer

Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 2 is the third studio album by German power metal bandHelloween, released in 1988. The album capitalized on the success of Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1 and picks up where it left off. Success bloomed all over Europe, Asia and even the United States. The album went gold in Germany and reached #108 in the US.

The album contains two singles, which are "Dr. Stein" and "I Want Out". "Dr. Stein" has a very long and moody solo, played with a blues tinge, very unlike other solos in the album as well as an organ solo. "I Want Out" remains one of the band's most popular songs, and has been covered by Gamma Ray, HammerFall, LORD and Sonata Arctica. This song was written by Kai Hansen, and it's rumored to have to do with how he felt about Helloween, that maybe the band wasn't his anymore. The title track is the longest song of the album. Michael Weikath's "Eagle Fly Free", one of the well known songs of the album has also been covered, asKai Hansen's "I Want Out", by bands like Vision Divine, and Bassinvaders.

1. "Invitation" Weikath 1:06

2. "Eagle Fly Free" Weikath 5:08

3. "You Always Walk Alone" Kiske 5:08

4. "Rise and Fall" Weikath 4:22

5. "Dr. Stein"

Weikath 5:03

6. "We Got the Right" Kiske 5:07

7. "March of Time" Hansen 5:13

8. "I Want Out"

Hansen 4:39

9. "Keeper of the Seven Keys" Weikath 13:38

10. "Save Us" Hansen 5:15

"Save Us" was not included on the original LP.

1. "Savage" Kiske 3:25

2. "Livin' Ain't No Crime" Weikath 4:42

3. "Don't Run for Cover" Kiske 4:45

4. "Dr Stein (Remix)" Weikath 5:05

5. "Keeper of the Seven Keys (Remix)" Weikath 13:52

Michael Kiske - vocals

Kai Hansen - guitar

Michael Weikath - guitar, keyboards

Markus Grosskopf - bass guitar, fretless bass in "Eagle Fly Free"

Ingo Schwichtenberg - drums