Helloween: Gambling With the Devil

Hard not to stand up and take notice of the latest platter from German power metal legends Helloween when they lead you in with the blistering "Kill It", a relentlessly heavy number that includes everything we all love from this band; crunchy riffs, wild guitar solos, breakneck drums, symphonic arrangements, and spirited vocals. Their 13th release doesn't stop there, as the band then jumps into the melodic seven minute epic "The Saints", complete with machine gun drum riffing from new guy Dani Löble and soaring vocals from Andy Deris. The production on the album by Charlie Bauerfeind really gives symphonic numbers like this one a real powerful sheen, as everything is crystal clear and glossy, the guitars from Michael Weikath & Sascha Gerstner literally jumping out at you.

Gambling With the Devil has plenty of other highlights, and manages to mix the heavy metal rockers and more ballady fare quite well. On the raging side, fans will love the manic "Paint A New World" (my pick for best of the lot), a real speedy number with venemous vocals from Deris, loads of crunch-o-rama, and an anthemic chorus that will have you pumping your fist in the air and singing to the heavens.There's also "Final Fortune", a real throwback to the Keeper of the Seven Keys days, the cranking progressive/power metal thumper "The Bells Of The 7 Hells" (another number totally owned by Deris' menacing vocal attack), the slow & heavy anthem "I.M.E", and the two excellent power metal epics that close the CD, "Dreambound" and "Heaven Tells No Lies", each one rich with double bass drum blasts, tasty & melodic guitar flights, keys, and powerful vocals. On the lighter side, you have "As Long As I Fall", "Fallen To Pieces", and "Can Do It", each decent tracks in their own right, but greatly overshadowed by the more metallic numbers here, some of which are sure to be seen as Helloween classics in the near future.

With a string of solid albums over the last few years, Helloween are once again laying claim to the title of power metal kings. Gambling With the Devil is a damn fine album, and contains enough evidence to support that claim and win the bet against the little red bugger.

Track Listing
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 7 Hells
8. Fallen To Pieces
9. I.M.E.
10. Can Do It
11. Dreambound
12. Heaven Tells No Lies

Added: December 29th 2007
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: Helloween Website
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Language: english

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