Helloween - Keeper of The Seven Keys: Part 2 (1988)

The second part of the epic "Keeper of The Seven Keys" series was released just over a year after the first part, and with the success that the first amassed, this sequel could relish in the attention that the band has suddenly got. This album became popular quickly, gathering new fans all across the globe, and cementing its legacy as the most successful Helloween record, being so still to this date. But why did it become so popular? Is it really better than its bigger brother? And where are the other 6 keys at?

First question first, one main reason to why the second part is slightly higher regarded is that it contains the two most famous Helloween songs ever made. The opener "Eagle Fly Free" may have never been officially released as a single, but it quickly became a humongous fan favourite thanks to its rapid speed and its epicly catchy chorus. Hell, the entire song is epic, mostly thanks to Kiske and his amazing vocals. Then we have "I Want Out", a more traditional heavy metal song with a memorable main riff, a simple but effective chorus, and a Gary Moore like feeling that will make every metal head bang. It is a classic for all the right reasons, but it is kind of a shame that the more casual fans only know this song from the band, and no other.

While those two tracks might steal the show, there are still a lot of other goodies on "Keeper of The Seven Keys: Part 2". This album is incredibly solid through and through, never dipping down into some sort of abysmal abyss of mediocrity, keeping the quality levels high. Just like with the first part, there are some real 80's moments in here that may not be some of my favourites moments in this record, taking away from some of the more creative bits of the record, but they are still really enjoyable songs that contribute nicely to the album.

One track in here that definitely does not get enough credit is "March of Time", probably because it gets outshined by "Eagle Fly Free". This track is also a epic force of nature where Kiske pushes his voice to the limit, and the results are glorious beyond belief. In any other Helloween record, this would have been the stand out track. One song that do stand out is the title track that ends this album just like "Helloween" did in the first part, by being a 13 and a half minute epic monster. This is a different kind of monster though, not as heavy hitting, but more delicate in its delivery. It is a fine ending to the story with its fantasy like aura, and while I definitely prefer "Halloween", "Keeper of The Seven Keys" ties it all up nicely.

So the differences between the two "Keeper..." records are pretty much minimal, with some more star potential in the second part, but does that make it a better record? Not necessarily, but it is instead the higher floor that is the difference maker for me. "Keeper... Part 2" is a much more even record, with no filler tracks, no annoying sound effects, and it also helps that it contains three of the best Helloween songs ever made. It is a hell of a double header Helloween has created, one of the absolute best metal has ever seen, and while none of the two albums are perfect, they are still incredibly important, both for Helloween and power metal in general. A classic for sure, one that has not lost its shine.

Songs worthy of recognition: Eagle Fly Free, March of Time, I Want Out, Keeper of The Seven Keys

Rating: 9,5/10 Dr. Steins

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Metallica - ...And Justice For All (1988)

Well, this album would fit nicely in a "Top 10 most ironic album titles ever" list. After the tragic death of Cliff Burton, Metallica was left without a bassist, eventually recruiting Jason Newsted from Flotsam And Jetsam. Apparently, the rest of the group did not seem to have much faith in the new recruit, because he is close to completely absent in this record. The bass is non existent, and still to this day it is not sure who is to blame, whether it is the influence of Lars Ulrich, the mixer Steve Thompson, or someone else. What we do know is that Jason was the victim, and that he did not get any justice.

So now that we have taken care of the clear ear sore of this record, let us focus on the other stuff. "...And Justice For All" saw Metallica going to a more progressive style, going for longer and more complex song arrangement, even more so than what both "Ride The Lightning" and "Master of Puppets" presented. There is no song under 5 minutes in here, and three even going over the 9 minute mark, surely making lovers of "Kill 'em All" a little uncomfortable when finally diving into this 1 hour and 5 minute long beast. This album is surely creative, but it might have taken one too many liberties.

Exhibit A on when the prog side of Metallica goes wrong, the instrumental track "To Live Is To Die". It is a 9 minute and 49 second song with very little substance in it, some nice licks for sure, but it does not lead to anything. No climax, no epic solo, no emotional roller coasters, just a complete waste of space and time. The band knows how to do great instrumentals, so what happened here?

Fortunately, the other longer song on the album is more than passable. The title track has a nice catchy tone to it, both in riffs and in structure, while "The Frayed Ends of Sanity" has a fantastic flow to it that feels completely natural. Then we have "One", the most famous song out of this record (and the first song Metallica accompanied with a music video), a two part song where the first half is slow and moodful, and the second half is complete madness. It is a great display of the band's diversity, and both the lead up to the solo and the solo itself still gives me goosebumps. Just masterful.

Not only is this the most progressive record in the Metallica discography, it might even be the heaviest. Songs like "Blackened" and "Dyers Eve" are really fast and heavy maulers that definitely rank among the heaviest that the band has ever done. Then we have more slow heavy songs like "Eye of The Beholder" and "Harvester of Sorrow", two songs that may not stand out amongst the crowd, but fills the holes of the album nicely. This makes "...And Justice For All" an unique step for the band, trying to evolve even further in their sound, unfortunately with mixed results.

So while this record is overall a very nice experience when you only look at what the songs are like, it is fully spoiled when the production is added. Sure, neither "Lightning" or "Puppets" have perfect production, but this album is just so flat, not giving that extra oomph that every song needed to truly pop. That is what hinders "...And Justice For All" from becoming another master staple in the band's discography (and maybe that instrumental too). It is a nice album, but the major flaws are simply too hard to ignore, even with a blindfold.

Songs worthy of recognition: One, Blackened, The Frayed Ends of Sanity, Dyers Eve

Rating: 7/10 Shortest Straws

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Slayer - South of Heaven (1988)

With the success that Slayer has gotten over their first albums, bringing a fast and demonic attitude to the growing thrash genre, many were possibly surprised when they listened to "South of Heaven". Unlike its brethren, this album is notably slower and not as heavy, which is actually a intended move by the band. Jeff Hannemann himself has said that the band knew they would not be able to top the predecessor "Reign In Blood", so they wanted to try something different, change up the pace of the band's career. An odd move indeed, but a successful one none the less.

Because while "South of Heaven" may not have the same anger and fury as "Reign In Blood", it still has enough fire power within to make the listener bang its head relentlessly. With songs like "Ghosts of War" and "Silent Scream", you can't really go wrong, it is classic Slayer in its best kind of form. Pure thrashing madness.

The rest of the songs though are kind of hard to melt down, mostly because we are not used of hearing Slayer playing like this. The beats are slow and moody, and Tom Araya is rarely screaming, toning down his voice by a lot. It is a lot to take in for the fans of the band, and it even might act as a divider, but there is no doubt that this is a Slayer record, a different one. The title track is evidence enough of that, being just as evil as you want the band to be.

My main concern over the album is the guitars, mostly because there seem to be no energy to them. We get some good riffs here and there, and some cool solos as well, but Hannemann and King is not delivering their A game here. It is not that I think that they cannot slow things down, I just think they did not put their hearts out here, not committing to the music fully. The same could be stated about Araya, but I think it is more that his vocals just do not fit in here properly. Simply put, he held back a little too much here, should have loosened up a bit.

In fact, the only one that seems to be fully on point in this record is Lombardo and his drum beats, but that could be a mirage since the drum track is pretty high in the mix. Maybe it was a good choice because it gives these slower songs some more impact, without drowning the guitars all too much. Songs like "Mandatory Suicide" and "Live Undead" take full advantage of this production, sounding a lot fresher than what they might have been with quieter drums. Still though, I do not think that is the make or break point of the album, it is just there as a nice added touch.

Speaking of nicely added touches, we got a cover in this record, and while it is not necessary at all, it is still an interesting one. Slayer have covered the Judas Priest classic "Dissident Aggressor" from "Sin After Sin", a great song that Slayer transforms to their own, and while it does not steal the show, it is a valiant effort that gives the song a new character. I like it, and it fits neatly into the album.

Overall, "South of Heaven" is a disappointment, with some lows and some highs in just over 35 minutes. We all knew that it would not reach the same heights as "Reign In Blood", that was given, but one would hope that it still would hold a high quality. It is a challenging record, one that tests the patience of the common Slayer fan, but there is enough interesting stuff in here to keep it from being boring. I like the fact that the band tried something different here, but let us be honest, we want the faster stuff instead of this. So move on over "South of Heaven" and let me get to the next album in the discography already.

Songs worthy of recognition: Silent Scream, South of Heaven, Ghosts of War

Rating: 6,5/10 Mandatory Suicides

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Judas Priest - Ram It Down (1988)

If the "Twin Turbos" project would have come to fruition, "Ram It Down" would have been the heavier side of it, being the pure polar opposite of its predecessor "Turbo". This album sees the band going back to the sound before the weird, glam metal experiment, but does not reach all the way. It is fairly obvious to see that "Turbo" and "Ram It Down" are like two brothers that may have different interests, but they are clearly related to each other.

The music here is heavy, but it is not at the same level at all like "Screaming For Vengeance" or "Defenders of The Faith", And even if Downing and Tipton spits out riff after riff, it just does not feel the same, like they are playing it safe. Thankfully, Halford shows up with another stellar performance, screaming with all his might to give this album a stronger punch to it. Sadly, this was the last album that Dave Holland appeared in, and because of health issues, he did not even complete his work on this record, forcing the band to use a drum machine in some parts, something that drags the overall sound down a little.

The album does start off strong with Rob Halford kick (or rather scream) starting the title track, which is a classic speed metal song from the band. No surprises here, just clean heavy metal. Speaking of heavy metal, that is the name of the following song. While the song itself is more controlled and feels like a brother to "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", it does start of with some furious shredding that makes me think "Did Eddie Van Halen make a guest appearance right there?". It is a good 1-2-punch to get your rock engine running, that's for sure.

After that, the music does lose some momentum, but we do still have a couple of cool songs to go before we reach the end of the album. "Blood Red Skies" is a nice power ballad where Halford displays tons of emotion, "Hard As Iron" is pure shredding goodness (even with that semi-awkward chorus), and "I'm A Rocker" is a nice little anthem that fits the band well. However, I do not understand why the band included a cover of the Chuck Berry song "Johnny B. Goode" (besides the fact that it was part of the soundtrack to the 1988 movie "Johnny Be Good"). It is a silly cover that feels really misplaced in this album. And after a love and romance heavy album such as "Turbo", they keep coming back to that subject with the songs "Love Zone" and "Love You To Death", making me think that if the "Twin Turbos" project would have been a reality, the two albums would not have been all to different from each other.

I am seriously confused over "Ram It Down". I am both loving the album, but also loathing it. It is a good, diverse album indeed, but maybe it is too diverse for its own good. I really do not know, and to be honest, I do not care. In the end though, it is the upsides that weigh over in its favour, and makes the album an overall decent experience. Some bits here and there are awesome and shows that "Turbo" was a one time thing, and those bits who did not show it still have some grain of brilliance that makes you endure it all. "Ram It Down" is far from the best Judas Priest record to come out, and it certainly will not blow you away, but it has its fair share of good moments that one should acknowledge.

Songs worthy of recognition: Blood Red Skies, Ram It Down, Hard As Iron

Rating: 7/10 Rockers

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twitter.com/judaspriest

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Megadeth - So Far, So Good... So What! (1988)

Between the all time classics "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" and "Rust In Peace" lies the close to forgotten album "So Far, So Good... So What!". It is not easily over looked because it is bad, but because it is squeezed between two albums that are much, much better. Still, this album helped the band continue their journey from being a underground band to one of the biggest bands in the business.

The reasons to why this album does not quite reach the same heights as its predecessors are many. First off, there were two new band members since last album, Chuck Behler on the drums and guitarist Jeff Young, two guys that were not long lived in Megadeth, leaving the band before the end of 1988. Then the production is far from perfect since there were some struggles within when it comes to the mixing. The third reason is the quality of the music. While not being bad per se, the overall quality of the song writing in the album is not in the same standard as the music in the two previous Megadeth album.

However, the biggest reason to why this album failed to reach the same level of greatness is the obligatory cover. This time, the band covered the classic The Sex  Pistols song "Anarchy In The UK". A great punk song that was literally slaughtered by Megadeth. There is almost no speed what so ever in it, and the overall mood is way closer to being hippie happy than anarchy angry. This is by far the worst cover so far by the band and it drags the album so far into the dirt.

But I have bitched enough for today, The fact of the matter is that "So Far, So Good... So What!" is a pretty good album that is easily overshadowed because of its slower and darker sound. It is a slightly more mature album with more variety, but less of the best parts, which is the riffs and the speed. So it is just natural to initially get disappointed over this record, but the more you listen to it, the more you will enjoy it.

The clear star of the show is "In My Darkest Hour", one of the best songs in the entire Megadeth discography. It is not only a beautiful song about loneliness and death wishes, but also contains a second half that just thrashes the shit out of you. The solo in this song is just amazing and Dave does some of his best vocal performances in this track. A must hear for every metal head. "Mary Jane" uses similar techniques as "In My Darkest Hour", but without the thrashy speed in the end. It is still a good listen, just like the groovy "Hook In Mouth".

So what if this album is not as good as "Peace Sells"? It is still a good album that gives the listener some fine quality thrash music. It may contain a shitty cover and a lackluster production, but the band gives it their all and performs like the professionals they are. I can definitely see why some people could forget... what's the name of this album again? Oh yes, "So Far, So Good... So What!". Anyway, check out this album, it is a good little gem that will surely put a smile on your face.

Songs worthy of recognition: In My Darkest Hour, Mary Jane, Hook In Mouth

Rating: 7/10 Liars

Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of A Seventh Son (1988)

I do not know about you, but I have always thought that the title for Iron Maiden's seventh album is the most epic album title ever. Not only is it cool to say "Seventh Son of A Seventh Son" over and over again, but the pure thought of a new born being the seventh son for a father who is also the seventh son is just mind blowing. So from the instance, you know that this album would be a epic master piece. But the big question in my mind was how on earth the band would exceed the expectations that the predecessors "Somewhere In Time" and "Powerslave" had build up to this point.

The answer comes in eigth songs that covers every musical styles, from epic and catchy to heavy and melodic. And not only that, we also have one of the grandest and epic tales that has ever been told in musical form. Well, actually there are several stories since this album is not actually a concept album. The extraordinary song writing in this album is some of the best I have ever witnessed and it is the lyrics that makes it seem like "Seventh Son of A Seventh" is a grand concept album.

It all starts with "Moonchild", a semi-fast and groovy song that tells the start of the seventh son saga where an unknown force is warning the parents that their future son will possess a power that is great than what they ever could imagine. An okay opener, but it is certainly one of the weaker tracks in the album. After that comes "Infinite Dreams" that pictures the story of a journey to discover the meaning of life and the meaning of the unnecessary torture that many suffers. This is surely a epic piece that also has its groovy moments and I have always loved how Bruce Dickinson has made the most with his voice to create the perfect atmosphere.

The only real speed freak in this record is "Can I Play With Madness". It may be one of the most overrated Maiden songs out there, but it plays an important part in this album. Without this song, the variation would have been one of the weak spots (now it is one of the strongest attributes). I still enjoy this track with its epic chorus, but there are several songs in both "Seventh Son of A Seventh Son" and other Maiden albums that I would rather play. One of these songs are the fantastic "The Evil That Men Do" I am not kidding when I say that this track got it all. It is beautiful, epic, groovy, sing-a-long friendly and powerful, all at the same time. And let us not forget the lyrics about the constant struggles and problems that will live with mankind forever. Even now, 25 years after its release, "The Evil That Men Do" is highly up-to-date both musically and lyrically. An instant classic, both back in the day and now.

The truly epic piece of this album is the title track. Close to 10 minutes of fine performance work, exceptional vocal excersises and a song structure that even with a 2 and a half minutes of cymbal rolls, guitar picking and verse reading, is more exciting then a 2 hour action movie. If the band was learning to write great epics in "Powerslave", then they had mastered that skill in "Seventh Son of A Seventh Son".The following song, "The Prophecy", is impressing with its lyrics, but the melody is one of the weaker on this album. I do ot say that it is bad, I just say that it looks pale in comparision against the other songs on the album.

The album ends up with two very respectable songs. "The Clairvoyant" is one of the first Maiden songs I ever learned to love and the funny part is that I first thought that it was a sample of some of the band's greatest hits. There was no wonder that I thought that since the verse and chorus could easily have been two different songs fused into one. But the band still finds a way to make the symbios work great and create a truly stunning song. The other song, "Only The Good Die Young", is one of the truest songs ever made. Just think of it. Ronnie James Dio, Jeff Hanneman, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Cliff Burton and many more has all died way too young, while [insert shit artist that is still alive here] and other pieces of dookie still live to fight another die. It is just sad. But I am just rambling, the song itself is a beautiful finisher that ties up the album in a great way. But it would not hurt to make this song a little bit longer.

Very few bands can follow up a amazing album with a equaly amazing successor, but it takes a legendary band to follow up a master piece like "Powerslave" with two perfect albums. "Seventh Son of A Seventh Son" is the most epic piece that I have ever heard and it is just another proof that Iron Maiden is worthy of its legendary status. Sure, they could have gone fully out with the concept on this album, but who cares when you get spoiled with such great songs over and over again. I have already said this in my review of "Somewhere In Time", but I do not know how the band is going to top this. Perfection, you now have a second name, and that name is "Seventh Son of A Seventh Son".

Songs worthy of recognition: The Evil That Men Do, Seventh Son of A Seventh Son, The Clairvoyant, Infinite Dreams, Only The Good Die Young

Rating: 10/10 Moonchilds