This needs little introduction and is the second part of the 'Keeper of the Seven Keys' which Helloween are most famous for.
Invitation (1:07) This a pretty standard power metal intro in that there's no singing and lots of crashing powerchords. It sounds very majestic as there are a few horns and you could almost be at a medieval castle it has that kind of feel.
Eagle Fly Free (5:10) This mood changes as it leads into the first proper track and tension is created followed by a good bit of speedy metal. However I don't particularly like the lyrics - the verses are quite negative and the bridge a bit cheesy: 'In the sky a mighty eagle doesn't care 'bout what's illegal' for example. I think after the solo it's some bass doing some tapping but whatever it is I love it then back into a short fill and back into a chorus. I do like the outro chorus, the lyrics are happy, Kiske does some great singing and 'woah'ing and there's even a couple of trumpets leading into a great crescendo. It brings the song back. 7/10
You Always Walk Alone (5:10) This song opens with some dualling guitars and then speeds up into the verse in which Kiske performs some stellar vibrato, something seen right through the album as you would expect form a power metal band. It breaks down at around the 3:00 to a strange style which is almost bluesy but then strictly back into power metal mode with an insane solo. 7/10
Rise and Fall (4:23) I don't like this song much to be honest. Starts with a drum fill and then dualling guitars come in. The lyrics and whole feel of song is muh less serious almost like they were mucking around. At about 0:45 it sounds like they're a barber shop quarter then later it sounds like they're on the streets of Paris as there is a weird accordion type instrument being played on the off beat. Ugh. I expect lots of people love this and will bash me for giving it 5/10
Dr. Stein (5:06) Opens with some eerie clunks and bunks and shouts then goes into a sinister guitar riff and verse. Again this is a less serious song about a doctor who makes weird creatures: 'Dr. Stein grows funny creatures, lets them run into the night ,they become great rock musicians' par example. Not a great fan of this but there are some good parts such as an organ part and the 'One night he cloned himself'. An OK song. 6/10
We Got The Right (5:08) The first of the four best songs on this album. It starts of slow with just a clear guitar and bluesy stuff in the background and Kiske shows a much more tender side in his singing. Goes into a great riff which is almost celtic in feel. I like the vocals on the chorus and it goes into some dualling guitars which are fantastic. A good song and goes out in a majestic fashion again 8/10
March Of Time (5:15) Opens with piano and dualling guitars which follow the vocal line of the chorus. Then speeds up, bit of palm muting and into the verse. The chorus is great and you will be humming this all day it's just so catchy. A pretty quick solo in parts though not one of my favourites good dualling (again). Goes out on a chorus. 8/10
I want out (4:41) The dualling on this open bit is fantasic it makes you want to jump around - you must listen to it. I like the verse, nothing too fancy with some rhythm power chords and bridge - is the chorus cheesy? I don't know, decide for yourself: 'I want out--to live my life alone, I want out--leave me be' etc. A mini solo and then some dualling leads into the final chorus. Kiske's voice is great here: he sings the word 'alone' and holds it for about 20s while more tracks of him are recorded over again. This is a great display of his vocal ability. Great song 9/10
Keeper of the Seven Keys (13:37) This is an absolute beast of a song and far too filled of stuff for me to comment on every little but. THe lyrics are proper fantasy orientated here and relate (unsurprisingly) to the story of the keys. Open with folky acoustic, then crashing powerchords, then dualling palm-muted guitars, all fantastic. A great solo but my favourite part of the song is the 'disease, disease, disease my friends...' bit at around the 7:00 mark. There are so many time changes and changes in style (too many to comment on) here that you must like some of them but I will say it is a MUST for anyone to listen to. Oh, and great crescendo at the end too. A definite 10/10
Save Us (5:13) Starts off a bit weird with voices before blasting off like a rocket. I don't like the chorus as it sounds a bit poppy to be frank. I don't really know what to say about this song because I don't like it much...it's quick, it's loud, and I'm not all that keen on it. Not a good end to the album, they should have gone out on the above epic. 6/10
