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If I say Gamma Ray, what do you generally think of? You think of "Rebellion in Dreamland," "Land Of The Free"... you think of "Somewhere Out In Space," Zimmermann's relentless helicopter double bass, Hansen's harsh voice. What I want to talk about, however, has little to do with the dark Power and heavily Priest-influenced "Majestic."
The year is 1988. Following strong disagreements with Weikath, just before a support tour with Iron Maiden, which would have celebrated the unparalleled jewel and progenitor of Teutonic school Power Metal, "Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part II," Kai Hansen leaves his Helloween to start a solo career that could satisfy him more. Hansen's debut was eagerly awaited, a debut that is not much of a debut if you think of poor production and lack of funds. With Scheepers on vocals, Hansen on guitar and current bassist Schlachter, Burchardt on drums, and Wessel on bass, thus was born a true masterpiece. Without abandoning a certain Helloween sound (and let's remember that he created a large part of that sound), but also taking prog and Queen influences, in 1990 Hansen showed he could create masterpieces, despite those who thought that without relying on Michelino Kiske's golden voice, Weikath's considerable songwriting skills, and the powerful rhythm section Grosskopf-Schwichtemberg (R.I.P.), Hansen would never make it. In fact, the opposite was true, proving that without Hansen, Helloween could no longer repeat the masterpieces they had created with him (just think of "Pink Bubbles Go Ape" released almost simultaneously with "Heading For Tomorrow"). "Welcome," an intro destined to become a concert opener for the Rays, certainly echoes the more typical Helloween intros of the first two Keepers and leads to the frantic "Lust For Life," cheerful and powerful. Hansen's solos are excellent, and especially excellent is Scheepers' voice, which really makes you not miss the nonetheless unreachable Kiske, in my opinion. "Heaven Can Wait," certainly not inferior, is another anthem to the desire to live, which, although slower and more chorus-focused than the previous "Lust For Life," loses absolutely nothing in terms of sensations, you find yourself pushed towards the sky, towards flight, something that happens often in Hansen's Power.
Everything becomes darker with the next, anthemic, "Space Eater," opened by powerful guitar riffs and a driving bass. Scheepers whispers, then bursts into the bridge and flows into the powerful chorus, which seems written specially to be shouted by hundreds of people at a concert. "Money" certainly lifts the tone of the album, and again returns to speed and lightheartedness, in a rapid-paced gallop. An ironic anthem to money, "Money" struck me with its very ironic lyrics, finding two people discussing; the first wants to stick to their ideals, while the second suggests they stick to money, which, quoting and transliterating the chorus, is what makes the world go round, what makes life... "Money" is one of the songs that struck me most on this album, a sort of remake of "Rise And Fall," it really made me smile in its ironic charge and deliberately over-celebratory towards the "Money" it praises, and if to all this irony and sympathy in the lyrics is added excellent songwriting and an excellent performance, all the better! When I talked about Queenian references, I didn't do it by chance. "The Silence," probably the best ballad in the "Gamma Ray" repertoire, is the most shameless homage among the tributes Hansen has paid to Queen. Considered, and rightfully so, I would add, one of the absolute milestones of Hansen's discography, "The Silence" alternates with delicately momentous moments, where Scheepers' voice and piano notes reign supreme, with slow and solemn choruses that reach incredible intensity at the end, right after Kai's central break/solo. The rhythms become tight again and you find yourself overwhelmed once again, by the underrated "Hold Your Ground," an excellent Power song, where, once again, the solos and a well-crafted central break dominate, where the song transforms and becomes a runaway gallop, which slows to return to the chorus, which is repeated in acceleration until reaching the very fast finale. "Free Time" was not written by the skillful Hansen, but by a less accomplished songwriter, Scheepers, and it shows. It's absolutely the only flaw in the lot, which, while not having much bite, can still be listened to without drowning the judgment on the entire work. A chorus that once again takes inspiration from Queen opens the mammoth suite and title track "Heading For Tomorrow," which is a sort of summary of what has been heard so far. Well-sung verses, which leave aside speed in favor of a certain solemnity, suddenly break off; the song slows down, falls asleep, so to speak, lulled by an excellent drum work, guitars, and keyboards, in homage to the best prog; slowly the track begins to wake up, and takes on ever-increasing intensity, then accelerates more and more and reaches its second part, angry and dark, filled with accelerations and long instrumental parts that reach choruses that send chills, impressively overwhelming and full of pathos, and one can't help but be stunned in front of a song of such level and intensity. The album concludes with "Look At Yourself," a cover of Uriah Heep, certainly good, but which I could not judge against the original, not knowing it (the original).
Hansen thus started the story of Gamma Ray, which, from the project of an ambitious and talented guitarist/songwriter like Kai Hansen, have today become one of the major groups in the Power field. A vital and positive album, well-written and well-played, dating back to a now distant era when Power metal wasn't just helicopter double bass, dragons, and swords. Unmissable.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Heaven Can Wait (04:28)
Too many people too much trouble
too many problems in the morn
Another sunrise in the rubble
another ship sunk by the storm
Some little angel tries to tell me that it's over
It's just a bad reflection from above
The load upon my shoulder makes me stronger even bolder
Oh no no I haven't had enough
Heaven can wait 'til another day
Cause there ain't no reason to leave
The world is a stage where we all can play
Another fine reason to live
and heaven can wait heaven can wait
Each day a new reason to give up
each day another reason to sigh
A hundred thousand ways to live up
a hundred thousand ways to try
Hey little angel don't you tell me that it's over
You're just a bad reflection from above
The load upon my shoulder gives me reasons to get older
Tell the boss I haven't had enough
Our eyes are close but they should be open wide
Let's listen to the voice that's calling from inside
Let's stay alive and move on on our way
And heaven can wait heaven can wait
Heaven - can wait 'til another day
05 Money (03:38)
I don't need no money, I will stick to my ideals.
You better get some money, you better get yourself a deal.
I won't change my habits and I throw it all away.
No, no, you better keep it all together for another day.
Money - uh, yeah
It only makes me sick and makes the people turn to fools.
It only gives you power and power makes the rules.
Don't wanna be an asshole that sits on dollar bills.
Ha, ha, ha, I know you'll take it no matter how you feel.
Money - uh, yeah
Nothing you will get for free, illusion or reality,
The mirror of your dreams is made of cash.
It drives me wild and drives me crazy,
Makes me fat and makes me lazy.
Anything you want, anything you need
Anything you want, anything you need
If I had a little money I would feel okay.
It is money that rules the world, it is money that lights the day,
It is money that makes it work, it is money that makes you live!
Money, money, money, money
Give me money - everybody wants some.
Everybody needs some.
I want more, you want more, we want more, they want more.
Nothing you will get for free, illusion or reality,
Anything you want, anything you need
Anything you want, anything you need
You can have a little more but still won't feel okay
It is money that rules the world, it is money that lights the day,
It is money that money that makes it work,
it is money that makes you live!
Hey, hey - - - Money - yeah, Money - yeah,
Money - yeah, Money
06 The Silence (06:24)
When you're drowning,
when you're freezin',
when you're feeling cold
There's a light in the darkness
as the elder always told.
When the winter's coming closer
and the autumn's passing by,
Then the world will sink in silence
and I think we all should try.
Oh, I wanna live my life in a fairy tale
Where the end is always good and never sad.
Show me the way to another world
Where the sun is always shining in the end.
And we fight back the tears, and we lose our fears.
Let the world remain in silence for a while.
Sun in our minds in a world full of ice,
Let the silence remain for a little while.
Somebody came and slammed the door
took the feelin' away from our hearts;
And the horror took hold of a place
in our hearts filled with love.
What is left behind the ice,
behind the make up and the lies
Tell me what goes on inside our minds.
There is a hole in our sky,
getting bigger growing wide
No more answer but we hold the line - - uh, yeah - - -
See and hear what we have done to us all,
we wanna be free more than anything,
Do you hear what I say to you?
We will make it through,
the sun shall shine.
Hear the words we say and see the light of day
We never will be free until the sun is shining for us all
Carry on, carry on and make our dreams come true
And for a little while we stay together.
Carry on, carry on, may all our lovin'stay
And for a little while we stay together forever,
Together, forever.
09 Heading for Tomorrow (14:31)
Time has passed in the modern world
Where the madmen live and speak their word.
Life in hand they deal with god
Put a trademark sign up on everyone.
God bless the children, freedom is their word.
Freedom, freedom 'til they learn to obey.
Don't fear the liars, reason is their name.
Reason, reason, play a silly game.
Where will the children go tomorrow?
Is anybody there to claim
That he understands our human game?
We can make a prophecy,
Oh we can't say what is going to be.
Where are we going, and what is our aim?
Freedom, freedom locked inside our brains
So many answers, reason is their name,
Reason, reason, the question will remain
Where will the children go tomorrow?
Hey you, where do you go? - - - - Heading for tomorrow
Hey you, where do you go? - - - - Heading for my life
Hey you, where do you go? - - - - Heading for tomorrow
Hey you, where do you go!
When we are born, tell me what is our aim?
And what will be when society fails?
We are heading for tomorrow, we don't know if we are near.
When we are gone, tell me what will remain?
And what will be when society fails?
We are heading for tomorrow but we don't know if we're near!
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