Gamma Ray
Heading For Tomorrow

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.