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Rating: Helloween + Gamma Ray (Hellish Rock Tour 2007)
The Hellish Rock Tour 2007 is a unique event because it achieves a feat: encapsulating the essence of a musical genre. Being able to see Gamma Ray and Helloween on the same stage for a power metal fan is something unique and absolutely unmissable.
The day after (November 29th) at 3:00 PM, I have to discuss my thesis, but how the hell do you say no to such a concert that, in all likelihood, will never happen again?? The original collections I own and the countless hours spent in their company in my stereo and CD/MP3 player court me, and to this, the decision of my brother that pushes me to do the "madness" is added.
And so be it, I tell myself. Departure late, definitely too late, heading towards that Milan venue known as Alcatraz. If I take out the map, it seems so easy to reach... Viale Zara, Viale Stelvio et voilà. Too bad that in reality, if you exit the highway at the wrong point on the ring road, Milan, with its avenues, side roads, modified traffic, and congestion, is a labyrinth. You get lost, and there are no more signs. People tell you... "from here it's a mess, you should go back and take the other ring road." I look at my brother at an unsigned roundabout: should we go straight?!? Who knows. Then comes a nice sign indicating Monza, followed by a U-turn and a new stop. Minutes pass amidst curses for a show that has now begun. Just when anger mixed with frustration begins to rise to unbearable levels, we finally find the way and see Alcatraz.
The Axxis, the support band for the two Co-Headliners, we see them fleetingly, but honestly, I don't care. I position myself near the bar, calmly, because "tomorrow I have to defend the thesis," and I can't afford to lose my voice and act too foolishly.
The lights dim, and the usual intro Invitation spreads through the venue. Dan Zimmermann sits down, and the show begins with the guitar attack for the superhit Heaven Can Wait from Heading For Tomorrow from 1990. When leader Kai Hansen enters with his historic fuchsia guitar, there's a roar, and the audience is already hot and lets loose on the melodic notes of the airy chorus. They proceed without pause with the impactful heavy metal of New World Order from 2001. It's time to dig up the glorious past by offering the stunning title track of the first part of Land Of The Free. Everyone sings the chorus "When The Time Has Come, You Will See Our Return To The Land Of The Free". From Majestic comes the easy-listening and fast Carry On where the rhythm section is put to the test, showcasing the technical prowess of the band. Kai and company decide to propose only one song from the dazzling Land Of The Free II (probably considering the limited time available) and choose the excellent and cheerful Real World featuring particularly captivating melodic lines and underscored live by a nice bass work of Dirk Schlachter. From this point, they step on the accelerator. Rebellion in Dreamland, greeted by a triumph from the initial arpeggio, is sung at the top of the lungs by the entire venue up to the explosive solo and the memorable break on which it's interrupted to make room for the superlative Heavy Metal Universe. A song that in a live setting becomes as enthralling as few others. Kai, as usual, involves the audience. First, the girls present sing, and then the guys. Dirk teases the crowd by saying that in Rome, people sang louder: everything is planned, everything works out well, and the audience responds greatly and has fun. I glance back and see the venue practically full, applauding, smiling, and nodding in approval. The Rays slow down with their best slow song: The Silence. Passionate and emotional at the start, in such Queen-oriented verses, turbulent in the break with a stunning bass line, before returning to the pompous initial sounds. In the break, Kai commits to not faltering in the delicate falsetto phase that suited Ralph Scheepers more, but it all goes well. The finale is near, and the choice falls on the Helloween-esque raw power metal smack Ride The Sky (Walls Of Jericho) and the ever-green Somewhere Out In Space, which is stretched as usual. Two lightning strikes with solos, riffs, and high pitches that are greatly appreciated by the enthusiastic audience. Exit for a brief return with the good single Send Me A Sign from Powerplant. Total ovation...
A quick visit to the bathroom and shortly after, the pumpkins arrive. Dirtier and more chaotic sound with Loble's drums overpowering the rest. The setlist draws heavily from ancient splendor (there will be 5 songs from the Keepers without counting the two super hits of the grand finale), and so Deris must struggle on many songs not quite suited to his timbre. A start with a bang with the complex suite Halloween full of winning breaks and reprised in its entirety. Three powerful minutes follow with Sole Survivor, from Master Of The Rings, before returning to the times of the Keepers (this time the II) with March of Time highly appreciated by the audience, especially in the chorus. The very recent As Long As I Fall shows a great Deris at ease, and it has already been absorbed by the audience singing it with passion. Over-the-top and redundant rhythm section covering everything in the chaotic We Burn, followed by a long and spectacular Drum Solo, interrupted by a skit culminating in the helium version of Smoke On The Water. Loble's solo continues strongly but perhaps lasts a bit too long. The lighters illuminate the audience in the beautiful slow song with an ancient flavor A Tale Wasn't Right featuring a tear-jerking solo with Weikath taking the stage. In my opinion, the best performance by Helloween is in the suite King For A 1000 Years. Deris is perfect, as are the guitars exhibiting several technical solos, while bassist Markus Grosskopf confirms himself as a stage animal, continuously running. They continue with Eagle Fly Free, which unfortunately in the first part is almost unrecognizable due to the drums' volume overwhelming Deris's voice (never too comfortable) and limiting the guitars' riff. After the fiery 7 Hells, still not completely absorbed by the audience, it's time for the positive charge of Dr. Stein played really well. The audience sings and moves, enjoying it immensely, singing verses and chorus. Our guys exit, but not even a minute passes before they're back on stage for an enormous and superb medley with I Can/Where The Rain Grows/If I Could Fly/Perfect Gentleman/Power and concluding with Keeper Of The Seven Keys.
The crowd doesn't stop calling, based on their presence, Gamma Ray and Helloween, and finally, 4 guitars, 2 basses, two singers, and a drum set arrive. Only Dan Zimmermann doesn't participate in the party represented by Future World and I Want Out. The entire audience lets loose, singing almost entirely two songs that have written the history of a genre. Weikath and Richter smile satisfied together with Gerstner. Deris and Hansen pass the microphone, and Schlachter and Grosskopf run across the stage. The final greetings are thrilling... many, many applauses for a concert that most people know they'll rarely be able to enjoy another time.
Considerations
The Gamma Ray with a more limited setlist, in my opinion, delivered a truly memorable show. Excellent setlist with super hits like Land Of The Free, Rebellion In Dreamland, Somewhere Out In Space, Ride The Sky, and Silence alternating with less historically significant tracks but perfect for the live setting. The sound was clean, and by doing so, there were strong references to the studio versions throughout the show. The rhythmic section of Dan and Dirk on the bass was as precise as the twin guitars' performance, with Richter shining. Hansen behind the microphone struggled at times, but his somewhat shrill and passionate voice suits the Gamma Ray sound well.
The Helloween on this tour really wanted to go overboard. A full 5 songs (all historic and fundamental for the genre) from the two Keepers in their setlist. Of these tracks, I particularly liked the vocal and overall interpretation of Dr. Stein, Halloween, and March Of Time, while Eagle Fly Free and A Tale That Wasn't Right didn't fully convince me. The sound, unlike that of Gamma, turned out to be dirtier and more chaotic with the drums too overwhelming compared to everything else. Nevertheless, excellent performances of King For A 1000 Years, As Long As I Fall, the already mentioned Dr. Stein, and the long medley which saw a convincing Deris more at ease in tones more suited to his vocal cords.
In the finale with Future World and I Want Out, I would have preferred to hear Kai behind the microphone, but these are details. Great, great show: perhaps unique in its genre.
SET LIST GAMMA RAY
Invitation
Heaven Can Wait
New World Order
Land Of The Free
Carry On
Real World
Rebellion in Dreamland
Heavy Metal Universe
The Silence
Ride The Sky
Somewhere Out In Space
...
Send Me A Sign
SET LIST HELLOWEEN
Halloween
Sole Survivor
March Of Time
As Long As I Fall
We Burn
Drum Solo (Smoke On The Water)...Drum Solo
A Tale That Wasn't Right
King For a 1000 Years
Eagle Fly Free
7 Hells
Dr. Stein
Medley: I Can/Where The Rain Grows/If I Could Fly/Perfect Gentleman/Power/Keeper Of The Seven Keys.
HELLOWEEN + GAMMA RAY:
Future World
I Want Out.
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