Helloween
7 Sinners

"7 Sinners" is the thirteenth studio album by Helloween, released in 2007. Helloween certainly need no introduction, as they have been a true pillar of Power-Epic Metal for decades. "7 Sinners" was released just over a year after "Unarmed," a collection of best classics reinterpreted and rearranged in a slightly more modern way, which was not well received by many fans.

"7 Sinners" opens with "When The Sinners Go," a mid-tempo track that feels a bit disorienting at first listen, yet manages to be impactful. It continues with "Are you Metal?" a true anthem to metal, which in a somewhat sly way brings to mind the glorious 80s, when metal was still an ideal and not just a musical genre. It is immediately noticeable that the band intends to refresh their sound while maintaining the attitude that has always distinguished them. The song is aggressive, especially thanks to Deris' distorted vocals, which give a nice boost to the track. A good piece, not outstanding, but enjoyable to listen to.

Next comes "Who is Mr Madman", "Raise The Noise" and "World of Fantasy", three tracks on the same wavelength, characterized by extremely epic and grandiose tones. Unfortunately, the melodies give a sense of déjà vu that is hard to shake off, and the refrains are very catchy, perhaps too much so, making them tracks that will certainly not leave a mark. The album picks up with the fast "Long Live The King," a very aggressive song with sharp and fast riffs, well supported by Loeble's drumming. Here too, Deris proves to be a great vocalist, giving the song anger and power. Then comes the calmer "The Smile of the Sun," a slow track in Helloween style, which unfortunately feels a bit predictable, and Deris's excellent vocals are not enough to make it impactful. It continues with "You Stupid Mankind," which starts with an interesting riff, and Deris's voice increases the tension in the pre-chorus, but it fails to take off, leaving a sense of incompleteness by the end of the track.

Fortunately, to lift the album is what I consider the best track of the album, "If Mountain Could Talk," a song in perfect Helloween style that once again shows how the band managed to incorporate modern elements without distorting their sound. It alternates between up-tempo and mid-tempo, with hard and melodic sounds contrasting and chasing each other, all accompanied by splendid guitar solos. After that, the good "The Sage The Fool The Sinner," the classic song with a refrain to sing at the top of your lungs. We approach the end of the album with "My Sacrifice," a song that unfortunately is dull and anonymous. Of a completely different caliber is the beautiful "Far in The Future," a long and complex song full of rhythm changes and atmospheres, divided into musical suites typical of progressive, making it compelling from start to finish despite its duration. The band members are all in perfect harmony, with splendid guitar parts alternating between melodic parts and thrash-oriented riffs, and admirable counter-rhythm work by Loeble on drums.

In conclusion, in this new album, Helloween remain true to their style while incorporating some innovative elements (there is a strong emphasis on groove) without distorting the traditional sound that made them famous. It turns out to be a decent album, with some excellent and some less inspired tracks. The instrumentalists deliver a technically flawless performance. The album is characterized by powerful, dark and at times evocative atmospheres, endowed with good production that highlights the cold, at times crystalline, and powerful guitar sound, although less sharp than in the 80s, with more emphasis on the heaviness of the sound (so much so that the guitars seem tuned a half step or a whole step down from the band's classics). In my opinion, the very compressed and polished sounds are capable of creating a decent "Wall of Sound" but also somewhat dampen the group's personality, making the overall sound of the album similar to other currently popular bands.

In conclusion, one cannot shout about a masterpiece, but it is a good album and it is pleasing to hear Helloween still in good shape despite the passage of time.