Helloween, one of the classic Metal bands, pioneers of the so-called “Power Metal” and German “Speed Metal.” A band without a middle ground, especially in the Latin audience, where you either love them or dislike them, with the former being the most accurate choice. This contrast largely exists because when discussing Metal, audiences generally expect dark sounds. However, Helloween has focused, from their beginnings, on epic and glorious sounds. In our very personal opinion, they are a band that reflects more light than darkness.
In 1985, Helloween surprised the world with their debut album “Walls Of Jericho,” a sound that nobody had heard before, paving the way for a wave of bands inspired by them to bring life to the famous “Power Metal,” widely heard in Europe. Recorded in Berlin from September to October 1985 and released in November of the same year.
What can we hear?
The quintessential Power Metal album, a 100% European sound designed to captivate, an amalgam of Heavy Metal compared, at that time, to bands like Iron Maiden for their harmonized guitar solos or certain riffs, such as in “Victim Of Fate,” and even to Metallica for the speed of their strumming, for example, in the song “Walls Of Jericho/Ride The Sky.” We hear Kai Hansen handling both the guitar and vocals exceptionally, with privileged technique and outstanding high notes that reach their peak. Hansen solely performed as a guitarist in subsequent albums until he left the band and founded Gamma Ray, where he resumed the roles of guitarist and vocalist.
We experience a peculiar speed in the genre, unafraid to delve into major or “happy” tones, as heard in the chorus of “Guardians” or certain bridges of songs like “Starlight.” Speaking of bridges, Helloween is a band that has always strived to create instrumental sections with a high degree of imagination, showcasing their members’ skills, as in the wonderful “How Many Tears,” the longest song on the album, serving as its finale.
Every instrument shines on this album. Markus Grosskopf’s bass stands out with a series of arrangements that bring his instrument to the forefront, right from the beginning of tracks like “Guardians,” and even featuring a solo in “Heavy Metal (Is The Law).”
The power of Helloween in Walls Of Jericho
Power, that’s what we hear in Walls Of Jericho, a record brimming with glory and passion in each of its songs. However, as the album progresses, we reach “Heavy Metal (Is The Law),” a track that simulates being played live, emanating the victorious euphoria of Metal in all its expression. A classic that aims, through its speed, to unite the masses to chant both its chorus and its solo, a definite stadium song.
We can’t overlook Ingo Schwichtenberg’s drums, which set the complex standard for Power Metal with his rapid double bass pedal, a recognizable and identifiable pattern in 100% of Power Metal bands. This elevated speed introduced a new physical demand and joined the ranks of the most famous Metal rhythms, such as the “Blast-Beat” in Death Metal that would arrive in the late ’90s with bands like Morbid Angel or Cannibal Corpse.
The production of “Walls Of Jericho” is rather deficient, especially in the short delay used in the vocals, which occasionally affects their intelligibility. However, despite this, the album is enjoyable, especially when played through high-quality speakers at a moderate volume.
The birth of a new genre
In Walls Of Jericho, we hear one of the first Power Metal albums in the history of music, a genre added to the vast spectrum of Rock and Metal, proposing a concept full of glory, positivity, and sometimes humor and mockery, such as the album’s intro with the song “Starlight,” whose introduction seems like a lullaby.
“Walls Of Jericho” is an excellent album that unquestionably needs to be heard at least once in life… Excellent!
What do you think of Walls of Jericho? Leave us your comments!
