Author: Rok Klemše
Artist: Helloween
Label: SPV Records
Release: 2007
Helloween need no introduction. Behind them is a career of almost twenty-five years that has crowned them pioneers and one of the biggest names in European power metal, one that has churned out twelve studio albums so far. And now here’s “Gambling With the Devil”. Since 1983, the stubborn, persistent Germans have weathered plenty of crises, mostly caused by the departures of key members, which led to countless lineup changes, and let’s not forget a few weak and mediocre releases that didn’t exactly go down well with the fans. Many never accepted Andi Deris as the man who replaced the legendary Michael Kiske, and some never got over Kai Hansen leaving either, but the continuation of the Keeper saga in 2005 with “The Keeper of the Seven Keys pt. III – The Legacy” announced the Pumpkins’ big comeback. Fans were split again over that one: some hailed “The Legacy” to the stars, others hammered it with everything they had. “Gambling With the Devil” now wipes out the last of the doubts and shuts up all the skeptics and even the haters.
Helloween’s gamble paid off, the cards fell their way, the roulette wheel spun in the right direction, and at the very end the Devil himself stepped in, so what we have here is one of the best records by the German Pumpkins. “Gambling With the Devil” picks up the best moments from the aggressive, heavy “The Dark Ride” (2000) and spices the whole thing up with the fantastically epic, mystical atmosphere of “The Legacy”. Helloween are well known for having indulged in experimental detours in the past, which usually didn’t pay off all that much. This time they serve up exactly what we’re most eager to hear from them and what we’re used to. Pure, unadulterated “power metal” at the highest level of quality. Compared to the previous albums, “Gambling With the Devil” is a lot more aggressive, guitar-driven and compact, and the songs hit high quality standards in their arrangements and composition. The tracks are as ridiculously catchy as ever, but this time also more serious, and the well-known “happy, happy Helloween” element isn’t as front and center, though the guys wouldn’t be themselves if they didn’t let loose on that side too. The “happy” element comes from the bouncy “filler” (the proper title for the single release) Can Do It, which we could easily have lived without, even if its melody is catchy as ebola. One of the main reasons “Gambling With the Devil” deserves such high praise is singer Andi Deris. It’s hard to believe, but Andi proves himself even more with every new Helloween record, and I think I can safely say that Deris delivers the best performance of his enviable Helloween career on “Gambling With the Devil”. Whether it’s the high screams in Kill It, the mid-range he slides into effortlessly from the highs or the lows, or his (already proven) chameleon streak, which this time surprises with doses of extremely aggressive, almost thrashy growls, it only proves that Andi is flawless. It seems impossible that an already great voice could keep improving over the years – whether in pitch, tonality, expressiveness or energy – but Deris’ style is perfect. Guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner did a great job too, writing excellent, thrashy riffs that really shine in what may be the Pumpkins’ most aggressive track to date, Kill It (an incredible opener that can easily stand up to Eagle Fly Free or Mr. Torture), then in the epic treat The Saints, which recalls All Over the Nations from “The Dark Ride”, or in the pure “power metal” perfection of Dreambound, with its epic intro followed by a bravura assault of dual solos that Weiki and Sascha toss back and forth like it’s nothing. And of course Helloween wouldn’t be Helloween if they hadn’t put a ballad on the album, but luckily they write them so well that not a drop of cheese oozes out. As Long As I Fall smells like the successor to the ballad If I Could Fly, and then there are the excellent Final Fortune and Fallen To Pieces, with its supremely arrogant chorus. The rhythm section does its job flawlessly too. With his varied battering, Dani Löble undeniably proves he’s one of the best drummers Helloween have ever had in their ranks, easily standing shoulder to shoulder with former Helloween drummer Uli Kusch (now back with Mekong Delta) in his display. On “Gambling With the Devil”, Löble managed to bring in and “force in” even more varied drumming approaches, drawing on his rich know-how, and so his performance has gone up another notch compared to the baptism by fire he went through with “The Legacy”. Sadly, Markus Grosskopf’s funky, groovy bass doesn’t come through as much this time, but the lines that do break through the surface are typically Helloween-style tight. The production by longtime Helloween sound wizard Charlie Bauerfeind is, apart from that slight flaw, once again brilliant, crystal clear, and pulls only the best out of the Helloween essence of today.
Epic, melodic, aggressive, goofy, “Gambling With the Devil” has it all. True, it doesn’t bring any major Helloween evolution, but it’s once again the trademark, elemental sound of modern Helloween and one of the best releases of their “Deris era”, one that will go through countless more spins in the player. Now I have to run, Beelzebub just broke up the poker game. Do you dare to try your luck with the Devil too?
Lineup
Andi Deris – guitar
Michael Weikath – guitar
Sascha Gerstner – guitar
Markus Grosskopf – bass
Dani Löble – drums
Production
Charlie Bauerfeind
Track list
1. Crack The Riddle (Intro) 00:57
2. Kill It 04:13
3. The Saints 07:06
4. As Long As I Fall 03:41
5. Paint A New World 04:27
6. Final Fortune 04:46
7. The Bells Of The Seven Hells 05:22
8. Fallen To Pieces 05:52
9. I.M.E. 03:46
10. Can Do It 04:30
11. Dreambound 05:57
12. Heaven Tells No Lies 06:56
