Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Gamma Ray
Label: Ear Music Records
Release: 2013
Running time: 55:21
Rating: 4/5
Gamma Ray, the »offshoot« of the legendary Helloween lineup that founded European power metal, are still living their springtime. No slowing down here. Three years have flown by since the studio album »To The Metal« (2010) came out, and the guys have been gigging hard again, Kai Hansen especially, who on top of Gamma Ray also kicked off a parallel band, Unisonic, with the legendary vocalist Michael Kiske, his old buddy from their days together in Helloween.
Back in late May 2011, Gamma Ray started filling the gap between their current and upcoming studio albums with the EP »Skeletons & Majesties«, a mix of old tracks played in new versions plus acoustic takes on a few Gamma Ray anthems, and a must for every Gamma Ray fan. At the end of last year that release was joined by the band’s fourth live album overall of the same name (also out on DVD), with a complete concert recording from Pratteln (Switzerland). Now, with the news that the band’s new album is coming in early 2014, and a new tour with Helloween on the way, Gamma Ray felt the time was ripe for another round of »guilty pleasures« for their most loyal followers.
That’s the new EP »Master Of Confusion«. No acoustic stuff this time! It’s here to help promote the new joint tour with Helloween, called Hellish Rock part II! Two new tracks, two excellent covers, and the rest of the record filled out with six great live performances, taken from the band’s last headlining tour. Don’t worry. None of the tracks on the EP have been released anywhere until now.
Hansen’s voice has thickened and dropped lower over the years, and the band also uses a lower tuning live. The live sound is massively heavy and fully maxed out. It’s the kind of live sound demanded by every classic-minded heavy metal outfit. And the new Gamma Ray keep following their own musical »trail«. Both new songs, the title track and »Empire Of The Undead« (which, by the way, is supposedly also the title of the new Gamma Ray album), basically carry the point of the »To The Metal« story. They’re pissed off to the core and love to flirt with the legacy of Judas Priest’s eighties albums, which is kind of expected. With them Gamma Ray sound »angry«, like in the days of Kai Hansen’s greatest metal fury, when Helloween’s debut »Walls Of Jericho« (1985) came out. Gamma Ray have always been known as masters of reworking originals. Over the course of their career they’ve served up a few phenomenal covers, including Judas Priest, Uriah Heep, Pet Shop Boys and Birth Control, and this time they’re tipping their hat to the hot days of the early eighties, when the NWOBHM movement exploded and came to life in Great Britain, a scene that also gave us Holocaust. »Death Or Glory«, caught in Gamma Ray’s excellent arrangements and preached in the language of metal, fits perfectly with the energy and look of both new originals. Gamma Ray have always had a big soft spot for pompous arrangement flourishes. In the vocal harmonies they’ve offered throughout their career, you can tell they listened to a lot of rock giants Queen, Uriah Heep and The Sweet as kids. The Sweet! And here’s »Lost Angels«, a perfect »hit«, with a great take on the vocal harmonies that stamp the song with pomp, crossed with the ultra-noble, bite-down toughness that is Gamma Ray’s signature approach to metal sound.
The rest of the record is a bonus of six songs from the last tour. All the tracks come from the Bochum show (date: 17.12.2011), so no fear that a fan will accidentally get a complete rerun of the live album »Skeletons & Majesties« (2012) with this EP. The song selection doesn’t surprise. Their energy is very similar to the energy captured at the Pratteln show. It’s the last officially released recording with Daniel Zimmerman on drums. Here you get the best song off »Sigh No More«, called »The Spirit«, a hard-hitting updated take on the Birth Control cover from the Gamma Ray album »Insanity & Genius« (1995), called »Gamma Ray«, and a finale with the epic »Innsurrection« (»Land Of The Free Pt. II«, 2007), a sort of upgrade of the »Heading For Tomorrow« epic for modern times. It’s also a joy to see that in recent years Gamma Ray have been flirting more with their best album, »Powerplant« (1999), since they’re working classics from that record into their live set. The song »Wings Of Destiny« is, in fact, considered one of the best live »showpieces« on this EP.
The first four tracks also introduce the new drummer, Michael Ehre. He did a great job, and Zimmerman isn’t missed. It’s obvious that the gap left by Daniel Zimmerman’s unexpected departure was filled more than effectively and with superior speed. Ehre comes from that true German school of physical »bombers« in the league of the greatest masters: Thomen Stauch, Uli Kusch and Jörg Michael, who handle the double bass drum pedal with their left pinky – the German school of Euro power metal, and it can’t hide it!
The EP is a duty for the true Gamma Ray fan, especially for anyone who inconsolably chases the magic offered by the “double sandwich” »Blast From The Past« (2000) and can’t let a single Gamma Ray goodie slip out of their collection. Gamma Ray keep up the charge and drive. With this EP and the gigs, Gamma Ray will stay piping-hot fresh buns and effectively carry that freshness over to the new studio album!
Lineup
Kai Hansen – guitar, vocals
Henjo Richter – guitar
Dirk Schlächter – bass guitar
Michael Ehre – drums (tracks 1 to 4)
Daniel Zimmerman – drums (tracks 5 to 10)
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Michael Kiske – vocals on track no. 9
Corvin Bahn – keyboards on tracks 5 to 10
Production
Dirk Schlächter & Kai Hansen
Track list
01. Empire Of The Undead
02. Master Of Confusion
03. Death Or Glory
04. Lost Angels
05. The Spirit
06. Wings Of Destiny
07. Gamma Ray
08. Farewell
09. Time To Break Free
10. Insurrection
