Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II explained

Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II
Type:studio
Artist:Helloween
Cover:KotSK2.jpg
Released:29 August 1988
Recorded:May–June 1988
Studio:Horus Sound Studio, Hanover, Germany
Genre:Power metal
Length:49:23
Label:Noise
Producer:Tommy Newton, Tommy Hansen
Prev Year:1987
Next Title:Live in the U.K.
Next Year:1989

Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II is the third studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1988.[1] [2] The album sold well, and success bloomed all over Europe, Asia, and even the United States. The album went gold in Germany and reached No. 108 in the US.

Two singles were released from the album, "Dr. Stein" and "I Want Out". "Dr. Stein" has a very long and moody solo, played with a blues tinge, very unlike other solos on the album, as well as an organ solo. "I Want Out" remains the band's best-known song, and has been covered by several metal bands, such as Gamma Ray (which Kai Hansen formed after leaving Helloween itself), Unisonic, HammerFall, LORD and Sonata Arctica. It is their last album to feature Hansen until 2021's self-titled album.

Background

The recording of the album actually lasted for 24 hours a day. Tommy Newton would work during the daytime and Tommy Hansen took over at night. That went on (between May and June 1988), until eventually Tommy Hansen got fired from the project by Karl Walterbach (Noise Records' boss). Newton wanted to continue on his own, so after Tommy Hansens preview mix of 'Eagle Fly Free' he was sent home. Newton had claimed that if he mixed it on his own he could make it sound far more modern.[3]

Critical reception

Loudwire named the album at first in their list "Top 25 Power Metal Albums of All Time."[4] The album also ranked in the list "The 10 essential power metal albums" by Metal Hammer[5] and topped their 2019 list of "25 Greatest power metal albums".[6]

Track listing

All songs written by Michael Weikath, except where noted.

Personnel

Helloween

Production

Charts

Weekly

Chart (1988)Peak
position
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)[7] 2
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[8] 27

Year-end

Chart (1988)Position
European Albums (Music & Media)[9] 99
German Albums (GfK Entertainment Charts)[10] 65

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Helloween – Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part II (tracklist and versions). Discogs. November 11, 2012.
  2. Web site: Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II. Encyclopaedia Metallum. November 11, 2012.
  3. 2021-04-01. Dave Ling. Michael Weikath Interview. 15 November 2005. Classic Rock/Metal Hammer Magazine.
  4. Web site: Top 25 Power Metal Albums of All Time. DiVita. Joe. July 5, 2017. Loudwire. August 17, 2019.
  5. Web site: The 10 essential power metal albums. Lawson. Dom. October 19, 2016. Metal Hammer. August 17, 2019.
  6. Web site: Chantler . Chris . The 25 greatest power metal albums . . . 2 March 2021 . 14 November 2019.
  7. Book: Pennanen, Timo. Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972. 1st. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. Helsinki. 2006. 978-951-1-21053-5 . fi.
  8. Book: Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Oricon Entertainment. Roppongi, Tokyo. 2006. 4-87131-077-9. ja.
  9. Web site: 1988 Year End Eurocharts: Top 100 Albums. Music and Media. 1 January 1989. 31. 5 January 2021.
  10. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts 1988. Offizielle Charts. de. 5 January 2021.

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