The live environment will generally catch out lesser performers, and raise the profiles of those that can cut it. By concentrating on the material written and performed with vocalist Andi Deris, there is some safety here. That’s not a bad thing. When this was released, I was still deciding for myself how much I enjoyed the new Helloween material, and the chance to hear a lot of it live helped with forming a positive opinion on it.
Of the sparse material here that comes from the Hansen/Kiske era, it is difficult not to judge it harshly. Expecting Andi to sing songs like “Eagle Fly Free” and “Future World” like Michael Kiske is unreasonable, but it is nonetheless a regular occurrence. The versions here are fine, but not as spectacular.
As for the rest of this double album, it is good stuff. Some of the songs come up better live than they do in the studio (“The Time of the Oath” is a perfect example), others fall a little flat (“Soul Survivor” for me is in this category). The live versions here of “Perfect Gentleman” and “Steel Tormentor” are excellent, and also fully exhibit the benefits of the excellent backing vocals of everyone in the band, but especially Roland Grapow. The solo version of “In The Middle Of A Heartbeat” by Andi is also well done.
Overall this is a very good live album package. For the time it was released, and for what the band no doubt wanted to achieve – publicising their ‘new’ era and the songs associated with it – it is an excellent advertisement. In doing so, and effectively ignoring everything before the release of Master of the Rings they have left themselves open to some criticism. Despite that, in considering the product as released, you can’t argue that it works.
Rating: Good live album capturing the rebirth of a once great band. 4/5.
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