Official Site
My interview with GAMMA RAY
Gamma Ray is a German power metal band, started by Kai Hansen (vocals, guitars, songs) after he left Helloween in 1989. It featured Ralf Scheepers on vocals, but in 1995, after releasing three albums, "Heading For Tomorrow" (1990), "Sigh No More" (1991), and a breakout, "Insanity And Genius" (1993), Gamma Ray figured it was too far of a drive for Scheepers to be a permanent frontman (he lived about 5 hours away). Scheepers left, to start his own band, Primal Fear (which is, effectively, a spin-off of a spin-off of Helloween). Hansen himself took over the vocals and since then released several albums that all received very good reviews: "Land Of The Free" (1995), "Somewhere Out In Space" (1997), and "Powerplant" (1999). He also started the Iron Savior project with Piet Sielk, but quit it in early 2001 to concentrate on GR. He also does guest appearances for just about everyone (Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, and Angra, to name a few). The current lineup, stable since 1997, also includes Dirk Schlachter (bass, sometimes vocals), Henjo Richter (guitars, keys), and Dan Zimmermann (drums). Dirk Schlachter has recently also tried himself in production, working on Brainstorm's albums. The band recently released a 2CD compilation of re-recorded greatest hits "Blast From The Past" (2000), with Kai singing on every track. On "No World Order" (2001) the band adopted a heavier sound, continued, after a four year break, on "Majestic" (2005). In the fall of 2002 the band did their first show in America on ProgPower USA 3.0.
INSANITY AND GENIUS (1993)
RATING: ****
BEST SONGS: "Tribute To The Past," "No Return," "Last Before The Storm"
After two good but somewhat obscure albums, Gamma Ray suddenly shifted gear from second to fifth, and became one of world's best speed metal bands. Ralf Scheepers is amazing, and the riffs are terrific. The first three songs are nonstop speed-and-melody paradise. "Tribute To The Past" (which I expected to be a tribute to Helloween, but it's not: the lyrics are about a time-travel) has a chorus that comes as close to perfect as I've ever heard; "No Return" is another great melodic piece with intelligent lyrics; and "Last Before The Storm" would sound familiar to all fans of "Painkiller" from Priest (and again, with a terrific chorus). "Future Madhouse" and the title track are also fast rockers, but it's hard for them to compete against the first three masterpieces. "Gamma Ray" has a kick-ass chorus that was made for singing along, and epic Gamma-Ray-doing-Queen "Heal Me" is also ear candy. Slower "18 Years" is good, but I could never quite understand it. Now, Gamma Ray does indeed do the tribute to Helloween: crunchy and screechy "Your Turn's Over," sung by Dirk Schlachter, seems to mention Hansen's former band in a very negative way (maybe that's why it's sung by neither Scheepers nor Hansen), but it also is a great track. A superb album, my favorite of Gamma Ray releases.
LAND OF THE FREE (1995)
RATING: *****
BEST SONGS: "Rebellion In Dreamland," "Man On A Mission," title track
This is truly a fascinating outting, since just about every track is known and loved by the fans of NWOEPM. Kai's vocals have gone a long way since his humble beginnings on Helloween's Walls Of Jericho, and he makes sure people would not regret the change. The songwriting is also very strong, up with the best in the genre. Virtually every song has a very memorable chorus, and you can't stop headbanging or tapping your foot throughout the whole album. "Rebellion In Dreamland" is a quintessential GR tempo-changing epic, played (in a shorter version) on every GR show. The lead break on it is just phenomenal. "Man On A Mission," "Gods Of Deliverance," "Salvation Calling," "Time To Break Free," and god-like title track are all frantic speedy attacks, all featuring blistering riffs and solos from both Dirk and Kai (Dirk switched to the bass guitar on the later albums, but only due to the arrival of a fret-master Henjo Richer. Upper mid-tempo "Abyss Of The Void" is another classic. Blind Guardian's Hansi Kursch and ex-Helloween's Michael Kiske contributed their vocals on several tracks, most noteably on "Land Of The Free" and "Time To Break Free." I must also mention an overlooked gem at the end of the album: "Afterlife" is a really cool tune. The 2003 re-release has three bonus tracks, and they're all pretty cool as well.
SOMEWHERE OUT IN SPACE (1997)
RATING: ****
BEST SONGS: "Beyond The Black Hole," "Valley Of The Kings," "Winged Horse"
This album is all about sci-fi, flying saucers, black holes, "men, martians, and machines," time travels, etc., with heavy influences from the movie "Stargate." I would prefer for it to be a rock opera, but it's good nonetheless. Comparing it with Insanity And Genius, one can see that it's a little more stable throughout, but only has a few songs that would qualify as "hits." Plus, it somewhat loses in vocals: Hansen's good but, to me, doesn't quite measure up to Scheepers. Still, the album is a pleasure to listen to. The sound is the same trademark upbeat GR sound. Most songs are solid power metal: "Men, Martians, And Machines," title track, "Guardians Of Mankind," "Watcher In The Sky" (also included on the Iron Savior album), majestic "Valley Of The Kings" (great pre-chorus). Album opener, "Beyond The Black Hole," is a great catchy tune, which slightly resembles "Tribute To The Past." My favorite "Winged Horse," written by Henjo Richter, is a last minute addition, and tells the story of a rebellion on a distant planet ruled by an evil wizard. It has a couple of great riffs and a wonderful melody, but could use a little more polishing to make it more catchy. Some songs at the end ("Lost In The Future" -- pure speed, not a touch of melody -- as well as slower "Pray" and "Rising Star") aren't as good as the first half of the album, but the whole thing is a valuable addition to any collection.
POWERPLANT (1999)
BEST SONGS: "Send Me A Sign," "Gardens Of The Sinner," "Heavy Metal Universe"
This could've been their best album, if not for a slight downslide on the last three tracks of the album. A good and solid effort from the kings of "positive" metal. Some songs do sound like something else -- Gamma Ray itself, from the older days -- but this is GR to perfection. The speed and the energy are both high, and musicianship remains superb. The album starts with "Anywhere In The Galaxy," that feels like a leftover from Somewhere. Next comes "Razorblade Sigh," which heavily resembles Priest (and so does "Wings Of Destiny" later on). Then come three excellent fast tracks: "Send Me A Sign," "Strangers In The Night," and "Garden Of The Sinner." Both simply rule, especially Kai's scream "Victory!" at the end of the chorus of "GotS." Btw, I'm still not the greatest fan of his voice, but "GotS" is as good as it gets. "Short As Hell" is an OK mid-tempo rocker. Now, for the much debated "It's A Sin." I am one of a few people who has never heard the original by Pet Shop Boys, and I'm also one of a few people who dig this tune and do not think Gamma Ray has undergone a state of "insanity but no genius." I like this song. "Heavy Metal Universe" is a great praise of metal, and, like some people say, it does sound a bit like Manowar, but it's awesome nonetheless. Album's last three tracks are merely OK. Verdict: excellent metal, exactly what you would expect from Gamma Ray.
BLAST FROM THE PAST (2000)
RATING: *****
BEST SONGS: all of them, really
Well, it's a 2CD greatest hits set, and nothing can be said about it that you haven't already heard about Gamma Ray. Songs are all fast, energetic, melodic, complex, and catchy. What you need to know is that it's NOT simply a collection of band's hits (hits?). GR re-recorded all songs from Ralf Scheeper's period with Kai on vocals. This way all songs sound updated and sharp. Even though Kai technically is not as good as Ralf, but he does a good job for what he's worth. All songs are selected by the fans, who have done a great job in selecting what turned out to be indeed "the best of" the band. "Heading For Tomorrow" (or, in Kai's version, "Tomawo"), "Changes," and "Last Before The Storm" are all excellent numbers. And for all of you Queen-influenced-metal fanatics: yes, "Heal Me" is there. :)) What about the last three GR albums, which already had Kai on vox? Well, they have simply been remastered, so the sound is slightly different. A great selection of songs from the last five years, as "Rebellion," "Valley Of The Kings," and "Send Me A Sign" can make anybody squeal with pleasure. One extra track comes from the "Silent Miracles" single, and, not surprisingly, it's "The Silence." A terrific booklet with tons of photos and funny Egyptian-cosmic pictures. Grab it.
NO WORLD ORDER (2001)
RATING: ****
BEST SONGS: "Heaven Or Hell," "Damn The Machine," "Follow Me"
Simply put, there is not one original idea on this cd, yet nobody can nail a cliche with such precision and power as Gamma Ray. Every word combination has been taken from somewhere else ("We call from our heart to the god of love, send us an angel and sign from above"), and every sound as well, but it's just so damn catchy! Especially in choruses, which have always been Kai's strongest songwriting points. Choruses to "Heaven Or Hell," title track, "Damn The Machine," "Fire Below," and "Follow Me" are guaranteed to stick with you for a while. There is also direct plagiarism here: "Solid" sounds EXACTLY like Priest's "Rapid Fire," the harmony in "No World Order" sounds just like both Dickinson's "Road To Hell" and Halford's "Made In Hell," and "Follow Me" is a dead ringer for Helloween's (and Kai's own) "Eagle Fly Free." I guess the bottom line is: a change would be welcomed, as Kai has ran out of ideas, but GR is still great the way it is.
MAJESTIC (2005)
RATING: ****
BEST SONGS: "Blood Religion," "Condemned To Hell," "How Long"
This is a plea to EACH AND EVERY METAL BAND IN THE WORLD! Please, for the love of ALL METAL GODS, hold an international convention somewhere in Germany or Sweden or even Atlanta, USA and MAKE A PACT, BANNING THE USE OF CERTAIN SONG TITLES!!! All record labels: before you pay the band upon the release of their next album, MAKE SURE THE ALBUM DOES NOT CONTAIN THESE SONG TITLES!!! Words "Fight," "Strange World," "Revelation," "Deliverance," "Evil Eyes," and any word combination of "Heaven/Hell" must be mercilessly banned from the names of tracks. Gamma Ray is not the only band guilty of this capital sin (this goes for you too, Nocturnal Rites and Savage Circus!), but they do it probably more than anybody. In addition to the first three titles listed above, the songs have names like "Hell Is Thy Home," "Blood Religion," and "Condemned To Hell," which don't exactly reek of originality either. Also, the song titled "Fight" does not use the word "fight" once! So why name it "Fight"? Not that "Carry On" (the actual chorus in this song) would be any more original... Even Dan Zimmermann's occasional infusion of cumbersome word combinations ("Dethrone Tyranny" on the NWO album, "Spiritual Dictator" on this one) into the titles do not save the track list.
Now to the album itself. Much like the song names will not add anything new to the appropriate area of metal culture, this release will not add anything to both power metal and the Gamma Ray legacy. My love of the band and recognition of their art as one of the cornerstones of the genre is well documented on this page. But four years after their latest studio album, what Majestic is to their discography, a typical epilogue is to an exciting action novel: unnecessary. It is good on its own merit, and if it came from a new band on the scene, it might have turned some heads, mostly for the relentless Judas Priest worship. Beginnings to "My Temple" and "Hell Is Thy Home" sound almost identical to those of "Hard As Iron" and "Leather Rebel," and the song titles we already mentioned. It's as if Kai Hansen and Ralf Scheepers are in a contest, who can kiss Tipton's/Halford's ass better. But does almost EVERY SINGLE SONG have to be played in the double-bass mode? Guys, this is so mid-90s! Some of these harmonies already sounded tired on NWO yet they re-surface here again. Yes, I realize, this is what Gamma Ray made its name with, but come on, enough already! It took you four years to write THIS? Four years is long enough to overcome writer's stumbling blocks for both Kai and Henjo. Maybe a different producer would help, because somebody needs to give our valiant foursome a kick in the butt. Is it a bad album, then? Well, once you enter the mindset that you won't hear a single fresh note on it, you will probably enjoy it quite a bit. "Condemned To Hell," for example, is a fabulous on its own merit melodic headbanger, both energetic and anthemic, but we all know WHICH words should come out right after "condemned to hell," right? Damn right, it's "Tempt not the blade, all fear the Sentinel!" "Spiritual Dictator" is another good one, again, very much in the mold of typical speedy GR. The title track is somewhat semi-original, maybe because it sounds more like early, mid-tempo GR. I also dig "How Long," a mid-tempo melodic anthem. To sum it up: this is a good album upon several first listens, but I bet you will get tired of it faster than of any other GR album. Such is the fate of repetitions.
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