«Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II» is Helloween’s third album and it came out on August 29, 1988 through Noise Records. The recordings took place in May and June 1988 at Horus Sound Studio in Hanover, with Tommy Newton and Tommy Hansen producing. The line-up is Michael Kiske on vocals, Kai Hansen and Michael Weikath on guitars, Markus Grosskopf on bass and Ingo Schwichtenberg on drums.
“`Country: Germany
Genre: Power Metal
For fans of: Iron Maiden, Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian
It is the second half of the story that had started with the first «Keeper of the Seven Keys», and the sound here is richer and more epic. The melodies are catchy, Kiske’s vocals are high and clean, and the songs are built around strong choruses.
«I Want Out» came out as a single on October 31, 1988 and became the band’s best-known song, while «Dr. Stein» had come before it in September, with a big keyboard solo and a bluesier feel. «Eagle Fly Free», «March of Time» and the long title track «Keeper of the Seven Keys» also stand out.
The album went gold in Germany, did well across Europe and Asia and reached number 108 in the United States. «I Want Out» has been covered by many bands, among them Gamma Ray, the band Kai Hansen formed after leaving Helloween.
The record closes the «Keeper» story and is one of the most representative examples of German power metal.
It is one of the albums that defined power metal and Hansen’s last studio work with the band until the 2021 album of the same name.
See also
See also: Kai Hansen – «Born With A Hammer» and Blind Guardian – Beyond the Red Mirror.
