Gamma Ray - To The Metal..... (released).

[Ragehead91]

We've spoken of all this before though. You miss a lot if you can't somehow enjoy his voice.

Sadly, I know. Apart from Kai Hansen's voice which ruins every post-Scheepers Gamma Ray Album for me, those guys make kick-ass Power Metal. Songs like Beyond the Blackhole, Men on a Mission, Into the Storm or Blood Religion would be so great if it wasn't for Kai vocal-raping them.

[Intiaani]

My ears say Kai is a better singer! Again, not classically speaking, but better sounding, something, dunno, more fitting, more interesting, unique. Splendid. Wonderful. The voice of Gamma Ray, as it should be.

Once again, I agree with you. You know maybe he is not techically perfect, but I cannot imagine anyone else singing some GR songs. I'm not really a fan of his singing with Helloween, but he has definitely gotten better with time.

I think his falset stuff with Helloween and in Blind Guardian - Valhalla and stuff is very bad. Like if he learnt to sing somewhere between those years and Land of the Free album. Then his best vocals kind of were in Powerplant and No World Order. Heck, I think he almost sounds as good as anyone else in power metal on those albums, even as what good voice means classically - clean, full-bodied, original, stuff. But since he's once again going downwards, although I think he sang better in LotF II than in Majestic, although I still enjoyed both albums of once again more bogey Hansen. You could, I dunno, show Kai's voice development to someone who doesn't know his music with only a couple of songs. Just check Starlight -> Solid -> Insurrection for example.

[Ragehead91]

The only time Kai really impressed me as a singer was in 1994. On the latest Gamma Ray DVD there is an extra-clip in which they introduce their "new" singer. They open the curtain and behind it is Kai Hansen, singing a A+ version of Space Eater. But other then that he is just horrible. Ranging from normal horrible on the 1995 to Present stuff to very horrible on the early Helloween and Blind Guardian stuff.

[Florian]

Most of the fans like him, so there's no problem.

[Fuuso]

I think Kai has an awesome voice. I remember him singing just perfectly on the Gamma Ray/Helloween gig in Tampere 2007. Gamma Ray was the reason I went there.

[Intiaani]

On the latest Gamma Ray DVD there is an extra-clip in which they introduce their "new" singer. They open the curtain and behind it is Kai Hansen, singing a A+ version of Space Eater.

Yeah. I've never quite gotten this. Suddenly he comes out and boom, sings it very, very well! Never before had we heard him singing anywhere near that good. I was about to mention the clip, but, well, you were the first. Still think Kai was at his best so far on PP and NWO.

[SinisterStar]

I think Kai has an awesome voice. I remember him singing just perfectly on the Gamma Ray/Helloween gig in Tampere 2007. Gamma Ray was the reason I went there.

Same here when the Hellish Rock tour came to San Francisco. And to be honest Kai fucking blew away Deris.

[Intiaani]

I think Kai has an awesome voice. I remember him singing just perfectly on the Gamma Ray/Helloween gig in Tampere 2007. Gamma Ray was the reason I went there.

Same here when the Hellish Rock tour came to San Francisco. And to be honest Kai fucking blew away Deris.

They were both great in their Helsinki show also. March of Time was about the best gig song ever. I surely didn't expect hearing it, and I think people were into it more than any song on that tour!

[AAAAAAAAAA]

And to be honest Kai fucking blew away Deris.

Right on stage?
:facial:

[Ragehead91]

On the latest Gamma Ray DVD there is an extra-clip in which they introduce their "new" singer. They open the curtain and behind it is Kai Hansen, singing a A+ version of Space Eater.

Yeah. I've never quite gotten this. Suddenly he comes out and boom, sings it very, very well! Never before had we heard him singing anywhere near that good. I was about to mention the clip, but, well, you were the first. Still think Kai was at his best so far on PP and NWO.

Putting away the Scheepers-Fanboy-glasses, he also did a decent job on the "Blast From The Past" best-off.

[Florian]

Still think Kai was at his best so far on PP and NWO.

I think he was at his best from 1995 to 2001, but he's still good now. He should stop smoking though.

[Florian]

4 different editions of the album will be released:
-simple edition
-CD+DVD digipack edition
-LP gatefold edition
-collector's edition CD with 7".

Here are the covers:

Simple edition: http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/imag ... 973eae.jpg

CD+DVD digipack edition: http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/imag ... 031296.jpg

LP gatefold edition: http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/imag ... d7e699.jpg

CD+7" collector's edition: http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/imag ... b0df9d.jpg

You can listen to 2 short parts of the album on the band's Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/gammaraytothemetal

[Ragehead91]

On their MySpace page you can also watch the music video for To The Metal:
<font><br><a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea ... 273384">To The Metal! (videoclip)</a><br><object width="425px" height="360px"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="movie" value="http://mediaservices.myspace.com/servic ... eo"><embed src="http://mediaservices.myspace.com/servic ... 1,mt=video" width="425" height="360" allowFullScreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"></embed></object><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/gammaraytothemetal">GAMMA RAY - TO THE METAL!</a> | <a href="http://music.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuse ... s">MySpace Musikvideos</a></font>

Another great example of Gamma Ray trying to be Judas Priest...Honestly, during the whole song I was waiting for Kai Hansen to go "MEEEEEEEEEETAL GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODS!"...

[ggonza43]

Man, can't wait any longer! Kai is just awesome, no matter what you say and whether you like him or not

[Florian]

You can listen to a few songs parts on the Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/gammaraytothemetal

There are also a few songs on Youtube, but I won't listen to it.

[ggonza43]

I ruined the joy of the first impression of a new song with Strato's Polaris, so I ain't doing this with Gamma Ray

[Mormegil]

Another great example of Gamma Ray trying to be Judas Priest...Honestly, during the whole song I was waiting for Kai Hansen to go "MEEEEEEEEEETAL GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODS!"...

Indeed. To The Metal is basicly a remake of Metal Gods.

Looks like the new album is going to sound just like LotF2, so I'll probably get it when it hits the midprice-shelves. What a shame, I liked Gamma Ray so much more when they played Gamma Ray, not Judas Priest songs.

[rikkertje]

I couldn't resist and listened to To The Metal on YouTube. My God what a dull song. Nothing interesting in it and Kai sounds...

[Florian]

Don't worry, the other songs are far much better and are in Gamma Ray's style.

[rikkertje]

Don't worry, the other songs are far much better and are in Gamma Ray's style.

Okay. If that's true I'll give the album a try.

[icecab21]

the other samples on the myspace were more epic tracks than traditional. looking forward to this and the kiske guest spot

[ggonza43]

Reading all the comments makes me impatient, but at the same time now I know it won't be a waste

[gon]

I hope GR will fly high again, as the last releases were, eh,, a bit of dissapointment for my taste. I will always respect Kai Hansen as one of the godfathers of power metal, but he needs more inspiration, to variate a bit the sound of the band.
Just curious that some people in other topic of the forum criticise Helloween really hard because they don´t evolution in the way they think the band should do, when Helloween is always experimenting new ways. Gamma Ray and Kai Hansen should try new things, reinvent themselves.

Just an opinion.

[Florian]

He, we'll see what the album sounds like. But I don't care about experimenting, I just want good albums.

[Babylon]

GR doesn't seem like the kind of band that would experiment, kind of like AC/DC, I think they will always go on the safe side and won't do anything "controversial". Not that there is something wrong with it, they usually deliver good albums and great live shows.

[gon]

not Land of the Free II entirely, but Majestic is really boring, that´s why I posted before what I posted . Everybody knows Hansen was the "afe" part" of Helloween, while Weiki was more experimental, but I insist, Kai, without losing their style, should think about the stagnation of the band during the last years. Of course, I want to believe nobody wants GR doing the same as Metallica did in the Load era.

[icecab21]

i think they are more focused on creating music they like

i bet you they don't think it's boring

to me the last albums are filled with memorable material that i enjoy

[Intiaani]

Got mine yesterday! Did the release date get earlier or did they just send the album two days prior to release instead of te usual one day?

All I can say is, quality Gamma Ray. Every song rules some way on this one. The album is eclectic for a Gamma Ray one, and once again every musician's had crystal-clear inspiration with their songs. And everyone's composed. Zimmermann with only one song, but probably the best of the album. Awesome package! The bonus DVD is also 89:05 instead o the promised 80 minutes. The songs themselves for me are usual Gamma Ray style even though others might state otherwise, basically continuing stylistically from LotF II, which I also liked very much. To the Metal just seems to have even more solid songs... There's much middle range stuff this time by Hansen, but as the title track for example shows, his heights sound the best since No World Order IMO.

My favorites so far are your basic power metal anthem All You Need to Know (with a special guest singer - who might that be? ); speedy and epic Rise and very Lake of Tears-ish No Need to Cry _very much_ from the bassist Dirk Schlächter.

They also state on DVD that there's a filter that reduces many background elements when the album is ripped. I wonder... Still, I find it sounds way more better on CD than listening to a ripped version. Yeah, I'm aware of the bitrate differences, but even then.

[gon]

I haven´t listened the new one, but I am glad to check is being well accepted.

[Intiaani]

So I preordered the album from Recordshop X. Why is my song order

1. Empathy
2. All You Need to Know
3. Time to Live
4. To the Metal
5. Rise
6. Mother Angel
7. Shine Forever
8. Deadlands
9. Chasing Shadows
10. No Need to Cry

with no bonus tracks such as 'Breaking Away' which Recordshop X listed, nor 'Wannabe', which was presented on the DVD. o_O