Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II

Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II is a record on which Helloween pulls together high-speed riffs, bright melody and grand choruses at extremely high density. Michael Kiske’s clear high voice greatly widens the fantasy world of the songs. A counterpart to the previous Part I, it is a landmark of power metal. From the dashing “Eagle Fly Free” and the openness of “I Want Out,” which became the band’s signature, to the playfulness of the humorous “Dr. Stein” and the long, dramatic construction of the title track, the songs are astonishingly varied yet keep a consistent radiance, while a cut like “March of Time” adds thickness. Its greatness lies in binding speed, lyricism and grand narrative at the highest possible level. Radiant melody and a fist-raising lift fill the whole. Giving immeasurable influence to later melodic power metal, it is a historic masterpiece — a decisive reference point of the genre.