The Time of the Oath

The Time of the Oath is the seventh album on which Helloween again sounds its power metal greatly through dashing riffs, bright soaring melody and heavy choruses. Carrying a theme based on the prophecies of Nostradamus, the songs hold a strong drive one by one. It is a fulfilling record representative of the early Deris era. From the powerful drive of the signature “Power” and the lyricism of the beautiful ballad “Forever and One (Neverland)” to the speed of the opener “We Burn” and the grandeur of the title track “The Time of the Oath,” the songs beautifully bind speed, melancholy and positive lift, while a cut like “Kings Will Be Kings” adds thickness. Andi Deris’s voice melts into the band more naturally than on the previous album, giving sure humanity even to the epic passages. Its appeal is that it further refines and deepens the direction established on Master of the Rings. Uniting speed and lyricism at a high level, it is an important, representative record of the Deris era.