Walls of Jericho

Walls of Jericho is the debut on which Helloween sounds the roughness of speed metal and a melodic sense that would later bloom greatly at once. Kai Hansen’s high voice and guitar and Michael Weikath’s riffs push the songs ever forward. Still rough, the band’s rare talent already flashes throughout. From the speed of the opening “Ride the Sky” and the aggression of “Metal Invaders” to the lift of “Heavy Metal (Is the Law)” and the epic bent of “How Many Tears,” short charges and grand development cross beautifully, while a cut like “Guardians” conveys early Helloween’s rough energy. It is a record that lets you savor a rougher, more aggressive Helloween, unlike the bright, refined power-metal image of later years. Influenced by Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, it adds a German sense of speed and a distinctive melody. Announcing the dawn of German power metal, it is a historically important debut — within the roughness, a sure future can be seen.