Well-respected for their lengthy discography and contributions to the power/speed metal scene, Helloween in its current incarnation celebrates the various lineups over the years in a larger seven-piece outfit. Choosing to capture a Japanese tour in support of their latest self-titled studio record from 2021, Live at Budokan is a sprawling two-hour plus, 15-song odyssey into what makes the pumpkin brigade so special to audiences far and wide. The enthusiastic audience penetrates the musicians on stage, giving off an electric buzz that’s infectious from the opening “Orbit” all the way through to the ideal closer anthem “I Want Out”.
Confident artists spread out a setlist that hopefully satisfies both their own internal wishes as well as appeasing what most of the audience has been clamoring to hear – and that’s what you’ll get. Three songs from the new record appear, right away the newest epic “Skyfall” takes command. The triad vocal abilities from Michael Kiske, Andi Deris, and Kai Hansen as spacious in melodic glory as the heart pumping riffs, thick bass support, and powerhouse drumming to keep the musical proceedings sharp as a whip, while another favorite “Best Time” sits in a similar “Future World” anthem template, the heroic guitar break leading into the catchy main chord progressions as Michael and Andi trade verse lines into this rising atmosphere that should lead to headbanging, toe-tapping insanity. From the Kiske-era, no record would be complete without “Eagle Fly Free”, “Future World”, or “Dr. Stein” – while Andi’s prowess in songwriting and vocal abilities are also felt in “Perfect Gentleman” as well as “Power”.
“Kai’s Medley” is a 16-minute plus history lesson back through the early days of Helloween, including segments of “Metal Invaders”, “Victim of Fate”, “Gorgar”, “Ride the Sky”, and “Heavy Metal (Is the Law)” that reach back into the early EP and Walls of Jericho days. Not just the anthem and epic tracks garner attention – the group also placing a thoughtful ballad “Forever and One (Neverland)” in the set to showcase that heavy metal isn’t always about bombast. The crowd surges in singalong infamy for “Future World”, “Dr. Stein”, while clapping along in key sequences of the twenty-minute plus “Keeper of the Seven Keys” magnum opus. The genuine camaraderie between the seven musicians makes this union one of a kind – proving the lifelong vitality and multi-generational appeal of this genre that will never die.
We often wonder if live albums in 2024 have the same relevance or importance as the 70s or 80s. Live at Budokan for Helloween serves up a treasure trove of power metal material, ideal for the faithful yet could bring any newcomer up to speed on this act’s status as a game-changer in taking a traditional / speed framework to the next level of excitement.