In the world of Heavy Metal Helloween is one of the genre’s most elite. Together forty years now, Helloween reigns as one of Germany’s most successful alongside Accept, Scorpions, and Rammstein. Also considered one of the pioneers of what is referred to as Power Metal, Helloween’s reach goes far and wide across many continents… including the expansive region of Asia.
A territory with a deep-seated passion for Heavy Metal, Helloween has played thousands of concerts all around the globe, especially in Japan. No stranger to The Land of the Rising Sun, most recently Helloween stopped in Capital City Tokyo on their 2022-2023 world tour which spanned over thirty countries across three continents. Inspiring to see this late into their career, ironically the tour wrapped up on September 16, 2023 in Tokyo at the world-famous indoor arena Nippon Budokan.
A night to remember for multi-thousands of fans who gathered to see Helloween, the band themselves made certain capture the monumental occasion in both sight and sound. Now, on December 13, 2024, the live recordings reach the masses with the release of Helloween’s newest concert album Live At Budokan. Available through Reigning Phoenix Music, it marks the band’s fifth overall live album since 1989’s Live in the U.K., coming five years after 2019’s United Alive in Madrid. Additionally, it is only the second live album from Helloween to feature Michael Kiske (who rejoined the band back in 2017 for the first time in twenty-four years) and long-time member Andi Deris on lead vocals together.
An interesting dynamic, rumor has it that seeing both vocalists on stage perform live is spectacular, but what truly sold this version of Helloween was when they united to record the self-titled studio album in 2021. Highly impressive, the album proved that two powerful lead vocalists can co-exist together and share space. With all of this in mind, the set for Live At Budokan is explosive, and energetic, while showcasing Kiske, Deris, Guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, Bassist Markus Grosskopf, along with Drummer Daniel Löble in tip-top fighting shape. Also, let us not forget part of this edition of the band is original Helloween Vocalist Kai Hansen who also rejoined the band back in 2017 to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the release of the albums Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I from 1986 and Part II from 1988.
A dream come true for Helloween fans who are well-versed in everything from 1985’s Walls of Jericho to the present day, the song selection for Live At Budokan does a fine job of celebrating the broad history. This includes standouts including “Power,” “Dr. Stein,” “Keeper of the Seven Keys,” and “I Want Out.” Furthermore, you also get a heavy dosage of killer tracks like “Best Time,” “Skyfall,” and “Orbit” off the 2021 album Helloween.
Leaving you tingling with excitement, the crowd participation is just another jolt to the senses as you immediately feel like you are a part of the concert on the ground level. Sounds fantastic, in terms of the sonic quality which is clean, but not without losing the live feeling, you can either listen digitally or pick it up as a 2-CD or 3-LP. However, if you want to watch Live At Budokan, you can purchase it on Blu-ray or DVD. Reportedly captured on video with twenty-nine cameras, it will be something you need to see to believe.
So, if you are a Helloween fan, this live album has everything you could ask for and more. That is why Cryptic Rock says Happy Helloween, giving Live At Budokan 5 out of 5 stars.
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