History in the making - A review of Helloween's United Alive in Madrid

Sometimes, great things take a lot of time to develop until they finally happen. This can certainly be said about Helloween's reunion featuring the current line-up with original singer and guitarist Kai Hansen and iconic singer Michael Kiske. The latter had taken some distance from the metal scene but when he collaborated with Kai Hansen in the wonderful power metal band Unisonic, it suddenly seemed possible for them to reconnect with their past. A few conversations later, the reunion finally materialized two and a half years ago and the septet toured the world. United Alive in Madrid is a testament to this successful reunion.

This release is easily one of the best metal live albums ever recorded and will certainly stand the test of time as milestone in the band's career. The band had quite a few challenges when choosing an appropriate set list. The live record features songs from the very early years with Kai Hansen on vocals such as ''Starlight'', ''Ride the Sky'', ''Judas'' and ''Heavy Metal is the Law''. Michael Kiske performs some of the band's most iconic classics such as ''I'm Alive'', ''A Tale That Wasn't Right'' and ''Eagle Fly Free''. Current regular singer Andi Deris offers songs from the mid-nineties until the beginning of the current decade, featuring songs like ''Perfect Gentleman'', ''Power'' and ''Waiting for the Thunder''. Some songs are performed by multiple vocalists and work surprisingly well such as the magnificent epic opener ''Halloween'' that might be presented in its greatest version ever on this output.

Kai Hansen's grounded and energetic vocals, Michael Kiske's particularly skilled and high-pitched performance and Andi Deris more enchanting and melancholic style complement one another perfectly throughout the album. All three singers are unique, memorable and good at what they are doing.

It wouldn't be fair to underline the excellent musicianship. The excellent guitar play by Michael Weikath, Sascha Gerstner and Kai Hansen varies between gripping heavy metal riffs, enthusiastic power metal solos and occasional rock balladry with feeling. Markus Grosskopf has always been one of the most underrated bass guitar players in the metal scene and his style is vibrant, precise and dynamic at all times. Even though previous drummers like the late Ingo Schwichtenberg or the dynamic Uli Kusch have always delivered the goods, current drummer Dani Loble might be the best because his dynamic skills haven't slowed down in one and a half decades and he performs with the boundless energy of musicians that might be half as old as he is. Even though his job is physically demanding, he never slows down through far over two hours of running time.

The production of this live album is also great. The songs sound heavier than their respective studio versions. The release includes a few minor mistakes that show that the final result wasn't too polished or modified which makes for an authentic and energetic live atmosphere. The enthusiastic crowd is audible at all times and was probably well aware that it was part of history in the making.

Along with the regular concert recorded in Madrid that lasts two hours and twenty minutes on two discs, this release includes a third disc with four additional songs recorded elsewhere, including the brand-new collaborative effort ''Pumpkins United'' which equals the quality of the band's golden years in the late eighties. If you haven't listened to the song yet, do yourself a favour and enjoy its dynamic live rendition to the fullest.

The only negative element about this release is its price. The three discs are sold for about thirty-seven dollars plus taxes in Canada which makes for a final price of around forty-five dollars. The same package is sold for about seventeen Euros in total in Germany which is the equivalent of about twenty-five dollars. I understand that the release might cost more abroad due to shipping fees and importation taxes but a whopping difference of twenty bucks is quite a stretch. It's not a surprise that more and more people only listen to music on streaming websites if the physical versions are offered for such unacceptable prices. If you want to save your businesses, lower your prices and treat your customers fairly.

Final rating: 100%