Versatile heavy metal that continues to experiment and explore - A review of Hansen & Friends' XXX - Three Decades in Metal

Hansen & Friends is a one-off project by famous German power metal guitarist and singer Kai Hansen who underlines his thirty years in the music industry with ten new songs he has recorded with numerous past and present collaborators. Most of them are obviously related to the most popular bands Kai Hansen has been involved in as former Helloween singer Michael Kiske and former Gamma Ray singer Ralf Scheepers make their appearances. One can also hear more surprising collaborators such as Twisted Sister lead singer Dee Snider and Heaven Shall Burn vocalist Marcus Bischoff to only name two specific examples.

Stylistically, this is overall rather a heavy metal record than a typical power metal effort. The different songs also have power metal, gothic metal and even melodic death metal influences depending on the numerous guest vocalists. While the record's first half is more streamlined and homogeneous, the second half is mellower and more experimental.

The lyrics mostly deal with Hansen's personal life and talk about his childhood as in ''Born Free'', the influence of greedy managers in ''Contract Song'' and the obsession with fame in ''Making Headlines''. These lyrics make this album Kai Hansen's most personal release in his career and give interesting insights into his career but they seem a little bit forced and stereotypical at times.

The shorter tracks are generally the better ones on an overall good average output. Straight heavy metal opener ''Born Free'' starts the record with a bang thanks to dynamic heavy metal riffs, tight rhythm section and gritty vocals. ''Left Behind'' is a surprisingly airy tune with slow pace and epic atmosphere close to alternative rock and gothic rock stylistics. ''All or Nothing'' is a melancholy ballad with modest symphonic rock elements. ''Follow the Sun'' ends the album with epic power metal stylistics without neglecting a healthy dose of speed and grit recalling Kai Hansen's early years.

The only longer track that is passable is mid-paced gothic metal track ''Fire and Ice'' that recalls Helloween's works about twenty years ago but goes even further with harmonious female backing vocals and sinister male growls. The slow middle section overstays its welcome quite a bit but the song compensates its length with coherent atmosphere and courageous song writing ideas. This is definitely one of the most unusual tracks ever written by Kai Hansen.

Other songs are overlong and unfocused. The worst offender in that regard is ''Enemies of Fun'' with its forced vocals and overtly repeated lyrics that sound as if Avantasia attempted to cover Iron Maiden's ''The Angel and the Gambler''. The song is only eight minutes long but feels as if it were twice as long.

In the end, Three Deacdes in Metal will please the numerous fans of Kai Hansen with familiar and new soundscapes. One has to admit that the guitarist and singer continues to experiment and explore in his career instead of repeating himself and delivering tired old tropes. One also has to admit that the material is quite hit and miss and Hansen's vocals aren't as versatile as they used to be. The final result is mostly entertaining but truly outstanding songs are missing on this release. If you like heavy and power metal, you can pick this record up for a fair price but it certainly isn't a mandatory release.

Final rating: 70%