GAMMA RAY
This CD has been released to mark Gamma Ray's 25th anniversary of their formation. The soundtrack was originally featured on a live DVD that was issued after a triumphant hometown gig in Hamburg back in 1993 and is now available in audio format for the first time. What we are presented with on this recording are a band at the top of their game and Kai Hansen, Ralf Scheepers (making his last recording with Gamma Ray), Dirk Schlachter, Jan Rubach and, especially, drummer Thomas Nack each deliver powerfully consummate performances.
The set list is drawn heavily from the studio album the band recorded prior to this live performance, ‘Insanity and Genius’, with 'Tribute To The Past', 'No Return', 'Last Before The Storm', 'Heal Me', 'Future Madhouse', 'Gamma Ray' and the title track all being played. Alongside these tracks, the band also perform a medley of Helloween classics (‘I Want Out/Future World/Ride The Sky’) and tracks from earlier albums in ‘’Space Eater’ and ‘Heading For Tomorrow’.
Without exception, these tracks are delivered with aplomb but the highlights of an excellent bunch are 'Space Eater', which features a huge riff, the aforementioned medley of Helloween classics which took me back to when I saw the band live at the legendary Hammersmith Odeon in '89, and 'Heal Me', which provides brief respite from the aural onslaught by containing a piano section and a strong vocal duet between Hansen and Scheepers.
Gamma Ray have always been known for their energetic live shows and this release captures that perfectly, with each number delivered with great potency, along with plenty of melody and feeling. The words of Kai Hansen himself are perhaps the most appropriate way to summarise the strength of performance the band convey on this CD ; "We were like things possessed, playing almost every song either too fast or too hard….We sounded like some kind of metal tornado. There was pure euphoria among the band members at that time".
The set list is drawn heavily from the studio album the band recorded prior to this live performance, ‘Insanity and Genius’, with 'Tribute To The Past', 'No Return', 'Last Before The Storm', 'Heal Me', 'Future Madhouse', 'Gamma Ray' and the title track all being played. Alongside these tracks, the band also perform a medley of Helloween classics (‘I Want Out/Future World/Ride The Sky’) and tracks from earlier albums in ‘’Space Eater’ and ‘Heading For Tomorrow’.
Without exception, these tracks are delivered with aplomb but the highlights of an excellent bunch are 'Space Eater', which features a huge riff, the aforementioned medley of Helloween classics which took me back to when I saw the band live at the legendary Hammersmith Odeon in '89, and 'Heal Me', which provides brief respite from the aural onslaught by containing a piano section and a strong vocal duet between Hansen and Scheepers.
Gamma Ray have always been known for their energetic live shows and this release captures that perfectly, with each number delivered with great potency, along with plenty of melody and feeling. The words of Kai Hansen himself are perhaps the most appropriate way to summarise the strength of performance the band convey on this CD ; "We were like things possessed, playing almost every song either too fast or too hard….We sounded like some kind of metal tornado. There was pure euphoria among the band members at that time".
LABEL:
FORMAT:
earMUSIC
Album
LUST FOR LIVE (ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
Review by Dave Uphill
RUNNING TIME:
57:07
RELEASE DATE:
6th May 2016
TRACK LISTING
1) Intro; 2) Tribute to the Past
3) No Return
4) Space Eater
5) Changes
6) Insanity and Genius
7) Last Before the Storm
8) Heal Me
9) I Want Out/Future World/Ride the Sky
10) Future Madhouse
11) Heading for Tomorrow (Bonus Track)
12) Gamma Ray (Bonus Track)
3) No Return
4) Space Eater
5) Changes
6) Insanity and Genius
7) Last Before the Storm
8) Heal Me
9) I Want Out/Future World/Ride the Sky
10) Future Madhouse
11) Heading for Tomorrow (Bonus Track)
12) Gamma Ray (Bonus Track)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
Germany
"Gamma Ray have always been known for their energetic live shows and this release captures that perfectly..."
