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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Heavens Gate - In Control & Open The Gate And Watch! (EP) + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Rls Date..2020-04-27 Encoder......LAME 3.100 ║ │
│║ Genre.....Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year......1990 Khz/Bitrate..44.1 / VBR kbps ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper....Anthem Songs........15 ║ │
│║ Source....CD Covers.......Yes ║ │
│║ Url.. ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Heavens Gate ║ │
│║ Album : In Control & Open The Gate And Watch! (EP) ║ │
│║ Label : Victor ║ │
│║ Cat.No : VICP-66 ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ IN CONTROL ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ In the late-80Æs classic heavy metal was stagnating; there ║ │
│║ were simply no new acts to keep it alive. Everything was ║ │
│║ turning to thrash, death, progressive, power/speed metalà ║ │
│║ the father of it all was left unattended and neglected. ║ │
│║ Certainly, the usual suspects (Scorpions, Judas Priest, ║ │
│║ Iron Maiden, King Diamond, Black Sabbath, Accept/Udo) were ║ │
│║ still around and were doing a relatively good job, but ║ │
│║ there were no new forces to step in and take the mantle ║ │
│║ from themà ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ something had to come from either Germany or England, the ║ │
│║ two cradles of heavy metal, as the Americans have never ║ │
│║ shown any big interest in the genreÆs roots. And it did, ║ │
│║ the band under scrutiny here, with the most fitting name ║ │
│║ ever having in mind that they had to play the role of the ║ │
│║ saviours, the samarithans, the messiahs... they werenÆt ║ │
│║ novices, though, as their journey into the metal fodder had ║ │
│║ begun way earlier, in 1983 to be precise, under the name ║ │
│║ Steeltower, but there was only one album (ôNight of the ║ │
│║ Dogö, 1984) released before the guys decided to change ║ │
│║ their name to a more fitting one having in mind their new ║ │
│║ salvation-like mission. The album reviewed here caused real ║ │
│║ furor, at least in Europe and Japan, and for a bit the guys ║ │
│║ were bathing in glory although the time for their ║ │
│║ appearance was perhaps not perfectly well chosen. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Still, there was not much to complain about on this sheer ║ │
│║ steel heavy metal roller-coaster which opens with the ║ │
│║ title-track, a rousing uplifting heavy/power metal anthem ║ │
│║ that so nicely captures the boisterous spirit of the genre ║ │
│║ with the sharp guitars, the vigorous pace, and the ║ │
│║ excellent emotional clean croons of Thomas Rettke, a ║ │
│║ talented singer from the Michael Kiske (Helloween) school. ║ │
│║ ôTurn it Downö makes sure the album to not turn into too ║ │
│║ aggressive an offering, and provides heavy stomping ║ │
│║ rhythms, a pleasant bouncy cut that their compatriots ║ │
│║ Bonfire would have been proud of. The speedier cannonade ║ │
│║ continues on full-throttle on ôSurrenderö, a lively ║ │
│║ vigorous hymn with a great memorable chorus and outstanding ║ │
│║ pathos-like performance by Rettke; but there wonÆt be two ║ │
│║ in a row here apparently as the following ôHot Feverö is a ║ │
│║ radio-friendly number, a cheesy proposition which still ║ │
│║ wins thanks to the infectious chorus and the cool melodic ║ │
│║ guitar work. ôTyrantsö logically canÆt be anything too ║ │
│║ pacifying having in mind the intimidating title, and indeed ║ │
│║ this is the next in line energetic track, a nearly speed ║ │
│║ metal rager which will definitely move the head around. ║ │
│║ ôPath of Gloryö is the epic respite, an officiant pounder ║ │
│║ with doomy vibes the latter gracefully continued on ║ │
│║ ôShadowsö which is a longer semi-balladic composition that ║ │
│║ slows the album down by a hefty notch without quite ║ │
│║ reaching the nostalgic grandeur of the Scorpions repertoire ║ │
│║ in this trend. The epitaph is a pleasant surprise on all ║ │
│║ counts, though: first because of the cover of the 1970Æs ║ │
│║ Canadian folk singer Joni MitchellÆs ôThis Flight Tonightö, ║ │
│║ turned into a dynamic power/speed metal hymn with a huge ║ │
│║ ôeagle fly freeö potential; and last but not least ôCry it ║ │
│║ Outö, another impetuous speedster with the catchy chorus, ║ │
│║ the pathos-like vocal exploits, and the sharp lashing ║ │
│║ guitars. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Things didnÆt look good on the heavy metal front at the end ║ │
│║ of the decade; on the English side except for Black ║ │
│║ Sabbath, who miraculously managed to re-invent themselves ║ │
│║ with the arrival of Tony Martin, it all went downhill first ║ │
│║ with Judas whose ôRam it Downö was a most inconsistent, ║ │
│║ dishevelled, unconvincing recording, and then with Iron ║ │
│║ Maiden who entered the studio to prepare for the creation ║ │
│║ of the weakest opus in their career. In the mean time, the ║ │
│║ Germans had all become Americans Accept the biggest ║ │
│║ traitors of them all with the awful ôEat the Heatö, the ║ │
│║ other two Scorpions and Bonfire at least saving some ║ │
│║ dignity for their homeland with the much better ôSavage ║ │
│║ Amusementö and ôPoint Blankö respectively. The genre had ║ │
│║ long since reached its pinnacle by that time with only the ║ │
│║ ever-reliant King Diamond keeping the level high with his ║ │
│║ horror riff-tales. Heavens Gate looked like the KingÆs most ║ │
│║ promising companions, especially after a second consecutive ║ │
│║ strong offering which was the ôOpen the Gate and Watch!ö ║ │
│║ EP. Unperturbed by the oncoming changes on the music ║ │
│║ horizon, the guys carried on and came up with the excellent ║ │
│║ ôLivinÆ in Hysteriaö, a very needed breath of fresh air for ║ │
│║ the stagnating old school field greatly increasing the ║ │
│║ guysÆ profile. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Well, it was never too late for one to catch up with ║ │
│║ whatever new currents were running above and below, and ║ │
│║ ôHell for Sale!ö was a messy assembly of styles with some ║ │
│║ groove, grunge and even pure American glam contaminating ║ │
│║ the environment, suffocating the remnants from their old ║ │
│║ repertoire. This was also the year when the other bright ║ │
│║ hope from the other side of the Atlantic, Annihilator, also ║ │
│║ chose to flop deplorably rather than ôset the world on ║ │
│║ fireöà sad, sad times all over the planet, but fortunately ║ │
│║ our saviours here had plan Eà sorry, B, and after waiting ║ │
│║ for about four years for the aftershocks to subside, they ║ │
│║ hit with ôPlanet E.ö, a marvellous return to form, classic ║ │
│║ heavy metal at its finest, hammering a stake right through ║ │
│║ the heart of the groove/aggro/alternative hegemony in the ║ │
│║ middle of the decade. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ A dignified swansong, maybe? Not quite cause the band had a ║ │
│║ few more things to say by the end of the 90Æs when ║ │
│║ ôMenergyö appeared, a more light-hearted affair with ║ │
│║ pop-ish and hard rock-ish motifs blended on the staple ║ │
│║ heavy/power metal base; a pleasing, acceptable finale to a ║ │
│║ distinguished career. The guysÆ skills were noticed, and ║ │
│║ they were soon picked by various other projects like ║ │
│║ Avantasia, Luca Turilli, the power metal formation Redkey, ║ │
│║ the Dutch symphonic metallers Trillium, the heavy/power ║ │
│║ metal act Aina, etc. TheyÆre keeping themselves busy by all ║ │
│║ means, always prepared to take on another mission to ║ │
│║ salvage the good old metal whenever such a need arises. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ----------------------------------------------------------- ║ │
│║ --------------------------------------------------------- ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ OPEN THE GATE AND WATCH! ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ To me, Heavens Gate are one of the true higher-tier German ║ │
│║ power metal bands of the late 80s/90s. Their melodic style ║ │
│║ immediately brings to mind Helloween with a slightly more ║ │
│║ virtuoso set of musicians. Honestly, I think Thomas Rettke ║ │
│║ is one of the best singers of the genre period. His range ║ │
│║ is very reminiscent of Kiske, yet he has a more distinct ║ │
│║ Germanic-sounding voice, think Hansen, he also isn't afraid ║ │
│║ to reach Halford-level screams. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The music here is just consistent and catchy melodic power ║ │
│║ metal; the opener is a classically fast and driving melodic ║ │
│║ speeder. Immediately you will notice these guys have very ║ │
│║ wild and expressive guitar styles; of course the now-famous ║ │
│║ studio musician Sascha Paeth is the main axeman behind the ║ │
│║ sound here. They duel away in this track as good as any ║ │
│║ band in the era. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Dancing on a Rope is my favorite track here. It is a ║ │
│║ shreddy-type speed metal song with really cool whammy ║ │
│║ bar-heavy guitar riffs and a fucking chorus for the ages, a ║ │
│║ trademark of the Heavens Gate sound. They have a primal ║ │
│║ attachment to bands like Riot, even though their ║ │
│║ predisposition is German melodic power metal. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Heavens Gate is noteworthy because for whatever reason they ║ │
│║ decided to not only play melodic power metal but they also ║ │
│║ flirted with glam metal/heard rock. In later albums at ║ │
│║ times the sound works, but on tracks like Rock On it truly ║ │
│║ does NOT work. It is a David Essex cover, but that is ║ │
│║ beyond the point. This is as shitty as any stupid as you ║ │
│║ would think it to be, and should be avoided. Thankfully ║ │
│║ they get back on track with another power metal anthem in ║ │
│║ Pictures in the Mirror. It follows a more mid-paced tone; ║ │
│║ again the guitars are just winding around here wildly and ║ │
│║ tastefully. They finish with Cry it Out which is another ║ │
│║ formidable power metal number with the now-familiar wild ║ │
│║ and enthusiastic guitars. It was originally a bonus track ║ │
│║ on the first album, but I guess they remixed it here. ║ │
│║ Because the two final full-length tracks are a touch slower ║ │
│║ than the speedy two openers I would give the edge to that ║ │
│║ half of the EP. They play a more Riot-esque sound on these ║ │
│║ tracks, which is just fine with me. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Overall besides the useless intro and glam cover, this is a ║ │
│║ good example of Heavens Gate's brand of guitar-heavy ║ │
│║ melodic power metal. Touch the Light and Dancing on a Rope ║ │
│║ are both classics for the band. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Recommended tracks. Touch the Light, Dancing on a Rope, Cry ║ │
│║ it Out, Pictures in the Mirror. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 1. The Gate (Instrumental) 1:20 │
│ 2. In Control 5:09 │
│ 3. Turn It Down 5:15 │
│ 4. Surrender 4:01 │
│ 5. Hot Fever 3:58 │
│ 6. Tyrants 4:36 │
│ 7. Path Of Glory 4:15 │
│ 8. Shadows 6:58 │
│ 9. This Flight Tonight (Joni Mitchell Cover) 3:58 │
│ 10. Open The Gate And Watch (Instrumental) 1:22 │
│ 11. Touch The Light 3:46 │
│ 12. Dancin' On A Rope 4:31 │
│ 13. Rock On (David Essex Cover) 3:52 │
│ 14. Pictures In The Mirror 3:09 │
│ 15. Cry It Out (Remix) 4:15 │
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│ Total Length : 01:00:25 │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
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│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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