ByTor Quickly! Arm them again!

Helloween have been one of the best underground metal staples for decades, although they've never really "gotten" what makes them so popular. It seems like every single time they release a fantastic album that makes people think "my god! The pumpkin heads are back!" they release some weird album that splits people into different camps once again. From Keepers 2 to Pink Bubbles, from Raw to Dark Ride, from Gambling to Unarmed.

This is probably a discouraging thing to ready for pumpkin fans out there, but it's the truth. Let's face it though, this album is pretty awesome for all the fans out there. The basic premise is to take every one of the band's most popular songs and rerecord them in an unconventional manner. This includes turning Dr. Stein into a jazz-rock tune and the Keeper's Trilogy into an orchestrated epic. It's all very cool in the end, really! But definitely, DEFINITELY not an album to get if you're not a fan.

Some of the songs have been done too slowly, making tunes like Where The Rain Grows actually one of the weaker songs on the album. It would have been great to hear a slow song turned fast, but that never happens unfortunately. Some of the songs are very cool, multiple listenable versions of the old classics while others are good for one or who listens before you're bored and would rather hear the original.

Overall this is a very interesting collection that I would encourage fans to buy if only for the highlights. Do not start with this album if you're looking to get into the band. it would be a horrible first impression.

ydewata This is just wrong. Helloween tore down their own legacy by putting out this album. I get their sense of humor but this one, Unarmed, is way over the line. They have crossed the line that shouldn;t have crossed. All the good thing/feeling built in these Helloween classics have been swiped away. "Dr. Stein" is OK as the original has its own humour, as well as "Perfect Gentleman". But bad choice with "If I Could Fly" or "Where The Rain Grows". "The Keeper's Trilogy" is an epic song combining their three previous epics but this one seem to be out of place -- as it is the only "serious" track on this release. Better wait for their new studio album later in the year!