Released 8 July 1994 Release date 8 July 1994 | ||
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Length 50:12 (w/o bonus tracks)1:24:49 (w/ bonus tracks) Label Victor Talking Machine Company Similar Helloween albums, Power metal albums | ||
Master of the Rings is the sixth studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1994. It is the first to feature new members Andi Deris and Uli Kusch.
Contents
This album contains four singles, which are "Where The Rain Grows", "Mr. Ego (Take Me Down)", "Perfect Gentleman", and "Sole Survivor", with corresponding videos for the first three. "Mr. Ego" was dedicated to the band's former singer, Michael Kiske, and was released as an EP in Europe.
Context and recording
Helloween and vocalist Michael Kiske had reached the end of the road during the touring of 1993's "Chameleon". Michael Kiske's replacement was Andi Deris, formerly with Pink Cream 69.
After an alcohol and drug-related incident in Japan, drummer and co-founder of the band Ingo Schwichtenberg was deputized first by the session-drummer Richie Abdel-Nabi, then on a more permanent basis by former Gamma Ray drummer Uli Kusch, who only arrived when most of the album was already written.
After two highly controversial studios projects and a live album, Helloween parted company with EMI records, aligning themselves with the more modestly sized Raw Power (an imprint of Castle Communications). Nevertheless, the effect of Deris and Kusch was to re-energize their collective fortunes. In Japan, "Master of The Rings" sold more than 120,000 copies.
Commenting on the recording sections for the album, bassist Markus Grosskopf said:
Expanded Edition (disc 2) Track listing
Helloween
Others
Songs
1Grapowski's Malmsuite 1001 (In D Doll)6:32
2Cold Sweat3:47
3Can't Fight Your Desire3:46