Tag Archives: Kai Hansen

Album review : STATUS QUO – Official Archive Series Vol.3 (2CDs)

Posted on June 8, 2024 by brianmc
STATUS QUO Live Archive vol 3 150

Ear Music/Edel [Release date : 12.07.24] If ever a band knew how to mine a rich back catalogue it’s Status Quo. We’ve said that before and no doubt we’ll say it again, and again. This third “Archive” release, Live at … Continue reading →

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Album review : STATUS QUO – SQ (Official Archive Series Vol1 – 2CDs)

Posted on August 8, 2023 by brianmc
status quo SQ art

earMUSIC [Release date 11.08.23] For SQ’s new live album it all began with the ‘Beginning Of The End’. That single, released in 2007, sparked an idea that has only now seen the bright light of day. It was a foretaste … Continue reading →

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Album review : IRON SAVIOR – Riding On Fire – The Noise Years 1997-2004, 6 CD Boxset

Posted on July 19, 2023 by brianmc
Iron-Savior-cover-noise 250

Cherry Red [Release date 28.07.23] “A constant and independent force within the Power Metal universe”. No prizes for attributing this quote to Iron Savior mainman, Piet Sielck. It could easily have come from his Iron Savior buddy, Kai (Gamma Ray) … Continue reading →

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Album review: IRON SAVIOR – Reforged Ironbound Volume 2

Posted on August 31, 2022 by brianmc
iron savior reforged2

AFM Records [release date: 26.08.22] You could argue that Piet Sielck and Kai (Gamma Ray) Hansen kick started the entire Power Metal genre in Europe when the former Helloween bandmates formed Iron Savior in 1996. That was then. More recently, … Continue reading →

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Album review: GAMMA RAY – 30 Years Live Anniversary

Posted on September 8, 2021 by brianmc
gamma ray 30 years

Ear Music/Edel [Release date 10.09.21] In 2020, it looked like this could become the new normal. A live gig without an audience. Kai Hansen’s Gamma Ray know what it is to play live…they’ve been doing it for 30 years. It becomes … Continue reading →

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Album review: GAMMA RAY – Reissues (Land Of The Free/Alive ’95)

Posted on September 20, 2017 by jason

earMUSIC [Release date 29.09.17] earMUSIC’s Gamma Ray re-issue schedule continues with the band’s fourth studio album (original released in 1995) getting a deluxe 2CD re-issue. The second disc adds three songs (including the band’s blistering cover of Holocaust’s ‘Heavy Metal … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: UNISONIC, RON POPE

Posted on July 3, 2017 by jason
UNISONIC Live at Wacken

UNISONIC Live at Wacken earMUSIC [Release date 21.07.17] Unisonic are the band formed by ex-Helloween members Michael Kiske and Kai Hansen (of Gamma Ray fame), joined by Denis Ward (Pink Cream 69 and many production credits), Mandy Meyer (Asia/Krokus) and … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: EZOO, KAI HANSEN & FRIENDS

Posted on June 19, 2017 by jason

EZOO Feeding the Beast earMUSIC [Release date 02.06.17] Graham Bonnet has been very busy of late with his own Graham Bonnet Band releasing a studio and live album and now this, Ezoo which features guitarist Dario Mollo (Voodoo Hill/Tony Martin). … Continue reading →

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Album reviews: GAMMA RAY – Sigh No More/Heading For The East

Posted on October 5, 2015 by jason
GAMMA RAY - Sigh No More/Heading For The East

earMUSIC [Release date 25.09.15] Another anniversary edition, Gamma Ray’s second album Sigh No More was originally released back in 1991. It came out just as grunge was starting, although metal bands were never hit as much as the hair metal … Continue reading →

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Album review: GAMMA RAY – Heading For Tomorrow

Posted on June 29, 2015 by jason
GAMMA RAY - Heading For Tomorrow

earMusic [Release date 24.07.15] Gamma Ray were formed after Kai Hansen left Helloween, the band he helped co-found, back in 1988. Back then this was big news as Helloween were riding a massive wave of popularity (they had played Monsters … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: GAMMA RAY, CHRIS GRAY, THE BLOW MONKEYS

Posted on February 9, 2015 by jason
GAMMA RAY – The Best (Of)

GAMMA RAY – The Best (Of) earMusic [Released 02.02.15] Amazingly it has been thirty years since former Helloween guitarist Kai Hansen formed Gamma Ray. This comes as a standard 2CD package along with a 2CD limited edition and for the … Continue reading →

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Album review: UNISONIC – Light Of Dawn

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Davoski
UNISONIC – Light Of Dawn

  earMUSIC [Release date 04.08.14] Arguably, 2014 has already been a good year for the power metal genre: Gamma Ray, Edguy and Freedom Call, amongst others have spun out very worthy platters. German supergroup Unisonic have easily augmented that roster … Continue reading →

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Singles and EP reviews: THE YOUNG FOLK, AMY SIMPSON, UNISONIC

Posted on May 12, 2014 by jason

THE YOUNG FOLK – Way Home Pixie Pace Records [Released 26.05.14] www.theyoungfolk.com Dublin based alt-folk band The Young Folk release their debut UK single and feature Anthony Furey (son of George from the legendary the Fureys & Davy Arthur). This … Continue reading →

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Album review: GAMMA RAY – Empire Of The Undead

Posted on March 19, 2014 by jason
Gamma Ray - Empire Of The Undead

earMusic [Release date 31.03.14] An album made against adversity as their studio sadly burnt down and long time drummer Daniel Zimmerman left after fifteen years with the band, to be replaced by Michael Ehré back in 2012. It’s been four … Continue reading →

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Gig review: HELLOWEEN – The Forum, Kentish Town, London, 16 April 2013

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Yiannis
Helloween, Kentish Town Forum, 16 April 2013

If you are a frequent visitor to our pages, especially our gig reviews section, you would have undoubtedly noticed that on the 15th of April, a day prior to the one featured in this review, I attended a magnificent Pain … Continue reading →

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