Better Than Raw

Occupation

• Vocals: Andi Deris
• Guitar: Michael Weikath
• Guitar: Roland Grapow
• Drums: Uli Kusch

Better Than Raw is the eighth studio album by the band Helloween. It was published by Castle Communications in 1998.

Genesis

The album was the first that was recorded in the studio by singer Andi Deris. As a session keyboardist Jörn Ellerbrock involved in the album. Jutta Weinhold of Zed Yago sang the backing vocals. Tommy Hansen produced the album. The band wanted to go with the album in a more progressive direction and yet harder. In preparation for the album, the band recorded a total of 27 songs, from which they chose 10 and added a classical intro. The band picked up again and again produced the new-found spontaneity, which allowed on this album more to experiment them.

The title is a pun. The band was given by fans repeatedly pumpkins, even though they do not actually like this. One of them then -actuated the saying " Well, anything better than raw. " ( " Still better than raw. " ) The Cover emerged then as a reminiscence of the animated series The Smurfs. Gargamel was replaced by a scantily clad witch and the Smurfs in a saucepan with a pumpkin head.

Music style

On Helloween's eighth studio album by the own style has evolved. Modern elements (eg push or Revelation ) were added to the traditional Heavy Metal. Again, the pieces fall out harder and the compositions varied and daring. Some ballad songs provide the calmer parts of the album.

Importance

With Better Than Raw, the band reached number # 19 on the German album charts and stayed a total of six weeks in the Top 100, the album was a huge success in Japan and sold there over 250,000 times. It thus reached there ranked # 2 on the charts. In Finland the album peaked at number # 7 in the charts.

Tour

After release of the album, the band went as a special guest of Iron Maiden on tour, but who cared at that time with their album Virtual XI and without a singer Bruce Dickinson, for poorly -filled halls. A short detour towards the end leading the band for individual concerts to America. The album was released there until 17 September 1999.

Title list

Expanded Edition Bonus Tracks

Singles

I Can appeared in advance on 6 April 1998 with two non-album tracks as a single. The Song I Can was coupled into an edit version.

Hey Lord! appeared on 5 October 1998 as a single and contains two live songs. The European version also includes a music video for the title song.

The Expanded Edition 2006 contains all the songs of the two singles, except for the Edit version of I Can, with bonus tracks.