Band : Kiske

Album title : Past In Different Ways

Label : Frontiers

Distributor : Rough Trade

Release date : 09/05/2008

Release : CD

Following the release of his previous solo album, 2006's Kiske (review posted 29/05/2006) Michael Kiske first accepted (in October of the same year) an offer for a guest appearance on the self-titled Indigo Dying album, singing a duet on the song "Breath In Water" with female vocalist Gisa Vatchki , for whom the project was erected (album eventually released in Dec. '07; review posted on the 2 nd of that month). By that moment, the former Helloween frontman (ooh man, that's something which will follow him for the rest of his life, I suppose...but then he díd make some truely outstanding albums with that leading German Happy Power Metal act) had already been gathering ideas for a future album, ideas which were reported to have a somewhat mythical feeling.

Just like it's prdecessor, Kiske 's fourth solo album is completely acoustic, and on it Michael (whom also handles some acoustic guitar) is again joined by his old schoolmate Karsten Nagel on drums, lead guitarist Sandro Giampietro and bassist Fontaine Burnett . Violinist Hanmari Spiegl is featured on most all of the tracks, and also does a piano solo on "When The Sinner" , a track which also includes trombones played by Georg Spiegl , whom returns on album closer "Different Ways" (one of the two songs on the album without drums, as does the overall calmer "Longing" ). One more guest appearance is put in by trumpetist Benny Brown on "We Got The Right".

You know, just because this is an acoustic album doesn't mean the mood is overall sedate. Because even in acoustic music there is still room for excitement and generally different moods altogether! Just listen to album opener "You Always Walk Alone" and dare tell me it don't move you! Well, by now some of the more clever Helloween fans might've guesed there's something special goin' on from the song titles mentioned thus far...and they would be right. On the suggestion of Frontiers president Serafino Perugino , In Different Ways contains 10 songs Michael wrote for his old band. So, off 1987's Keeper Of The Seven Keys, Part I , you'll find an acoustic version of "A Little Tim e" , off KOTSK, Part II (1988) come "You Always Walk Alone" and "We Got The Right" , from 1991's Pink Bubbles Go Ape you get "Your Turn" , "Kids Of The Century" , and "Going Home" , and finally you get "I Believe" , "Longing" , "In The Night" , and "When The Sinner" off 1993's Chameleon ...but in a mixed order! Additionally, Michael wrote the album closing track to make the record an 11-song venture (with a listening time just under 53 minutes).

Although the overall mood of the album is quite balladesque (goes with the acoustic territory) with those acoustic guitars getting the classical additional musical colourings with the violins, there's a few moments when Michael deviates slightly from the trodden track. You know, I dare to make an oath on it that quite some of the songs also include addition of keyboards, even if no credits were mentioned on the album (because I'm sure they are usually handled by Michael ...I dare say I even know that for a fact)! Just take the second half of the rather lengthy (7:42!) "I Believe" (one of the songs which jump out of the normal ballad procedures), where Michael brings a bit of lower vocals over a '70s organ bit (sounds very much like a Hammond B3 , that). Of course, trumpet and trombone are instruments not heard that often in ballad music, neither is the playing of bits of Glockenspiel by the drummer (in "You Always Walk Alone" and "I Believe" )...and just to make for even more musical variety, there's also the songs without the drums. At this very moment, you'll only find songs off older material at myspace.com/mkiske, but that also includes 4 tracks off 2006's Kiske , so what you find there is somewhat representative for Kiske 's style. And while you're there, also read the note concerning copyright infringements underneath the "Past In Different Ways" blog. For a session into the new album, go to the "discography" section of michael-kiske.de for samples of the first 3 songs on the album and "A Little Tim e" (plus samples of all Kiske songs.

For people into acoustic music, a Kiske album is certainly worth being discovered, especially since the singer is of truely high quality, and I'm sure a lot of Helloween fans are gonna be at least sómewhat curious about the acoustic versions of their favourite band. By the way, you'll find Kiske guesting (among others) on the upcoming Revolution Renaissance (the new band formed by ex- Stratovarius mainman Tim o Tolkki following the demise of his band) album New Era , out on Frontiers on June 6 th . On other Kiske related news, a new Place Vendome album would be in the making process (at least as far as the songwriting by Dennis Ward is concerned).

86/100

Tony.