I can’t remember the last time I just listened to music. You know, sit at home, head set on, drown out everything else, the music on loud, not just ten, but eleven. Tonight, a chance encounter prompted me to just sit on an uncomfortable desk chair and let some dulcet tones wash over me. It’s been a couple of hours and I can’t even recall what made me stumble over Dragonforce. It doesn’t really matter, what matters to me is that I have found my new Keepers. From a tender age, I have loved metal, introduced to the genre by Bon Jovi (cough), I quickly graduated to Iron Maiden, Metallica, Testament and beyond. If my musical progression is anything to go by, then beware of entry drugs to more hardcore stuff (so kids be careful). I digress though. Sometime in 1987 I was introduced to Keepers of the Seven Keys Part 1 by Helloween. Though rough around the edges, the speed and melody struck an instant chord (boom boom), which was only driven to new levels when Part 2 released. Helloween had achieved some kind of musical Nirvana for me. Sadly, there were never to come back from that apogee. Now I’d be lying if I hadn’t found solace in other music over these many years, from Student days Indy music, grunge, to dance music in the early 2000’s and more recently a return to form with bands like Mastodon, Isis and Baroness. The last three are true favourites, but there was something missing. For one not enough melody and well singers regurgitating has never been my thing, but the riffs and driving rhythm/guitars/music were good, nay excellent (in particular Baroness…) Today, though, I feel taken back to that euphoric sensation of late 1987/88/89, when Helloween were the kings of my music world. Truth be told I could not care less about the lyrics, the singer and his voice were just a layer, and well they still are, sorry lyricists. So let’s make that ‘are a layer’ on top of the orchestra of arpeggio/shredding guitars, driving rhythm sections of drum and bass, the singer could be singing about pink bubbles going ape (oh wait…) for all I care. I am 300 odd words in (thanks Wordpress word count) and have only mentioned the renaissance in passing. Thank you Dragonforce, I thought melodic speed metal (or is that Power Metal…) had died in 1988 and that no one would step up to Michael Kiske’s and Kai Hansens’ legacy (no disrespect to the others in the band). Truly stand out and yes I am late to the party, one day I’ll be good enough to complete Guitar Hero.