FROM THE CRYPTS - CELEBRATING PAST ALBUM RELEASES in the HISTORY of HARD ROCK & HEAVY METAL…
23 years ago this month (November 9), Helloween cranked out the tunes on the Metal Jukebox!
On November 9, 1999, Helloween released the covers album Metal Jukebox via Castle Communications.
The band followed up their 1998 studio album Better Than Raw with Metal Jukebox. The cover-album featured Helloween's version of songs from such bands as Scorpions, Jethro Tull, Faith No More, The Beatles, ABBA, and Deep Purple. Each member of the band recorded their instruments independently (and in different countries and studios) of each other and was later brought together at Andi Deris' Tenerife studio.
Tracklist:
1. He's a Woman, She's a Man (Scorpions Cover)
2. Locomotive Breath (Jethro Tull Cover)
3. Lay All Your Love on Me (ABBA Cover)
4. Space Oddity (David Bowie Cover)
5. From Out of Nowhere (Faith No More Cover)
6. All My Loving (Beatles Cover)
7. Hocus Pocus (Focus Cover)
8. Faith Healer (Alex Harvey Cover)
9. Juggernaut (Frank Marino Cover)
10. White Room (Cream Cover)
11. Mexican (Babe Ruth Cover)
Japan Bonus Track:
12. Rat Bat Blue (Deep Purple Cover)
The song Lay All Your Love on Me was released as a single in Japan.
Critical Reception:
AllMusic’s Jason Hundey wrote of Metal Jukebox;
"Seminal Power Metal gods Helloween appear to have gotten rather bored after their amazing last album, Better Than Raw, and hence laid down an album full of recordings by other musicians. They crank out Scorpions, Jethro Tull, Beatles, Faith No More, and Cream songs, among others. First the surprises and successes. ABBA's Lay All Your Love on Me, as strange as that sounds, comes across as a power metal radio ballad that carries a certain appeal with it, while they pour forth White Room by Cream with amazing, psychedelic sounding success. When they cover prog rock favorite Focus, and their endearing instrumental hit, Hocus Pocus, with utter craziness and convincing success (complete with yodeling), one can't help but wonder if they are partaking in too many '70s extracurricular activities. When David Bowie, oops, I mean Andi Deris, sings Space Oddity, you get a creepy feeling, because Deris appears possessed by the spirit of the man from Mars himself.
Most of the songs work; those failing are the Beatles' All My Loving, Faith Healer by Alex Harvey Band, and a few others. This album is fun, but like Blind Guardian's Forgotten Tales, it is not essential to the average listener. So if you are a diehard or just a sucker for cover albums then pop your money in the Metal Jukebox, kick back with a beer, and enjoy the party."
Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells
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