HELLBOOK

February 2 nd
1986 was
a day that
would become
etched on my brain
for the rest of my
life. Helloween, Celtic
Frost and Grave Digger
were due to play
the Markthalle, Hamburg,
Germany on a
Noise Records triple
bill. I was already a
big fan of the Pumpkin
Men, having been
mightily impressed by
their six-track debut
EP Helloween, and
the Walls of Jericho
albums toxic slice
of Germanic Power/
Speed Metal. But how
would they fare live?
Every hair on my neck
stood up as the band
launched into Ride the
Sky—sheer adrenalin
came pouring off the
stage— the powerhouse
drumming of Ingo
Schwichtenberg, the
delightful bass runs of
Markus Grosskopf and
the hypnotic dual lead
guitars of Messrs. Kai
Hansen and Michael
Weikath were almost,
dare I say it, operatic
in their delivery! And
it just got better, as
the hysterical Gorgar
followed. Hansen
snarled 'Gorgar will
eat you', while the
main riff chugging
away in the background
was very remi-