Gamma Ray (Official Thread)

[LG]

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Gamma Ray Official Website
Let's talk about a great power metal band formed by one of the founding members of Helloween, Kai Hansen. He left Helloween for reasons that are still murky to this day, one account says the band was to big for him to manage anymore, another suggests financial trouble and disagreements with the record company, whichever version is true he left in 1988. (He was quoted after the initial success of Helloween as saying that following the example of Rush would be a great way to grow and become one of the best hard rock/metal bands ever.) I offer this prehistory because after he left Helloween he formed "Gamma Ray", and it was his band, with no other dominant personalities to contend with. I stumbled across GR by accident while surfing the net, and was genuinely surprised by how good the music and songwriting was, Kai Hansen has really continued to progress as a songwriter/vocalist/guitarist and I think that he has surpassed Helloween's achievements with the catalog of albums that GR has produced. (Just thought I'd mention that I like Helloween too, and there are no hard feelings between the two bands, they have done more than one tour together, although Helloween has only one member left from the original lineup.) I have been avidly collecting most of the power metal bands from Europe the last few months and GR is my favorite so far.

Current Lineup:

Kai Hansen - Vocals, Guitars
Henjo Richter - Guitars, Keyboards
Dirk Schlachter - Guitars, Bass
Dan Zimmerman - Drums, Percussion

Studio Discography:

1990 - Heading for Tomorrow
1991 - Sigh No More
1993 - Insanity and Genius
1995 - Land of the Free
1997 - Somewhere Out in Space
1997 - The Karaoke Album* (Released in Japan Only)
1999 - Powerplant
2000 - Blast from the Past* (Compilation 2 CD Set)
2001 - No World Order
2005 - Majestic
2007 - Land of the Free II
2010 - To The Metal!
2014 - Empire of the Undead

Live Albums:

1996 - Alive '95
2003 - Skeletons in the Closet

EP's Released:

1990 - Heaven Can Wait
1993 - Future Madhouse
1995 - Rebellion in Dreamland
1996 - Silent Miracles
1997 - Valley of the Kings
2001 - Heaven and Hell* (Released in Japan only)

Thanks to Cosmic Harmony for the Album Collage Idea, all my Studio CD's are in the picture.

 

[taha]

Re: Gamma Ray

thought you were speaking of Ronnies Gamma

davey sounds like Trower

 

[LG]

Re: Gamma Ray

I thought that myself Taha a couple of years ago I was looking for Ronnies other band, Gamma, and these guys came up instead, so I listened and was impressed. I have all of their studio and live albums. And Gamma is almost impossible to find, I'm not sure if they ever made it to CD.

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

Re: Gamma Ray

I'm familiar with Gamma Ray. I don't remember how I stumbled across them but I did once upon a time ago and I was pretty impressed with their work, specifically the guitar parts.

 

[LG]

Re: Gamma Ray

Gamma Ray's debut album was first class, and established Kai's new band as a force to be reckoned with in the hard rock/metal scene in Europe. One thing I have learned after digging into GR, was the support that almost every European metal band has in South America, they all tour their regularly more often than North America.

"Heading for Tomorrow", the short version, + "Dream Healer". Ralph Scheepers is performing in this video.

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[Magic]

Re: Gamma Ray

It is about time you posted Gamma Ray! Nice album collage, LG. You are such a boffin

I dont have any Gamma Ray, but I guess I should rectify that situation, beings I have heard you rave about them for 2 years now.

 

[taha]

Re: Gamma Ray

man, nice tune!!!!

 

[METALPRIEST]

Re: Gamma Ray



Has anyone got their DVD?? If not..GET IT!! It's quite TREMENDOUS!!!

 

[Oblivion]

Re: Gamma Ray

LG, I've been waiting for this thread since the first day we logged in... Finally it's here! Well done.

My gamma ray collection is growing in time... You convinced me.

 

[LG]

Re: Gamma Ray

^^I was taking my time OB, but I figured we finally have enough "Discerning" metal fans here so it would be the right moment to post my boys.

Thanks Taha, the original version of Heading For Tomorrow is over 14 minutes long, I am sure you would like it too.

Magic, if you like Helloween then there are a couple of GR CD's I am sure you would enjoy, although Kai's new band isn't as mellow as his old one.

MP, I don't have the DVD, but I do have every full length album except the Karaoke one. But I should get the DVD too seeing I am somewhat of a Completionist...

Cosmic thanks, it's nice to see another fan who knows these guys, and the collage was inspired by yours.