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WTF!!!

He keeps denouncing metal, and yet on top of all his metal guest appearances, he's trying to go back and cash in on his old Helloween songs?

Well, lots of artists do this. They are his songs, so I guess he's free to do what he wants with them.

Everyone knows that Kiske is a big flaming douchebag. But I'll still probably get this CD because he's a big flaming douchebag with one of the best voices out there.

I wonder if he'll release the CD under the name Ernie.

"Since I always need a bit of time to get another (good) record written..."

LOL!! Better luck next life.

I know they are his songs, but his whole process is just pathetic. He bashesthe metal past that gave him a career in the first place, then fails to be successful with his present music (artistically, maybe from his POV, but it must not be cutting it financially), so he pays the bills doing guest spots in metal, which he claims to dislike. Then he sometimes even goes on to talk bad in interviews about the music for which he does guest vocals - about the people who let him come in and get a paycheck in the first place.

NOW, he uses the "time to write good songs" excuse to rahash more of his metal past in order to pay the bills...

...and yes, I'll probably end up buying it, dammit

Pffft, I might download it six times just fuck him up. What a leech.

I like acoustic stuff but as far as Helloween being stripped down, I can't see this working. He might make the songs slower than the originals, which would suck because most of them are speed metal!

Helloween has always been speed. I see this whole project a total flop. He is just gonna piss the band (Helloween) and the fans as well for coming out with a totally fucked up album. This coming from me, who rarely passes judgements until I experience it first hand. So it is quite confirmed this is just a waste of money.

Did you say you're gonna download it 6 times, Rad? Fuck you! Everyone at MR's gonna download it!

Ok, maybe everyone here has his own reasons of hating M. Kiske but judging a future work before you even have a sample of it is retarded. Sure, it looks as if he'll turn Helloween anthems into ballads or pop songs but maybe it will turn out well eventually. I want to believe that those Helloween songs became classics not only because they were speedy and metal but because they had something more. I've heard piano and string versions of Iron Maiden and also Metallica being played as ballads on a ukulele and amazingly they sounded awesome... Why ? Because the music is there, no matter how you present it. So, I just want to say, don't diss it before you have any chance to taste it.

I have the those 2 maiden albums ,
The String Quartet Tribute to Iron Maiden - Anatomy of Evil and The Piano Tribute To Iron Maiden I have listened to them once and have them more as a novelty factor can't say I will be spending alot of time listening to any ballads album even if Kiske is singing it.

I have those two CDs as well, and I have nothing against acoustic versions of some old Helloween, especially since some of the Kiske-penned songs from the Keepers albums were on the slower side anyway. I Just don't like the flip-flop a-hole Kiske has become. I may end up owning this anyway for the novelty, but that doesn't change the fact that I know it's just being done to sqeeze out a few more metal dollars from us.

I urinate on this cash grab.

You know, I have shit all over Kiske these past few years because of his denouncement of metal and all his vocal contributions, but for some reason now I'm thinking that we're all fairly out of line.

Has he ever denounced metal to the point of hatred, or simply tried to get across that it is not his desire to write and record that kind of music any longer? Can we truly hold that against him? And if he has said some things controversial in interviews, would you not ever do the same if these people continued to hound you with the same questions time and time again? His music should definitely not be promoted throughout the metal community, but is it not the metal community that continues to show interest in Michael Kiske as well? To what end, though? Just to tear him down? It seems that to an extent.

As for his vocal contributions, that's all it is when you think about it: a contribution! We can't hold that against him even if his desire isn't to write metal music! This isn't his music. Would you not lend your voice to someone else's song if asked? You can't blame him for doing it even if it is solely for money either! Who wouldn't do it? I'll shit a squid out of my ass if you pay me enough!

I think the best for us to do is to just ignore Michael Kiske's solo stuff. It's not metal, nor will it ever be. He's made that clear. To this day, though, he remains one of the greatest metal singers out there; so if his voice is found on some other band's CD, enjoy it! I'm kind of sick of the Kiske bashing. It's getting old, and it's pointless. Let the man do as he wishes. You know there are plenty of metalheads out there that like his solo shit.

I'm actually looking forward to hearing some stripped down, acoustic versions of Helloween classics. He wrote quite a few.

Wow... I agree 100%! I couldn't have said it better, I think that covers me.

The fact of the matter is though that a band like Edguy offers him a chance to perform a song and get a paycheck. Sure, it's really nice for Edguy too, but the fact is that Kiske got paid, Then, he agrees to an interview (and if I remember to find a link to this interview again, I'll post it later), knowing that this interview was partially about his guest vocals on Judas at the Opera. In the interview, he procedes to make rude comments about Edguy, their music, and parts of the song itself. That is just lame. It's not a situation where's he's getting asked the umpteenth question about why he's denounced metal (yes, I know he's been in that situation at times as well). He was asked to interview about it and then went on to talk crap about it. I was actually fine with everything he chose to do until then. Now I know he's just a prick.

Plus, he probably wouldn't even get contracts to record his solo material if it weren't for his time in metal. For that reason alone, he needs to show the genre a little respect.

I do agree that it's best just to ignore him from now on though. This was my last rant


...and I probably will still buy this album anyway, despite the fact that I'll hate myself for it later

If Michael Kiske doesn't want to play metal, then he doesn't want to play metal. Thats fine by me. After hearing one of his solo albums, I have never had the desire to listen to another. However, the fact thatpisses the fuck out of me. If you hate it so much, stop guesting on metal albums and then talking about how bad metal is; if you hate it so much, stop cashing in on your Helloween days (ie: this). I would actually be interested in hearing this, but I'm going to try to be principled and boycott this. Kiske does not deserve money for his asshattery (and once again, I'm not talking about the fact that he doesn't play metal anymore).

When we, the fans, start getting all bent out of shape over the non-musical elements we've lost the point. It's music, nothing more. If Kiske is a total douchebag, so what? Is "Judas At The Opera" not a killer song? Is it somehow a worse song because he sings on it? Maybe if he sucked, but his voice is amazing! There's no denying it! If you listen to that song, or any song, that he guests on, and somehow enjoy it less because "Michael Kiske" is singing on it then you're listening to your music for the wrong reasons, looking at the picture from the wrong angle.

Actually, I think Judas at the Opera is one of Edguy's best songs, but that just makes Kiske's attitude piss me off more. He gets to be part of such a great song but chooses to bash it in order to promote his "cause". It's a principle thing.

Anyway, I almost went against my promise not to rant

Sometimes more often than not, we're stuck between choosing the individual or the quality he posseses. Yes, Kiske has been an asshole, no doubt. But on the other hand, he has contributed a lot to the metal scene. Metal to me, wouldn't be metal today if not for what he did with Helloween. It's just sad that he's a prick.