Unisonic - Ignition [2012 EP]

My attachment to golden era Helloween was perhaps one of the single most important developments in my youth as a growing metalhead. From the intro of "Ride the Sky" to the closing notes of "Keeper of the Seven Keys", rarely has a band given me so much joyous mileage as Helloween, and I think it's all right to say that no small amount of sentimental value has come along for the ride. I may not have lived through the tragedy myself, but you could probably predict my horror at the nightmarish descent into the musical abyss Kiske and company decided to take after such a flawless run of albums with travesties like Pink Bubbles Go Ape (sorry, I'll always hate it) and Chameleon. Michael Kiske had a lot of explaining to do, and it appears now that he's trying to make amends--and with Kai Hansen, no less. You can imagine my girlish squeal of joy at the though of such a reunion.

However, from the sound of their debut EP Ignition, Unisonic isn't about to unleash the followup to Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt. 2; and you know what? I'm perfectly okay with that. I came to terms with that the minute I pressed play and heard "Unisonic" for the first time. Suddenly, auditory power erupted, along with the highly hard rock influenced riff, and last but not least, Kiske let it loose over that groovin' verse. And so the chills began to descend my spine. This is what the metal world has been missing for the past two decades. It's an entirely simple track, arguably absentminded even, yet its absorbing power cannot be mistaken. Fuck, it destroys. Even as it treads dangerously close to Pink Cream 69 levels of glam-influenced cheese, "Unisonic" comes off as closer to early era Riot goodness: fun, not afraid to let loose and be casual, but completely serious about what it's doing at the same time. Perfect and infinitely enjoyable rock/metal music.

Carrying along in a similar manner, "My Sanctuary" changes things up a little bit. Slower and slightly more atmospheric than the opening barn-burner, the song mesmerizes with an emotive and unforgettable chorus while never truly approaching ballad status. Kiske is in great form, not really hitting his old high notes but finding a comfortable and ultimately satisfying middle ground. It's really just euphoric hearing his voice attached to a full-time metal (or rock, whatever) project again, giving the already spotless songwriting another touch of reinforcement. Really, this material is all about the great songwriting, reminding me of TNT's late 80s material. Straightforward, but stunningly elegant and catchy to boot. "Souls Alive" carries on in the same manner as its predecessor, and I don't think I'm crazy to believe I hear some Kamelot influence in that balladic section near the end.

The EP is capped off with a filler live version of "I Want Out," an obvious attempt to attach Unisonic to the Helloween name and show that Kiske can still come out and do what he was born to do. His performance here isn't quite perfect, but I'm still rather impressed. To be honest, I am trying to restrain my excitement and joy for this new outfit, but Ignition is making the task hard. I looked and looked, but I can't find one damn flaw (musically) here. The only problem with this release is that it'll be completely useless once the full-length is bestowed upon us, since all these tracks (save for the already useless live song) will be featured on that self-titled album. Therefore, its purchase is impractical and unnecessary (literally the only reason for my somewhat modest score). However, it has made me aware of an album I probably wouldn't have had the slightest expectations for previously. Thanks for ruining the surprise.

If you're expecting Keepers era Helloween, you're going to be sadly disappointed. However, if you're seeking a fun and exuberant time, it almost never gets better than this. We could have an Immortal Soul caliber comeback pretty soon, but I'm going to do myself a favor and try not to think about it too much. Oh, who am I kidding, I'll be counting the days.

   Overall: 7/10 (Cool - must...stifle...excitement...)