25th year anniversary of arguably Helloween’s most controversial album ‘Chameleon’

25th year anniversary of arguably Helloween’s most controversial album ‘Chameleon’

Today is the 25th year anniversary of the release of arguably Helloween‘s most controversial studio album Chameleon, which was also their last with lead vocalist Michael Kiske at the helm.

Sleaze Roxx interviewed former Helloween guitarist Roland Grapow back in January 2016 who provided some insight into the album as he stated:

“I think it’s something that the band needed to do. I know that a lot of people hated it in the beginning but a lot of people now — they’re 20 years older — and they just realize it’s like a good rock album with heavy metal guys playing rock and all these instruments that we had. For me, it was totally easy. You know, I told you that I came from this melodic stuff but there is also a lot of ’70s era when you hear my song “Music” or my guitar part on “When The Sinner.” I was listening at that time a lot to Stevie Ray Vaughan because Michael Kiske and I were totally nuts about him. Maybe because of the reasons that he died at that time — at the [time of the] ‘Pink Bubbles [Go Ape]’ recording sessions. We were in Denmark in the studio and he died and we were so shocked. Michael Kiske as well. We were really big fans. But you can hear all these influences on the ‘Chameleon’ album — Brian May — a lot of Queen parts that I did. It’s like — all my guitar heroes — I put them into my guitar playing somehow in these rock songs. I liked it somehow and I still like it. It’s a really deep album that is not so much for the big metal fans. I think it’s timeless when you listen to that album.”

Helloween‘s “When The Sinner” video:

HELLOWEEN – When The Sinner (Official Music Video)

Composer: Michael KiskePublisher: Zomba Music Publishers Ltd.Upload by: David / helloween.org