Helloween – Rabbit Don't Come Easy

A very strange album by a great band. NB is squeezing out all the possible money from the band's reunion and they reprint everything they can get their hands on.

Worthwhile mid-era Helloween, but not great like BETTER THAN RAW

Released in 2003, RABBIT DON’T COME EASY is the tenth full-length studio album by 's Helloween, which is on par with the previous THE DARK RIDE (2000). These two albums were the follow-up to my personal favorite opus by the band, the dynamic BETTER THAN RAW (1998). While there’s no song on here of the caliber of, say, “Do You Know What You Are Fighting For” from KEEPER OF THE SEVEN KEYS: THE LEGACY (2005), there’s definitely some good stuff to mine in the dense proceedings.

For instance, opener “Just a Little Sign” features speedy riffin’ and a creative mid-section; the melodic “Never be a Star” is catchy and obviously the ‘hit’ of the disc; the thrashin’ “Liar” with its memorable chorus; the fast ‘happy metal’ of “Hell was Made in Heaven”; and the Zeppelin-esque “Nothing to Say” with its head-turning reggae chorus.

While not exceptional, like BETTER THAN RAW, or as good as GAMBLING WITH THE DEVIL (2007), this is still a worthwhile disc if you like Helloween's unique & quirky style. I feel the band was meandering at the time, but they got back on track with their next four albums, which are all top-of-the-line.

The twelve songs clock-in at 1 hour, 1 minute, 13 seconds. The version I have includes two bonus tracks: A cover of “Fast as a Shark” and “Far Away.”

GRADE: B

Worthwhile mid-era Helloween, but not great like BETTER THAN RAW

Released in 2003, RABBIT DON’T COME EASY is the tenth full-length studio album by 's Helloween, which is on par with the previous THE DARK RIDE (2000). These two albums were the follow-up to my personal favorite opus by the band, the dynamic BETTER THAN RAW (1998). While there’s no song on here of the caliber of, say, “Do You Know What You Are Fighting For” from KEEPER OF THE SEVEN KEYS: THE LEGACY (2005), there’s definitely some good stuff to mine in the dense proceedings.

For instance, opener “Just a Little Sign” features speedy riffin’ and a creative mid-section; the melodic “Never be a Star” is catchy and obviously the ‘hit’ of the disc; the thrashin’ “Liar” with its memorable chorus; the fast ‘happy metal’ of “Hell was Made in Heaven”; and the Zeppelin-esque “Nothing to Say” with its head-turning reggae chorus.

While not exceptional, like BETTER THAN RAW, or as good as GAMBLING WITH THE DEVIL (2007), this is still a worthwhile disc if you like Helloween's unique & quirky style. I feel the band was meandering at the time, but they got back on track with their next four albums, which are all top-of-the-line.

The twelve songs clock-in at 1 hour, 1 minute, 13 seconds. The version I have includes two bonus tracks: A cover of “Fast as a Shark” and “Far Away.”

GRADE: B

Wow, barely any splatter. Looks a bit different from the initial ment. By the way, great Helloween record. Great lack of caring on Nuclear Blast's part on delivering a color vinyl variant that they d to the fans once again. NB, here's some advice, send it back to the manufacturer and demand they produce what they d. That's what other labels do. Instead you the crap vinyl on to the fans of the band and ers of your label.

The opening of this album makes no sense. I have NO problem with "Just A Little Sign" as a song, but dude, it is NO opener. It's very clear that the awesome "Open Your Life" was intended to be the opener. Sigh, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this - I mean "All Over The Nations" opens the Japanese pressing of The Dark Ride. However, that may have been at the behest of the band's Japanese record label.

Someone was definitely on some very rough Krokodil when they put this one together hahah

Anyone have just a shirt to sell? Only missing that.

Also available:
Barcode: 7 27361 32790 3
Mastering SID Code: CAP02331 NB3279-0DLT 06 Technicolor
Matrix / Runout: IFPI LR79
Mould SID Code: IFPI UGAB

Again, as in the early 90's, the line-up of Helloween was changed significantly, and by the time the album was recorded, the band had not found a worthy drummer, and therefore session musicians took part in the recording. As a result, Helloween recorded a very weak album, and in comparison with the previous release - it was a big fail. The dark atmosphere that distinguished the band's latest albums completely disappeared.

anyone know anything about this test pressing?