After the 2005 album Keeper Of The Seven Keys - The Legacy and corresponding world tour, fans of the flying pumpkins had to wonder just how much the veterans had left in them. However, the guys have shown no signs of slowing down and here we have their 4th release of the decade already. Rather than sounding tired or uninspired, the material on Gambling With The Devil actually sounds fresh and motivated. In fact it's almost as if all the recent activity has given the band a new life.

Musically speaking Gambling With The Devil is not at all a drastic change from the famous Helloween formula. However, this new album appears to have a flow and consistent songwriting that seemed to be lacking from the more recent volumes. This is also probably the darkest and heaviest Helloween album since The Dark Ride. There are generally less experimental passages that were present in the previous Keeper...Legacy album, and the guys have installed a good number of really fast songs. Overall the playing is very fluid and many of these songs bring back memories of the good ol' days. Songs like the rapid-fire opener "Kill It" and the melodic "The Saints" are the best 1-2 punch the band has put together for some time. Of course there are still a number of slower tracks, yet surprisingly the token ballad is nowhere to be found. Other highlights include the super melodic "Dreamweaver" and the uplifting "Can Do It." We even have a surprise guest appearance from Saxon front man Bill Byford on the opening intro.

All in all it is difficult to imagine fans of Helloween having anything bad to say about Gambling With The Devil. This is the band's best work in a number of years and proves the guys still have plenty to offer in modern times. While I would have to give a slight edge to the latest Gamma Ray album, Land Of The Free II, be sure to catch the two on tour in 2008 for what should be a power metal fan's wet dream.

written by Joe Grammatico

Playing time: 57:40