Keeper of The Seven Keys - Part 2

Part 2

Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 2 is the third studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1988. The album capitalized on the success of Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1 and picks up where it left off. Michael Weikath starts to come back into the picture as one of the premier songwriters in the band writing some of the most popular tracks to date. The album is one of the most influential power metal albums of all time, and many say that it really shows off the band's talent during this period. Success bloomed all over Europe, Asia and even the United States. The album went gold in Germany and reached #108 in the US.

The album starts off with a short instrumental "Invitation". The second track, "Eagle Fly Free" became a trademark of the band after this album. "You Always Walk Alone" is a song written by Michael Kiske, then a new member of the band. "Rise And Fall" is more a classic metal-sounding song played at breakneck speed and comical lyrics. "We Got The Right" is the sole power ballad of the album. "Save Us'" and "March of Time" were written by founder Kai Hansen.

The album contains two singles, which are "Dr. Stein" and "I Want Out". "Dr. Stein" has a very long and moody solo, played with a blues tinge, very unlike other solos in the album as well as an organ solo. "I Want Out" remains one of the band's most popular songs, and has been covered by Gamma Ray, HammerFall, LORD and Sonata Arctica. This song was written by Kai Hansen, and it's rumored to have to do with how he felt about Helloween, that maybe the band wasn't his anymore. The title track is the longest song of the album. Michael Weikath's "Eagle Fly Free", one of the well known songs of the album has also covered, as Kai Hansen's "I Want Out", by bands like Vision Divine, and Bassinvaders.

The album was re-released in 1993 as a double-CD with Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1. It included the bonus tracks "Don't Run for Cover", "Living Ain't No Crime", and "Savage".