Chameleon

Well, the reason why I am writing a review for this album is that it's claimed to be a real crap, the worst on Helloween's discography, by many people. I must say that it's far from being my favourite one, but it's not as bad as some people say.

The main thing about "Chameleon" is that it is not completely Heavy Metal, actually it has a strong Hard Rock feel to it. Also, it is kind of mainstream. It is the kind of album even my mother can appreciate (and she does), but as long as I can do the same, it's not a bad thing.

This release has no killer song, no Helloween classic will be found here, but it does have a nice groove to it and many nice songs, especially if you like ballads. It even features a track, "Crazy Cat", with a jazz feeling, something completely new to Helloween songs.

The ballads are where this album shines, if you like ballads here you find some nice ones. "I don't wanna cry no more" and "Windmill" are accoustic and very sad tracks, they do have some feeling and are kinda catchy (especially "Windmill" chorus). "In the night" is also accoustic, but much more happy and groovy, it's a nice song. But the great highlight, in my humble opinion, is "Longing", a totally underrated song. It's just one of the most beatifull songs I've ever heard, it has a real strong feeling to it, paired with great deep lyrics.

Apart from the ballads, the songs worth mentioning are "First Time", "When the Sinner" and "Step out of Hell", which are the ones most similar to typical Helloween songs (the ones from the 80's, I mean). The rest can be kind of boring. Tracks like "Revolution Now", "Music", "Giants" and "I Believe" are not worth any attention.

In the end, "Chameleon" is far from being a great album and it's one of the worst from Hellwoeen discography, but it is not as bad as some people claim too. If you like ballads you will find some nice ones here, if you like Hard Rock you might also like this album, but if you are a diehard Heavy Metal fan keep in mind that this album may sound like shit to you.

Highlights: "When the Sinner" and "Longing".