The Scheepers era (1989–1995)
The original line-up released the album Heading for Tomorrow in February 1990 and, later that year, the Heaven Can Wait EP, with new guitarist Dirk Schlächter and new drummer Uli Kusch.
In February 1991, the band began rehearsing for the recording of their second album in a small, remote house in Denmark. With some brand new songs written, Gamma Ray entered the studio under the supervision of producer Tommy Newton and recorded their second album Sigh No More, which was released in September 1991. The style differed vastly from that of Heading for Tomorrow, featuring darker lyrics inspired by the Persian Gulf War that was raging at the time. A 50-date worldwide tour followed.
After the Japanese tour at the beginning of 1991, Gamma Ray underwent another personnel change: the rhythm section (Wessel and Kusch) left due to a personal disagreement and were replaced by Jan Rubach (bass) and Thomas Nack (drums), both from the Hamburg band Anesthesia. The band also began to build their own studio, so work on their new album did not start until 1993. The album Insanity and Genius was released in June 1993, with a style which was closer to that of Heading for Tomorrow than Sigh No More. In September 1993 Gamma Ray, along with Rage, Helicon and Conception, embarked on the Melodic Metal Strikes Back tour. The tour contributed to the release of the double CD Power of Metal, and the videos Power of Metal and Lust for Live, in December.
Land of the Free to Majestic (1995–2006)
More changes in the line-up were to follow for Gamma Ray. Vocalist Ralf Scheepers, who lived far away from the other band members hometown of Hamburg, was attempting to become the new Judas Priest singer after Rob Halford left. He felt that his position in the band had been strained due to the distance between him and the other members. Hansen and Scheepers agreed to an amicable departure. After failing to be recruited for Judas Priest, Scheepers started his own band, Primal Fear.
Hansen said in an interview 1999 about why Scheepers left: There were two main reasons. One was after the first three Gamma Ray albums we said - now we want to do a really, really good album, something really killer. But Ralf was not living in Hamburg, he was living 700km away from here. For that reason he only came up for a while for rehearsal or for the recordings. But to do an album which was really good we needed him there constantly. In years before we had been talking about him moving to Hamburg but at that time he still had a job going on...he still does and he's never going to leave it somehow. He could not really make up his mind to move to Hamburg and there was one problem with that because when we wrote the songs I was always trying to think of his voice but on the other hand it would have been a lot better if he write his own vocal lines, melodies and lyrics. When he came to Hamburg most of the times I was singing in the rehearsal room when he was not there and I was singing on my demos so it was like everything was more or less fixed and he could not really change it. We wanted that to change, therefore we wanted him to move to Hamburg, he could not make up his mind. Then we said either you do it or you die somehow you know...like putting the pistol to his chest. Well....on the other hand he had this Judas Priest thing going on. He wanted to be given a chance. I was the idiot who told him maybe for fun just try it out when it was clear they were searching for a singer because Judas Priest was always his favorite band. We were thinking about him doing the Gamma Ray album and then going to Judas Priest. All in all it led to the point where we said we'd rather split our ways at that point because it doesn't make sense to go on like that.
Hansen then began to search for a new vocalist but, due to demand from friends and fans, took on the guitar-vocal duties himself as he had done for Helloween's first EP and album.
In a 2008 interview, Hansen spoke about the importance of the Land of the Free album and what it represented: We made it exactly at a time point when this kind of metal was proclaimed to be dead as can be. Where it was almost like if a drummer came up with a double bass drum people would say 'ya dooga daga yourself out of here man.' Everything was ruled by Kurt Cobain and the alternative to the alternative and all that kind of stuff. So at that point we made an album like this and it went down very successful. That was cool, that was something special. I think it was the album that gave Gamma Ray the acceptance as being a band not only a Kai Hansen project.
In 1995 the fourth album, Land of the Free, the first to feature Hansen on vocals, was released. The album was praised by critics and fans alike. The tour following the album, Men on a Tour, brought the recording and release of the live album Alive '95 in 1996.
Soon after, there was yet another major lineup change. Jan Rubach and Thomas Nack both left in order to return to Anesthesia and in came new drummer Dan Zimmermann. Zimmerman is also known for being a founding member of the German power metal band Freedom Call. Schlächter, who was originally a bass player, as can be seen on the 1990 video Heading for the East, left the second guitar spot and took back his original instrument, being replaced on guitar by Henjo Richter.
Work started on the next album, and 1997 saw the release of Somewhere Out in Space, which marked the beginning of the band's thematic concentration on space. The album featured the hit "Valley of the Kings" and entered in the charts of many European countries. After two years of touring came the album Power Plant, which was a continuation of Somewhere Out in Space's lyrical approach, but a new direction musically. The album was highly acclaimed throughout the world and gained even more chart success than its predecessor.
For Gamma Ray's next work, Hansen decided to do things differently from the usual compilation of songs. He let the fans decide by voting on their website for their three favorite songs on each album, then the band went back to the studio to re-record the old tracks from the first three albums and made remixed versions for the songs on the later ones. Blast from the Past was the name chosen for this double album.
After a break of one year, when Hansen concentrated on his side project Iron Savior, the band was ready for the recording and release of the album No World Order!, which was stylistically similar to NWOBHM bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Again, the album was highly praised and the No Order World Tour saw the band visiting dozens of European countries and Japan. After resting from the tour, the band went on with the Skeletons in the Closet tour, which saw the band performing songs that they never or rarely played live before. Once again, the setlist was voted by the fans on the band's website. Only a few shows were played on this tour but two of those were recorded for the live album Skeletons in the Closet.
Kai Hansen and Henjo Richter also participated in Tobias Sammet's project Avantasia, on both The Metal Opera and The Metal Opera Pt. II, along with various other musicians including Hansen's former bandmates from Helloween, Markus Grosskopf and Michael Kiske.
A live DVD, Hell Yeah The Awesome Foursome Live in Montreal was recorded on 6 May 2006 at Le Medley in Montreal, Quebec. The setlist contained songs drawn from all of their albums up to Majestic (excluding Insanity and Genius) and also a cover of the Helloween hit "I Want Out". The DVD finally saw release on 4 November 2008. It entered the German media control charts at No. 9 and the Swedish charts at No. 1, according to the band's official website.
Land of the Free II to Empire of the Undead (2007–2014)
In recent years, Gamma Ray have made use of touring keyboard players to fully augment their sound in a live environment. Axel Mackenrott of Masterplan fulfilled these duties in the past and was followed by Eero Kaukomies, a Finn who also plays in a Gamma Ray tribute band named Guardians of Mankind. His bandmate Kasperi Heikkinen also played on part of the Majestic tour in 2006 following an injury to Henjo Richter. On their most recent "To The Metal" tour, Kasperi Heikkinen replaced Henjo Richter once again for shows scheduled in Germany and Czech Republic in March 2010. Richter was hospitalized on 16 March 2010 due to retinal detachment. Heikkinen also shared stage with fellow axemen Hansen and Richter making "a three guitar special" for the encore numbers at the Nosturi club in Helsinki, Finland on 29 March 2010.
Land of the Free II was released in late 2007 as a sequel to the hugely successful Land of the Free album. To promote the album, Gamma Ray were the "very special guest" on Helloween's Hellish Rock 2007/2008 World Tour, on some shows along with the band Axxis. For the final encores of the evening, Hansen and members of Gamma Ray joined Helloween to play a couple of songs from when he was in the latter band. Hansen would also regularly join Helloween co-founder Michael Weikath at center stage to the delight of fans of both bands.
To the Metal! was released as the tenth studio album by the band. It was released on 29 January 2010 to modest critical praise, but disappointed some fans, who felt that it was uninspired and a weaker effort than Land of the Free II. On 31 May 2011, Gamma Ray released an EP entitled Skeletons and Majesties. It contains newly recorded, rarely played material (Skeletons) and acoustic versions of other older songs (Majesties). Hansen stated in an interview in February 2012 that he expected the next Gamma Ray album to be released in January 2013. On 1 September 2012, the band announced Michael Ehré as their new drummer, replacing Daniel Zimmermann who chose to retire after 15 years of band activity.
Kai Hansen revealed, in an interview with Metal Blast in April 2013 that their eleventh album, Empire of the Undead would have a "more thrashy" sound. In the same interview, Dirk Schlächter announced that the band would do a headlining tour following its release. Empire of the Undead was released in March 2014, despite Gamma Ray's studio being completely destroyed by a fire.
Additional vocalist and new album (2015–present)
In October 2015, it was announced that Frank Beck would be a new lead vocalist of Gamma Ray, in addition to Hansen. This was due to Hansen's degrading vocals due to lengthy tour schedules, as well as Hansen's desire to have more freedom onstage. On 10 August 2017, the band announced that they would be releasing a 25th anniversary edition of Land of the Free. In June 2021, on the Scars and Guitars podcast, Kai Hansen stated that despite his reunion with Helloween, he is not letting Gamma Ray die, and that he is preparing material for a new album to be tentatively released in 2022.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_Ray_(band)
Studio albums
Heading for Tomorrow (1990)
Sigh No More (1991)
Insanity and Genius (1993)
Land of the Free (1995)
Somewhere Out in Space (1997)
Power Plant (1999)
No World Order! (2001)
Majestic (2005)
Land of the Free II (2007)
To the Metal! (2010)
Empire of the Undead (2014)
Save Us
Gamma Ray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He is not here anymore
We look at the age of the beast
And we've seen its vast armies form
Hear our call
Please, save us
Please, save us
In permanent madness we live
No time for life and for love
To take is the rule, not to give
Insanity comes from below
To take us all
Please, save us
Please, save us
We believe that the phenomena of nature
Are the expression of infinitive intelligence
We express our belief that all forms of life
Are manifestations of spirit
And thus, all men are children of God
Far from down below one comes prepared to take us all
Waiting for his future and the final call
We stand on the edge of the world
Just one step more and we fall
Guide us and please take our hands
Without you we're weak and alone
Hear our call
Please, save us
Please, save us
Now!
Save us - from the gods of thunder
Save us - from the dogs of war
Save us - from the creeping nightmares
Save us - from the evil's course
Save us - from our own ignorance
Save us - from the man in black
Save us - from the desolation
Save us - from the hate attack
Save us - oh please
Save us - please save us
Save us - oh please
Save us - now!
The song "Save Us" by Gamma Ray seems to be a plea to a higher power for salvation. The lyrics speak of being on the edge of the world, with insanity coming from below and vast armies formed by the age of the beast. It's too late to call for the priest since he is not there anymore. The singer is calling out for help, asking to be saved from the gods of thunder, dogs of war, nightmares, evil, ignorance, man in black, desolation, and hate attack. The lyrics suggest that without the higher power, they're weak and alone.
In the second verse, the lyrics express a belief that all forms of life are manifestations of spirit and that all men are children of God. However, there also seems to be a sense of doom and finality in the song. The singer speaks of one who comes from down below, prepared to take them all. They're waiting for the future and the final call. The chorus repeats the plea for help, asking to be saved from all the possible evils. The word "now" at the end of the chorus seems to add an urgency to the plea.
Overall, the song seems to be a cry for help in a world where evil and madness are prevalent. The lyrics express a belief in a higher power and the hope of being saved from all the possible disasters. The song conveys a sense of powerlessness and a need for salvation from outside forces.
Line by Line Meaning
Too late to call for the priest
We are now facing consequences of our actions where seeking help from a religious figure may not be enough
He is not here anymore
The priest is not here to assist us in our time of need
We look at the age of the beast
We are in a time where evil and corruption seem to be prevalent
And we've seen its vast armies form
We are witnesses of the destruction caused by the forces of evil
Hear our call
We plead for help and for someone to listen to us
Please, save us
We need someone to save us from the evil around us
In permanent madness we live
We are in a state of chaos, where everything around us is unstable
No time for life and for love
We do not have the luxury to live our lives normally and to pursue love
To take is the rule, not to give
Greed and selfishness are the norm in society and taking from others is more important than giving
Insanity comes from below
Evil and corruption come from a lower place in society
To take us all
This evil will eventually lead to the destruction of all of us
We believe that the phenomena of nature
We have faith that the natural world is a manifestation of a higher power
Are the expression of infinitive intelligence
This higher power is infinitely intelligent and beyond our understanding
We express our belief that all forms of life
We believe that all living beings have a spiritual essence
Are manifestations of spirit
The spiritual essence within all living beings is a manifestation of a higher spiritual power
And thus, all men are children of God
We believe that all humans have a divine essence and are therefore children of a higher power
Far from down below one comes prepared to take us all
There is an impending sense of doom from the forces of darkness
Waiting for his future and the final call
The forces of darkness are waiting for their time to strike the final blow
We stand on the edge of the world
We are at a critical point in our existence as humans
Just one step more and we fall
Our actions could lead to our downfall if we are not careful
Guide us and please take our hands
We need guidance from a higher power to help us navigate through these dark times
Without you we're weak and alone
Without the help of a higher power, we feel helpless and isolated
Save us - from the gods of thunder
We need to be saved from the destructive forces of nature
Save us - from the dogs of war
We need to be saved from the destructive nature of humans at war
Save us - from the creeping nightmares
We need to be saved from our own fears and anxieties
Save us - from the evil's course
We need to be saved from the path of destruction caused by evil and corruption
Save us - from our own ignorance
We need to be saved from our own lack of knowledge and understanding
Save us - from the man in black
We need to be saved from those who represent darkness and corruption in society
Save us - from the desolation
We need to be saved from the barren and empty world caused by the destruction of nature
Save us - from the hate attack
We need to be saved from the violent and hateful actions of others
Save us - oh please
We plead with a higher power to save us from the destruction around us
Now!
We need to be saved now before it's too late
Contributed by Mia T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
The Butcher NL
When Kai plays a guitar solo, it's like listening to classic music!
Marcel H
Smooth as hell!
V3ntilator
Fuck yes.
Dragoslav Djoric
Hello from Belgrade Whaterfront City 🏙️🌆, Serbia state 🇷🇸, Europe 🇪🇺 to Germany 🇩🇪 scool on power metal, only Blind Guardian sing five time in Belgrade in first place cult club SKC bytifol architecture and big, smoll hall and Megadeath,Tarja two time after gone from Nightwish, Blind Guardian hawe big place pley after tri time in BelExpo Centar,nau come Scorpions agein ay think like Deep Purple also five time alweys full Stark Arena, last year open season Iron Meyden 11 time, rekord, Whitesnake 10 time love pley in Tas music stadium, like Motorhead bi first bat gently gient go in Paradise City with Chester from Linkin Park, Jill Janus ❤️ vocal super group female metal cover band The Starbrekers, Lemmy sad for Teylor Hawkins from Foo Fighters,all seek and ded,no hawe famous rockers hu overdose,one on so talented singer alternative music hawe last concert in Belgrade City fortress,so sad for Emy Whinhaus, people from production bi shame no mast stey in stage,help band to pley cople songs tray bat after foling tri songs,band pley to people hu love Emy Whinhaus,and stop, silence hawe applause, no go,band help to go from stage,no shaut or difrent saund, people bay tickets go in silence,ay dont love alternative music bat watch last year in Exit on mainstage Nick Cawe, knows two songs Henry Lee and When Wilde Roses Grow,hawe a lot fans, after this songs go if love metal saund to watch legend on rockenrol on Fusion stage little smol on mainstage bat spectacle bring Marky Ramone, all Ramones songs sing with band go in public and sing with fans, bravo for legend punk rock and public hu love Ramones give energy and respect,hawe all in You tube pres Exit 2022,if love metal Sepultura, Nervosa all female metal band, before two year Sveden 🇸🇪 metal dominant,on Sabaton 🇸🇪 on mainstage, spectacle public wering flag on Sveden 🇸🇪 and Serbia state 🇷🇸 hu print t shirt with logo on Sabaton, watch all female metal band Thundemother 🇸🇪 on Fusion stage, love Guernica Mansini and Felipa gutiar 🎸 master,and athers girls, Ingwe Malmstin 🇸🇪 gutiar 🎸 master on shred pleying,on end broken gutiar 🎸, one in big collection,bat interest for public, love a lot people Sveden 🇸🇪 metal bands missing Histerica girls pley girls made heawi metal.🇷🇸❤️🇸🇪🎸🎶🍗✨✨✨💐🌼🌺🌹 for Thundemother 🇸🇪 virtual flowers and Histerica veyting in four samer festivals or in clubs Underworld, Atom Academy, Fabric, KST,SKC cult club Tarja sing two time after gone from Nightwish tri in Arhagel Fest for fans and bykers,Exit 2019on Fusion stage and last year in june near city Novi Sad when Exit in mautin new turist complex Fruske Terme, green technology for hotels, luxury apartments and houses Villas,all concert Queen 👑 on simphony metal Tarja live in Vila Vrdnik hawe on YouTube,stey metal veyting Beyond The Black 🖤🇩🇪🎶🎸 and diva Jennifer Haben ciao belisima dona and stey metal butifol ❤️ girl
Fredrik Olofsson
This is the best version of SAVE US i ever heard and Clémentine Delauney is just perfect for this song together with Kai .... just brilliant :D
Ross Brunson
Killer rendition, and I really LOVED Clementine's higher notes arching over the other singing, it really gave a new dimension to the song!
Scott Oswald
Love Clementine Delauney. She's gorgeous and has an amazing voice!
Devil From Down Under Rowan Gedling
Not to mention she's tall as hell too!
Apache Viking
Her mic 🎙 was mixed way low could barely hear her 😢…
Santiago Vazquez
Esta versión me causa escalofríos y me dan ganas de cantar a todo pulmón...
Les quedó increíble