Land of the Free (Gamma Ray album)

Land of the Free is the fourth studio album by German power metal band Gamma Ray, released in 1995. Continuing a trend that would conclude with the band's fifth studio release, the lineup for the album was different from the previous one, as Land of the Free was the first Gamma Ray album to be released since the departure of Ralf Scheepers, leaving Kai Hansen to take up lead vocals. While not his first stint as a vocalist (Hansen had sung lead for Helloween until 1987 and had also recorded lead vocals on "Heal Me" from Insanity and Genius), it would be the first time he had performed lead vocals exclusively in 8 years.

Land of the Free
Studio album by Gamma Ray
Released	29 May 1995 18 March 2003 (Re-release)
Recorded	1994-1995, R.A.S.H. Studio Gelsenkirchen (Drums), Hansen Studio, Hamburg, Germany
Genre	Power metal
Length	56:43
Label	Noise
Producer	Charlie Bauerfeind, Kai Hansen, Dirk Schlächter
Gamma Ray chronology
Insanity and Genius (1993) Land of the Free (1995) Somewhere Out in Space (1997)

Additionally, bassist Jan Rubach was to swap positions with guitarist Dirk Schlächter. Rubach initially agreed, but then resisted making the move. Rubach and drummer Thomas Nack instead decided to leave Gamma Ray. Rubach left towards the tail end of Men on a Tour; Schlächter took over the bass duties and Henjo Richter took over as the second guitarist. Nack would complete the tour and then leave, with both Rubach and Nack rejoining their former band Anesthesia.

Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween) and Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian) were featured on the album as guest vocalists.

The track "Afterlife" was written as a tribute to Ingo Schwichtenberg, Kai Hansen's former bandmate in Helloween, who committed suicide prior to the album's release.

Along with most of the band's past catalogue, the album was re-released in 2003 with a different cover and expanded track list which featured three tracks that had either appeared as bonuses on various editions of the album (namely "Heavy Metal Mania", which was a Japanese bonus track on the original release) or were unreleased tracks.

The face of the figure in the cover is the same of the Helloween album Walls of Jericho.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Metal Storm	9/10[2]
Sputnikmusic	5/5[3]

Critics praised the album, with Antti J. Ravelin of AllMusic stating that it served "the definition of power metal well and is indeed one of the most metal albums of the late '90s".[1]

The album was ranked by Loudwire at fourth in their list "Top 25 Power Metal Albums of All Time."[4] ThoughtCo also named it in their list "Essential Power Metal Albums."[5]

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Rebellion in Dreamland"	Kai Hansen	Hansen	8:44
2.	"Man on a Mission"	Hansen	Hansen	5:49
3.	"Fairytale"	Hansen	Hansen	0:50
4.	"All of the Damned"	Hansen	Hansen	5:00
5.	"Rising of the Damned"	Hansen	Hansen	0:43
6.	"Gods of Deliverance"	Hansen	Jan Rubach	5:01
7.	"Farewell" (feat. Hansi Kürsch)	Dirk Schlächter	Schlächter	5:11
8.	"Salvation's Calling"	Rubach	Rubach	4:36
9.	"Land of the Free" (feat. Michael Kiske)	Hansen	Hansen	4:38
10.	"The Saviour"	Hansen	Hansen	0:40
11.	"Abyss of the Void"	Hansen	Hansen	6:04
12.	"Time to Break Free" (feat. Michael Kiske)	Hansen	Hansen	4:40
13.	"Afterlife"	Hansen	Rubach	4:46

2003 bonus tracks

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
14.	"Heavy Metal Mania" (Holocaust cover)	John Mortimer	Mortimer	4:49
15.	"As Time Goes By" (pre-production version)	Hansen, Piet Sielck	Hansen, Sielck	4:53
16.	"The Silence '95"	Hansen	Hansen	6:29

• "Heavy Metal Mania" and "As Time Goes By (pre-production version)" also appear on the Rebellion in Dreamland EP.
• "The Silence '95" also appears on the Silent Miracles EP.

Anniversary Edition Bonus Disc

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Heavy Metal Mania"
2.	"As Time Goes By (Pre-production Version)"
3.	"The Silence '95"
4.	"Dream Healer (Instrumental)"
5.	"Tribute to the Past (Instrumental)"
6.	"Heaven Can Wait (Instrumental)"
7.	"Valley of the Kings (Instrumental)"

Personnel

Gamma Ray

• Kai Hansen – lead vocals (all but 12), guitars
• Dirk Schlächter – guitars, keyboards
• Jan Rubach – bass
• Thomas Nack – drums, backing vocals

Guest musicians

• Sascha Paeth – keyboards
• Hansi Kürsch – co-lead (7) and backing (9, 11) vocals
• Michael Kiske – lead (12), co-lead (9) and backing (9) vocals

References

1. Ravelin, Antti J. "Land of the Free - Gamma Ray | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
2. Deity, Fierce (June 20, 2005). "Gamma Ray - Land Of The Free review". Metal Storm. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
3. Stagno, Mike (September 22, 2006). "Gamma Ray - Land of the Free (album review ) | Sputnikmusic". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
4. DiVita, Joe (July 5, 2017). "Top 25 Power Metal Albums of All Time". Loudwire. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
5. Marsicano, Dan. "Essential Power Metal Albums". ThoughtCo. Archived from the original on October 29, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2019.