The Dark Ride
The Dark Ride is Helloween's ninth studio album, released in October 2000. It was produced by Roy Z and Charlie Bauerfeind, and it marks a sharp turn from the previous record, Better Than Raw. The sound is much darker, built on drop-tuned guitars and gruffer vocals. Two singles came from it: "If I Could Fly" and "Mr. Torture".
It also closes a chapter in the band's story. It was the last studio album from the line-up that had made Master of the Rings, as guitarist Roland Grapow and drummer Uli Kusch were dismissed after the tour that followed. They went on to form Masterplan. Bassist Markus Grosskopf later described the record as somewhat constructed, shaped by outside voices who reworked arrangements and lyrics. That makes it a fascinating listen for anyone curious about Helloween's heavier, moodier side.
The Dark Ride: tracklist, credits and charts
12 tracks · 52:44Tracklist
- 1Beyond the PortalAndi Deris0:45
- 2Mr. TortureUlrich “Uli” Kusch3:28
- 3All Over the NationsMichael Weikath4:55
- 4Escalation 666Roland Grapow4:25
- 5Mirror, MirrorAndi Deris3:44
- 6If I Could FlyAndi Deris4:09
- 7SalvationMichael Weikath5:43
- 8The Departed (Sun Is Going Down)Ulrich “Uli” Kusch4:37
- 9I Live for Your PainAndi Deris4:00
- 10We Damn the NightAndi Deris4:06
- 11ImmortalAndi Deris4:05
- 12The Dark RideRoland Grapow8:48
- Produced by
- Charlie Bauerfeind, Roy Z, Roy Z and Charlie Bauerfeind
- Recorded at
- Mi Sueno Recording Studios (Tenerife, Spain)
- Recorded
- 2000
- Mixed at
- Mi Sueno Recording Studios
- Labels
- Irond, Nuclear Blast
- Length
- 52:44
Line-up
- Roland Grapow · guitar
- Markus Grosskopf · bass guitar
- Ulrich “Uli” Kusch · drums (drum set)
- Michael Weikath · guitar
- Andi Deris · lead vocals
Singles
- “Mr. Torture” · October 2000
- “If I Could Fly” · October 2000
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| Japanese Albums (Oricon) · 2000 | 11 |
| Finnish Albums · 2000 | 19 |
| German Albums · 2000 | 26 |
| Swedish Albums · 2000 | 38 |
| Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi) · 2000 | 43 |
| Swiss Albums · 2000 | 68 |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
Released the same week
Also released on 30 October
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The best of 2000
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Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia 2000-10-30 vs 2000-10-21 (musicbrainz), 2000-12-05 (wikidata)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 21 October 2000 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 30 October 2000 | |
| Wikidata | 5 December 2000 |
8 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | RU | Irond | other | |
| 2000 | BR | Nuclear Blast | 7897015548022 | other |
| 21 October 2000 | JP | Victor | 4988002408474 | original |
| 30 October 2000 | DE | Nuclear Blast | 727361648022 | other |
| 2005 | MX | Witch of the West | 727361155858 | other |
| 9 December 2013 | DE | Nuclear Blast | 727361326401 | deluxe |
| 2014 | US | Nuclear Blast | 727361326425 | other |
| 29 May 2015 | XE | Nuclear Blast | 727361326418 | other |
Cover art sources
coverartarchive · upscaled: minor: best source 1408x1411, upscaled to 1500 (x1.07)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| coverartarchive ✓ | 1408×1411 | upscaled: minor: best source 1408x1411, upscaled to 1500 (x1.07) |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |