Album · Compilation
Unarmed: Best of 25th Anniversary
Unarmed: Best of 25th Anniversary is a compilation by the German power metal band Helloween, released on 23 December 2009 through Victor. Rather than simply repackaging old recordings, it marks the band's 25th anniversary with re-recorded songs in an acoustic and symphonic style, with a number of guest musicians joining in.
The centrepiece is a 17-minute medley, "The Keeper's Trilogy", which strings together "Halloween", "Keeper of the Seven Keys" and "The King for a 1000 Years" with a 70-piece Prague Symphony Orchestra. Bassist Markus Grosskopf has said the band wanted to offer something new, and enjoyed playing bass in a way he had never tried before. Vocalist Andi Deris was far less keen, though he admitted it was satisfying to step out from behind the heavy sound and carry the songs with his voice alone. It is a curious sidestep for fans of the band's usual speed and fire.
Unarmed: Best of 25th Anniversary: tracklist, credits and charts
12 tracks · 1:02:48Tracklist
- 1Dr. SteinMichael Weikath4:00
- 2Future WorldKai Hansen4:13
- 3If I Could FlyAndi Deris3:29
- 4Where the Rain GrowsMichael Weikath and Andi Deris5:11
- 5The Keeper’s Trilogy (medley)Hansen, Weikath, Deris, Gerstner, Grosskopf, Löble17:07
- 6Eagle Fly FreeMichael Weikath3:51
- 7Perfect GentlemanAndi Deris and Michael Weikath4:20
- 8Forever & OneAndi Deris4:25
- 9I Want OutKai Hansen4:22
- 10Fallen to PiecesAndi Deris3:28
- 11A Tale That Wasn’t RightMichael Weikath4:48
- 12Why?Andi Deris3:34
- Produced by
- Charlie Bauerfeind, Andreas Becker, Carsten Heusmann, Petter Ericsson, Hellsongs
- Recorded at
- Area 5.1, G-Tracks Studio, Mi Sueno Recording Studios, rothrecording studios, VOX Klangstudio, Twilight Hall Studios, Angel Recording Studios, Dvořákova síň Rudolfina, Studio Singh, MAZ Musikproduktion
- Recorded
- 2009
- Mixed by
- Charlie Bauerfeind
- Engineered by
- Timo Dorsch, Ronnie Stone, Gary Thomas, Dennis Ward, Jan Kotzmann
- Labels
- Victor, Victor Entertainment, Sony Music
- Length
- 1:02:48
Line-up
- Albie Donnelly · alto saxophone, tenor saxophone · guest
- Sascha Gerstner · guitar · guest
- Markus Grosskopf · bass guitar
- Daniel Löble · drums (drum set)
- Nippy Noya · percussion · guest
- Paul Owens · alto saxophone, baritone saxophone · guest
- Matthias Ulmer · piano · guest
- Michael Weikath · guitar
- Andi Deris · lead vocals
- Andreas Becker · guitar · guest
- Jacqueline Barron · choir vocals · guest
- Mary Carewe · choir vocals · guest
- Scott Davis · choir vocals · guest
- Sarah Eyden · choir vocals · guest
- Robert Fardell · choir vocals · guest
- Joanna Forbes L’Estrange · choir vocals · guest
- Simon Grant · choir vocals · guest
- Helen Hampton · choir vocals · guest
- Mae McKenna · choir vocals · guest
- Andy Morton · choir vocals · guest
- Wendy Nieper · choir vocals · guest
- Jonathan Rathbone · choir vocals · guest
- David Porter Thomas · choir vocals · guest
- Adam Tunnicliffe · choir vocals · guest
- Rachel Weston · choir vocals · guest
- Lawrence White · choir vocals · guest
- Johan Bringhed · piano · guest
- Kalle Karlsson · guitar · guest
- Harriet Ohlsson · vocals · guest
- Eberhard Hahn · flute · guest
- Class 6 Of The Humboldt Gymnasium KA · choir vocals · guest
- Gabriel Goebel · choir vocals · guest
- Julian Hildenbrand · choir vocals · guest
- Jaro Kirchgessner · choir vocals · guest
- Thilo Müller Maatsch · choir vocals · guest
Singles
- “Dr. Stein (Unarmed Version)” · 29 January 2010
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| Greek Albums · 2009-10 | 4 |
| German Albums · 2009-10 | 39 |
| Italian Albums · 2009-10 | 87 |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
43.3
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
570
ListenBrainz listeners
8.6k
Wikipedia views, last 12 months
—
Deezer fans (all editions)
Released the same week
Also released on 23 December
Every year →
More from Helloween
Full discography →
Death Metal
1984
Helloween
1985
Walls of Jericho
1985
Keeper of the Seven Keys, Part I
1987
Keeper of the Seven Keys, Part II
1988
Live in the U.K.
1989
Pink Bubbles Go Ape
1991
The Best, The Rest, The Rare
1991
Chameleon
1993
Mr Ego (Take Me Down) EP
1994
Master of the Rings
1994
The Time of the Oath
1996
High Live
1996
Better Than Raw
1998
Karaoke Remix, Volume 2
1998
Karaoke Remix, Volume 1
1998
Metal Jukebox
1999
The Dark Ride
2000
Treasure Chest
2002
Rabbit Don’t Come Easy
2003
Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy
2005
Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy: World Tour 2005/2006
2007
Gambling With the Devil
2007
7 Sinners
2010
Burning Sun
2012
Straight Out of Hell
2013
My God‐Given Right
2015
Halloween - Live
2019
United Alive
2019
Helloween
2021
Giants & Monsters
2025
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Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + musicbrainz; also seen: 2009-12-26 (wikidata)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 23 December 2009 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 23 December 2009 | |
| Wikidata | 26 December 2009 |
6 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 December 2009 | JP | Victor | 4988002590162 | original |
| 29 January 2010 | DE | Sony Music | 886976219321 | deluxe |
| 29 January 2010 | DE | Sony Music | 886976223120 | deluxe |
| 30 March 2010 | US | The End Records | 654436015628 | deluxe |
| 4 September 2020 | XE | Nuclear Blast | 727361553609 | remaster |
| 1 November 2021 | XW | Atomic Fire | deluxe |
Cover art sources
fanarttv · upscaled: major: best source 1000x1000, upscaled to 1500 (x1.50)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| fanarttv ✓ | 1000×1000 | upscaled: major: best source 1000x1000, upscaled to 1500 (x1.50) |
| coverartarchive | 500×449 | rejected |