After his acrimonious exit from Helloween, following founding guitarist Kai Hansen's and before the original drummer's suicide, a very bitter Michael Kiske released his solo album Instant Clarity in 1996. The music alternates between Helloween's Chameleon and Pink Bubbles Go Ape-style melodic metal ("New horizons," "The calling") and mellower numbers betraying non-metal influences such as Pearl Jam ("Somebody Somewhere," "Burned out"), early-career Elton John ("Always") and the Beatles ("Time's passing by"). The expected fun song is there ("So sick"), as is the mellow meandering number ("Do I remember a life?").

Iron Maiden's Adrian Smith and Helloween's Kai Hansen appear on several tracks, which gives the album a metal edge that, left on his own, Kiske might have downplayed.

The songwriting is not this album's strongest selling point; while nothing is embarrassing, nothing is especially brilliant either. Both Kiske and Hansen evidently worked on their instruments after they left Helloween; Hansen's guitar parts are a lot cleaner and more proficient, and Kiske is more in control of his voice than ever before.

Kiske's exceptional vocals make this album a must-have for mid-career Helloween aficionados. Mid-1990s metal/rock/grunge fans should also give it a listen, as they might find a few tracks to their liking.

Review by Rog The Frog Billerey-Mosier

Review date: 10/2000

Back to top