Gamma Ray "Insanity And Genius (Japan, Victor Entertainment, VICP-5267)"

Insanity and Genius is the third studio album by German power metal band Gamma Ray and their final album with Ralf Scheepers on vocals. Additionally, Kai Hansen sings on the song "Heal Me" and Dirk Schlächter on "Your Tørn Is Over". Continuing a trend that would conclude with their fifth studio release, the lineup for the album was changed from the previous one, with Jan Rubach replacing Uwe Wessel on bass and Thomas Nack replacing Uli Kusch on drums.

The album was re-released in 2002 with additional tracks. The 2002 version was released again in 2010 by Cooking Vinyl Records as part of a 2-CD set with the 2002 version of Land of the Free.

Track listing

1. "Tribute to the Past" L: Kai Hansen   M: Hansen, Jan Rubach 5:04
2. "No Return" L: Hansen M: Hansen 4:06
3. "Last Before the Storm" L: Hansen M: Hansen 4:29
4. "The Cave Principle" L: Hansen M: Hansen 6:51
5. "Future Madhouse" L: Hansen, Ralf Scheepers M: Hansen 4:07
6. "Gamma Ray" (Birth Control cover) L: Bruno Frenzel M: Frenzel 5:20
7. "Insanity and Genius" L: Thomas Nack M: Rubach 4:30
8. "18 Years" L: Scheepers M: Dirk Schlächter, Scheepers 5:23
9. "Your Tørn Is Over" L: Schlächter M: Schlächter 3:53
10. "Heal Me" L: Hansen, Schlächter M: Schlächter 7:32
11. "Brothers" L: Hansen, Scheepers M: Hansen, Scheepers, Schlächter 5:15
12. "Heroes" L: Hansen, Scheepers M: Hansen, Scheepers, Schlächter 4:59

Time:  01:01:27

Track 12 is a demo version of Changes with different lyrics.

Music video:

- Gamma Ray

Recording information:

Recorded from March to May, 1993 at Hansen Studios in Hamburg, Germany.

Mixed at Horus Sound Studios, Hanover, Germany.

Charlie Bauerfeind – mixing at Horus Sound Studio, Hannover

Achim Krause – mastering

Karl-Ulrich Walterbach – executive producer

Gamma Ray "Insanity And Genius (2CDS, 2016 Reissue, Remastered, Limited Edition Digipak, Expanded Edition, Anniversary Edition - 25 Years Of Heavy Metal From Hamburg, USA, Ear Music, 0210838EMU)"

Insanity and Genius is the third studio album by German power metal band Gamma Ray and their final album with Ralf Scheepers on vocals. Additionally, Kai Hansen sings on the song "Heal Me" and Dirk Schlächter on "Your Tørn Is Over". Continuing a trend that would conclude with their fifth studio release, the lineup for the album was changed from the previous one, with Jan Rubach replacing Uwe Wessel on bass and Thomas Nack replacing Uli Kusch on drums.

The album was re-released in 2002 with additional tracks. The 2002 version was released again in 2010 by Cooking Vinyl Records as part of a 2-CD set with the 2002 version of Land of the Free.

Tracklist:

Disc 1

1. Tribute to the Past 05:04
2. No Return 04:06  
3. Last Before the Storm 04:28  
4. The Cave Principle 06:51  
5. Future Madhouse 04:07   
6. Gamma Ray (Birth Control cover) 05:20   
7. Insanity and Genius 04:30
8. 18 Years 05:23  
9. Your Tørn Is Over 03:52
10. Heal Me 07:32  
11. Brothers 05:14   

Time:  56:27  

Disc 2

1. Valley of the Kings (Live at Chameleon Studios 2016) 03:46   
2. Heaven Can Wait (Live at Chameleon Studios 2016) 04:49   
3. Gamma Ray (Extended Version) (Birth Control cover) 07:25  
4. Money (Demo with Ralf Scheepers) 03:45  
5. Silence (Demo with Ralf Scheepers) 06:30
6. Sail On (Demo with Ralf Scheepers) 04:29
7. Space Eater (Rough Mix Horus studio) 04:33   
8. Exciter (Judas Priest cover) (live) 05:01  

Time:  40:18  

CD 1 Studio Album: The original studio album. Remastered in 2016 by Eike Freese.

CD 2 Bonus CD: Including previously unreleased demo versions, alternative versions, instrumentals, live songs...

Tracks 2-1 and 2-2 recorded in 2016 at Chameleon Studios.

The technical credits for the original release are not included in this edition.

Gamma Ray "Heaven Can Wait (EP, Japan, Victor Entertainment, VICP-15001)"

Heaven Can Wait was an EP released by German power metal band Gamma Ray in 1990, following the release of their debut album Heading for Tomorrow.

It is notable as Dirk Schlächter makes his first appearance as a full member of the band. He would go on to appear on every Gamma Ray record to date. Also making his first appearance with the band was Uli Kusch, who would later go on to Helloween, and later will form Masterplan with former Helloween member Roland Grapow.

The Japanese version only has four tracks, leaving off "Who Do You Think You Are?". It also has a blue background rather than a black background on the cover, as well as a full-color figure instead of the yellow shadow pictured. "Sail On", "Mr. Outlaw", and "Lonesome Stranger" are bonus tracks on the 2003 remaster of Heading for Tomorrow, while "Who Do You Think You Are?" is a bonus track on the 2003 remaster of Sigh No More.

The Japanese version of the EP contains the same version of "Heaven Can Wait" as the Heading for Tomorrow album. The European EP contains the so-called "band version" of the song, i.e. with Dirk Schlächter on guitar and Uli Kusch on drums. The "band version" can also be found on the Who Do You Think You Are EP.

Track listing

1. "Heaven Can Wait" – 4:28
2. "Sail On" – 4:25
3. "Mr. Outlaw" – 4:09
4. "Lonesome Stranger" – 4:57

Time:  17:59

The spoken intro before the "Lonesome Stranger" is a parody of The Comedy Strip's "A Fistful of Traveller's Cheques", replacing football teams with metal bands.

This edition of the EP features the version of Heaven Can Wait from the Heading for Tomorrow album rather than the rerecording featured on the European edition.

Recording information:

Produced by Kai Hansen

Recorded and mixed at Karo-Music Studios, Brackel in June 1990

Mixed and engineered by Piet Sielck & Kalle Trapp

"Sail On", "Mr. Outlaw" & "Lonesome Stranger" recorded at Horus Studio, Hannover, Jan/Feb 1990

Engineered by Ralf Krause and Piet Sielck

Mixed by Tommy Newton and Piet Sielck

Gamma Ray "Heaven Can Wait (EP, Germany, Noise Records, N 0151-3)"

Heaven Can Wait was an EP released by German power metal band Gamma Ray in 1990, following the release of their debut album Heading for Tomorrow.

It is notable as Dirk Schlächter makes his first appearance as a full member of the band. He would go on to appear on every Gamma Ray record to date. Also making his first appearance with the band was Uli Kusch, who would later go on to Helloween, and later will form Masterplan with former Helloween member Roland Grapow.

The Japanese version only has four tracks, leaving off "Who Do You Think You Are?". It also has a blue background rather than a black background on the cover, as well as a full-color figure instead of the yellow shadow pictured. "Sail On", "Mr. Outlaw", and "Lonesome Stranger" are bonus tracks on the 2003 remaster of Heading for Tomorrow, while "Who Do You Think You Are?" is a bonus track on the 2003 remaster of Sigh No More.

The Japanese version of the EP contains the same version of "Heaven Can Wait" as the Heading for Tomorrow album. The European EP contains the so-called "band version" of the song, i.e. with Dirk Schlächter on guitar and Uli Kusch on drums. The "band version" can also be found on the Who Do You Think You Are EP.

Track listing

1. "Heaven Can Wait" – 4:28 - European version only; the original recording of the song appears on the Japanese EP.
2. "Who Do You Think You Are?" – 5:07 - European version only
3. "Sail On" – 4:25
4. "Mr. Outlaw" – 4:09
5. "Lonesome Stranger" – 4:57

Time:  22:53

Recording information:

Produced by Kai Hansen

"Heaven Can Wait" & "Who Do You Think You Are?" co-produced by Piet Sielck

Recorded and mixed at Karo-Music Studios, Brackel in June 1990

Mixed and engineered by Piet Sielck & Kalle Trapp

"Sail On", "Mr. Outlaw" & "Lonesome Stranger" recorded at Horus Studio, Hannover, Jan/Feb 1990

Engineered by Ralf Krause and Piet Sielck

Mixed by Tommy Newton and Piet Sielck