Helloween "The Time Of The Oath"

The Time of the Oath is the seventh studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1996. The album is dedicated to the memory of former drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg, who committed suicide the previous year.

The Time of the Oath is a concept album. According to Andi Deris, it is based on the prophecies of Nostradamus, referring to the prophecies made for the years 1994 to 2000. Nostradamus' interpreters believe that he predicted a third World War followed by a millennium of peace if humans made the right choices. The album is meant to reflect the choices of humanity. The Keeper that appears on this album, having returned from the first two Keeper of the Seven Keys albums and later to return on the third, could represent God, or the stupidity of humanity in the form of the seventh trooper in the song "Before the War." Instead of a space scene as on the cover of Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1, the area under the Keeper's hood is filled with stars and a line of golden rings, in the fashion of Master of the Rings' artwork. The track "The Time of the Oath" reflects on Act V of Faust Part Two, written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Andi Deris plays the part of Mephistopheles, reclaiming the soul of doctor Faust, whereas the Choir of the Orchestra "Johann Sebastian Bach", Hamburg, (conducted by Axel Bergstedt) sings the Dies irae from the traditional requiem, representing the angels rescuing Faust's lost soul.

The album contains three singles: "Power", "The Time of the Oath", and "Forever And One (Neverland)". The latter has a different track listing for the German release, which is titled "Forever And One Live".

It was the first Helloween album where all five band members got a songwriting credit.

European release: January 16th, 1996

"Steel Tormentor" is a tribute to Judas Priest.

Tracks 1, 5, 6 by Deris
Track 2 by Deris/Weikath
Tracks 3, 7, 8 by Deris/Kusch
Tracks 4, 9, 11 by Weikath
Track 10 by Weikath/Helloween
Track 12 by Deris/Grapow

This is the first Helloween album where all five band members got a songwriting credit, although Markus Grosskopf only contributed to two tracks ("Walk Your Way" and "Still I Don't Know") that are not featured on the regular album tracklist, but only as singles B-sides, in expanded editions or in compilations. "Mission Motherland", however, is officially credited to "Weikath/Helloween".

Recording information:

Recorded and mixed at Chateau du Pape, Hamburg. 

Mastered at Metropolis, London, England.