Album Description:
Helloween, the iconic German power metal band, has been a driving force in the genre since its formation in the early 1980s. Known for their high-energy performances and catchy melodies, the band has left an indelible mark on the world of heavy metal. One of their notable releases is the "Dr Stein" Yellow Vinyl 12" EP, which showcases their musical prowess and innovative approach to songwriting.
This particular version of the "Dr Stein" vinyl album stands out with its vibrant yellow-colored vinyl, adding a visual flair to the already captivating music. The use of colored vinyl is not only aesthetically pleasing but also signifies the band's attention to detail and their desire to create a memorable listening experience for their fans.
Produced by Karl Ulrich Walterbach, the EP was recorded and mixed at Horus Sound Studio in Hannover during May and June of 1988. The production quality reflects the band's commitment to delivering a polished sound while maintaining the raw energy that defines their music. The EP consists of two sides, each featuring tracks that showcase the band's versatility and skill.
Side One of the EP features the title track, "Dr Stein", which immediately grabs the listener's attention with its powerful riffs and infectious chorus. Clocking in at 5 minutes and 3 seconds, the song encapsulates the essence of Helloween's signature sound. With its driving rhythm and soaring vocals, "Dr Stein" serves as a testament to the band's ability to create anthemic metal tracks that resonate with their audience.
Side Two of the EP presents two additional tracks: "Savage" and "Livin' Ain't No Crime". "Savage" is a relentless and aggressive song that demonstrates the band's heavier side. With its fast-paced guitar solos and thunderous drumming, the track showcases Helloween's ability to deliver a high-energy performance. On the other hand, "Livin' Ain't No Crime" offers a melodic and introspective journey, balancing the EP's overall sound with a more reflective and emotionally driven composition.
The "Dr Stein" Yellow Vinyl 12" EP exemplifies Helloween's ability to create memorable music that pushes the boundaries of the power metal genre. From the moment the needle touches the vibrant yellow vinyl, listeners are transported into a world of musical excellence and artistic expression. The EP's standout tracks, "Dr Stein", "Savage", and "Livin' Ain't No Crime", showcase the band's range and musicianship, leaving a lasting impression on fans and newcomers alike.
Beyond its musical merits, this limited edition yellow vinyl release adds an extra layer of collectability to the EP. Vinyl enthusiasts and Helloween fans alike can appreciate the unique presentation and the opportunity to own a piece of music history. The vibrant color serves as a visual representation of the energy and passion that Helloween pours into their music, making it a cherished item for any collector or fan.
Album Production Information:
Produced by Karl Ulrich Walterbach
Karl-Ulrich Walterbach – Producer
Karl-Ulrich Walterbach is the German metal mastermind whose fingerprints are all over the rise of European heavy metal in the 80s. As founder of Noise Records, he pushed raw underground bands into the spotlight, shaping the sound of Helloween, Celtic Frost, and many others. His vision fused DIY grit with fearless ambition, turning chaotic studio sessions into genre-defining releases.
Sound engineers: Tommy Hansen, Tommy Newton
Tommy Hansen: the Danish Sound Engineer and Prodicer, delve into his world and the albums that shaped a genre, his lasting influence on heavy metal,
and the stories behind the music.
Tommy Newton – Producer, Sound Engineer, Guitars
Tommy Newton is a German guitarist, producer, and engineer best known for his work with the hard rock band
Victory
and for running Tommy Newton Studios in Wolfsburg. His production and mixing credits include major metal acts such as Helloween, Gamma Ray, and UFO, where his precise, high-definition sound became a signature. His blend of technical discipline and musician’s instinct shaped many key European metal releases.
Recorded and mixed at Horus Sound Studio, Hannover, May-June 1988
Horus Sound Studio– Recording studio (Hannover, Germany)
Horus Sound Studio is the Hannover birthplace of Teutonic thrash—founded in 1979, the room where that German riff-machine learned mayhem, and somehow always near the scene of the riff-crime.
Read more...
Horus Sound Studio doesn’t announce itself with fireworks; it just sits there in Hannover and keeps ending up on the back of records that sound like they were forged, not “produced.” The name starts showing up, then showing up again, until it’s basically living on my shelf rent-free.
Frank Bornemann built the place in 1979, and that date matters because it tells you this wasn’t some latecomer cash-in. This was infrastructure. A real room with real walls that could take volume without flinching.
Sleeves get flipped, credits get scanned, and suddenly there it is: Steeltower hammering out
Night of the Dog
(recorded and mixed Jan–Sept 1984), Living Death pushing
Metal Revolution
through the desk (recorded and mixed Aug 1985). Both of them sound like the amps were slightly insulted to be treated “professionally.” Love that. No cap.
Then the bigger names start piling in, and the pattern gets almost suspicious. Kreator tracking and mixing
Terrible Certainty
in 1987. Sabbat cutting
History of a Time to Come
in Sept 1987. Helloween grinding through the winter of 1986–1987. Sodom getting
Agent Orange
mixed there in April 1989. Not a coincidence. More like the studio knew how to keep the edges sharp instead of sanding them down for “radio.”
Plenty of studios capture sound. Horus captures intent—the part where a band decides to stop asking permission. Anyone calling that “just a room” is either lying or has never heard what a good room does to a hungry band.
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Packaging:
This album includes the original custom inner sleeve with album details, complete lyrics of all songs by Helloween and 1988 Helloween Tour information with IRON MAIDEN. |
Record Label & Catalognr:
NOISE International 0116-5 Published by Maldoror Wintrup Music |
Media Format: Yellow coloured 12" Vinyl EP Gramophone Record
Album weight: 220 gram |
| Year 1988 |
Band Members and Musicians on: Helloween Dr Stein Yellow Vinyl |
Band-members, Musicians and Performers
- Michael Weikath
- Guitars
- Michael Weikath – Guitar
I keep him filed under “sunlight with a switchblade.” The kind of guitarist who makes a chorus feel friendly right up until it knocks your drink over. Read more... Michael Weikath is Hamburg-born and stubbornly melodic, and I mean that as a compliment and a warning. I’ve heard plenty of fast guitar players. He’s one of the few who sounds like he’s arguing for the hook. Not begging. Arguing. Back when I was still judging bands by how quickly they could light up a cheap club PA, his trail starts in 1978 with Powerfool—kids with amps and ambition, basically, the classic “we’ll sleep later” setup. Then he slides into the early Helloween gravity in 1982, when things are still half-formed and hungry, before the band plants the official flag in 1984 and starts turning Hamburg sweat into something the whole world eventually copies. What I like about Weikath is the discipline. The riffs don’t wander off to show off. They march. They steer the song, they herd the chorus into place, and they don’t apologize for being bright. Some metal people act allergic to joy—like a melody will ruin their leather. Weikath never got that memo, and thank God. His playing keeps saying: you can be fast, sharp, and still sing. And if that bothers you… that’s kind of the point. Michael Weikath Wiki
- Michael Kiske
- Lead Vocals
Michael Kiske, the legendary German vocalist, is best known for his soaring vocals and dynamic range in Helloween. As the frontman for their iconic Keeper of the Seven Keys albums, he helped define power metal’s golden era. His influence spans solo projects and collaborations, making him one of the genre’s most revered voices.
Learn more in Michael Kiske’s Biography.
- Ingo Schwichtenberg
- Drums
- Ingo Schwichtenberg – Drums
He didn’t just keep time. He grabbed it by the collar and yanked it into the spotlight—still grinning. “Mr. Smile” wasn’t a marketing trick. It was the face you got even when the tempo was trying to run away. Read more... Ingo Schwichtenberg is the founding Helloween drummer I think of when people romanticize “the early days” but forget the work. Hamburg bred, active from 1978 to 1993, he played like the kit was a moving vehicle and he’d rather steer than sit politely in the back. That kick wasn’t decoration. It was a decision. Before Helloween was official in 1984, he’d already been grinding through the local trenches with bands like Gentry and Iron Fist—those pre-fame rooms where the air is warm, the amps are cheap, and nobody cares about your “image,” only whether you can hold the song together when everything else gets loud. He learned the hard way. You can hear it. From 1984 until 1993 he’s the engine behind Helloween’s first era, and I’ll be honest: I prefer that urgency to a lot of the later, shinier perfection. He hits like he means it, but he doesn’t smear the music—he snaps it into place. Fast, clean, a little dangerous. The kind of drumming that makes you stand closer to the speakers even though you know you shouldn’t.
- Kai Hansen - Guitars
- Kai Hansen – Vocals, Guitars
Kai Hansen always shows up before I’m ready, like a starting pistol firing behind the sofa while the coffee is still cooling. Read more... Kai Hansen feels less like a traditional frontman and more like a force that leans too far forward and drags the band with him. In the early Helloween years, guitars came first and vocals followed almost by necessity, from 1984 through the late ’80s when everything still felt fast, risky, and unfinished. When he left in 1989 it wasn’t drama, just impatience in motion. Gamma Ray didn’t slow anything down; it doubled the pressure, speed with a grin that still had teeth. These songs don’t stroll or explain themselves. They shove, they dare, and they expect you to keep up.
- Markus Grosskopf
- Bass
- Markus Grosskopf – Bass
Some bassists “hold it down.” Grosskopf drags the whole band forward by the belt. You feel it in your ribs before you can even name it. Read more... Markus Grosskopf is Hamburg through and through, and I mean the practical kind of Hamburg: show up, plug in, make it work. Born in 1965 and active since 1978, he’s the founding Helloween bassist who makes speed feel organized—like somebody finally put the chaos on a timetable. The part I always grin at is how unglamorous it starts. He’s a kid with a bass because the room needs one, and suddenly he’s bashing through punky stuff in a space that probably smells like cables and bad decisions. Then he goes looking for something heavier and lands in Kai Hansen’s band Second Hell, right before that early Helloween crew locks in with Michael Weikath and the name becomes official in 1984. I’ve got a dumb little ritual: grey morning, coffee going cold, I throw on an early cut just to check whether the bottom end still feels like steel. It does. Grosskopf doesn’t “support” the guitars—he keeps them honest. And by 1990, when he’s also involved with Mr. Prooster, you can already tell he’s the type who won’t sit still just because the main band is rolling.
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