Land of the Free (Gamma Ray album)
| Land of the Free | ||||
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| Studio album by Gamma Ray | ||||
| Released | May 29, 1995 March 18, 2003 (Re-release) |
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| Recorded | 1994-1995, R.A.S.H. Studio Gelsenkirchen (Drums), Hansen Studio, Hamburg, Germany |
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| Genre | Power metal | |||
| Length | 56:43 | |||
| Label | Noise | |||
| Producer | Charlie Bauerfeind, Kai Hansen, Dirk Schlächter | |||
| Gamma Ray chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| Sputnikmusic | |
| Metal Storm |   |
Land of the Free is the fourth studio album by German power metal band Gamma Ray, released in 1995. Continuing a trend that would conclude with the band's fifth studio release, the lineup for the album was different from the previous one, as Land of the Free was the first Gamma Ray album to be released since the departure of Ralf Scheepers, leaving Kai Hansen to take up lead vocals. While not his first stint as a vocalist (Hansen had sung lead for Helloween until 1987 and had also recorded lead vocals on "Heal Me" from Insanity and Genius), it would be the first time he had performed lead vocals exclusively in 8 years.
Additionally, bassist Jan Rubach was to swap positions with guitarist Dirk Schlächter. Rubach initially agreed, but then resisted making the move. Rubach and drummer Thomas Nack instead decided to leave Gamma Ray. Rubach left towards the tail end of Men on a Tour; Schlächter took over the bass duties and Henjo Richter took over as the second guitarist. Nack would complete the tour and then leave, with both Rubach and Nack rejoining their former band Anesthesia.
Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween) and Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian) were featured on the album as guest vocalists.
The track "Afterlife" was written as a tribute to Ingo Schwichtenberg, Kai Hansen's former bandmate in Helloween, who committed suicide prior to the album's release.
Along with most of the band's past catalogue, the album was re-released in 2003 with a different cover and expanded track list which featured three tracks that had either appeared as bonuses on various editions of the album (namely "Heavy Metal Mania", which was a Japanese bonus track on the original release) or were unreleased tracks.
Critics praised the album, with one review stating that it served "the definition of power metal well and is indeed one of the most metal albums of the late '90s".
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