Christmas certainly appeared to come early for the many fortunate metalheads who turned out for this show. On Sunday night, December 20th, in a brief stopover on their way back to their homeland, Germany's "Helloween" made their first return to the States in nearly nine years with single appearance at NYC's Coney Island High in the East Village. Trying to create a buzz, and raise listener awareness, in a country where heavy metal's popularity has waned due to massive underexposure, they successfully accomplished what they set out to do, and can proudly announce it to their fellow countrymen the moment they get home.

Today, the group's taken on a much different form since their initial appearance for 89's Headbanger's Ball Tour, but thankfully, their music has remained true to form over that time. Playing before a packed house (and when I say packed, I mean it made a crowded elevator seem as comfortable as a freefall from an airplane) that barely held the 500+ in attendance, the guys hit the stage right around 10 p.m., following two no-names, amidst the excited chants of "Happy, Happy Helloween!" from the eager crowd of spectators.

The stage, more appropriate in stature for those underground acts who've yet to build any major following, barely held the band for the nearly two hours and some fourteen songs they played. Structural limitations aside, there was a certain charm about seeing them on such a tiny playing surface, since the interaction between them and us was probably at a much larger scale as a result. The intro, "Deliberately Limited," to the new album "Better Than Raw," began the festivities, and served to tease us all into thinking "Push" (which it segues into on the album) logically would follow. But they threw us an unpredictable curve, and instead cut into "Eagle Fly Free" from the classic "Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II" album, then moving on to "Dr. Stein" (that's pronounced "Steen" the way they do it) much to everyone's delight.

Anyone who's familiar with "Helloween's" later material, featuring six year veteran with the band Andi Deris on vocals, had to expect them to stick mainly to those newer titles that he's been a part of, and that's basically what they did - to no one's apparent disappointment. In fact, aside from the two opening classics, and "The Chance," from '91's "The Pink Bubbles Go Ape" album (and second '91 album, "Chameleon," that Andi mentioned as inhibiting whatever progress they developed following the "Keeper. . .II" album) about four songs in, none went beyond his first recording with the band, 94's "Master of the Rings." That is, until it was time for the encores. In between, the band was a model of consistency and a portrait of professionalism. Let's face it, bands don't normally stay intact for 15 years without possessing one or the other. They pushed to excel in a way you expect from a band with something to prove, although in most other parts of the world they don't have to. However, here, in a lot of ways, this was a showcase of the new "Helloween," which, as referred to earlier, is a much different group of musicians than the one which last appeared in the States. And they proved their "mettle" most capably.

The two holdover musicians from the early years, bassist Marcus Groskopf and guitarist Michael Weikath, received the biggest ovations when they first appeared on stage, but it was lead guitarist Roland Grapow, one of the newer arrivals (shortly before Deris), that captured everyone's attention - modest devil that he is. His flawless playing and animated presence, including hand-clapping and fist-raising, positively motivated a crowd that was hanging on every note from the first one played.

The bearded Weikath, smoking one after another, was the picture of confidence, sneaking off a passing grin from time to time, as the others pranced back and forth on stage. The band went into a seemingly endless wealth of newer classics in the making, and the prominent, dual-guitar harmonies, between he and Grapow, really gave the songs a fuller dimension live.

The eight-plus minute "Revelation," from the new album, followed the two opening classics, while the first single from that album, which Andi mistakenly thought we didn't know about, "I Can," an uplifting anthem, followed shortly after. One of the cooler things, among the many, about this performance, was the fact that the crowd really changed the band's understandable misconceptions about the fan's knowledge of their new material, and their desire for real metal to resurface in the states.

Yes, we did in fact know all of the new songs, and I was a little thrown myself at the enthusiastic response the crowd showed for the post-Hansen/Kiske material. It wasn't like one of those things where everyone's screaming for the old stuff, which for a lot of people is where they left off here all those years ago. But I had 'em pegged wrong, and thankfully, so did the band - especially Deris, who seemed to be often pleasantly stunned at the reception!

When they did finally go into "Push" from the new album, people really started to get into it. Yes, at least the way they played the song live, it definitely is one of their "fastest and heaviest" songs, as Deris describes it. There were several occasions when the pits formed in the center of the floor, and there was an occasional crowd-rider flailing about, but really no threats of destructive behavior, which would be unbecoming a mature metal audience, of course.

Andi, who's long since earned his wings to front the band, sounded loose and vibrant, and was as physically energetic as space would allow, with a charismatic presence that charged up an already exhausted crowd. Also deserving of mention was Uli Kusch behind the drum kit, with his cute little stuffed pumpkin, even though his place in the rear was obscured from view most of the time. His solid playing provided the continual drive that made the vehicle go well into the night. By the time the last notes of "Time of the Oath" echoed through the room, nobody even thought of leaving. The wait for "Helloween" to return was quick and immediate. The opening notes billowed forth from Grapow's (the best guitar player you've never heard of - his own words of course) guitar, and "Future World" was fast becoming the reality that everyone hoped for. The place went nuts, but not completely overboard, only because they knew it was coming thanks to Andi's hints earlier on. Nonetheless, it went over well. At about its three-quarter point, the band toned down so Andi could go into a little rap with the fans, as they all sang along to the chorus. But to cap it off the night, the band started into something that had to be as unexpected as their live appearance in this damp and dark closet must have been, "How Many Tears." Opening fast and loud, this one seemed to be met with perplexity, as well as approval, once everyone got over the fact that they were actually doing it! One of "Helloween's" lesser known oldies, which last appeared on "The Best, The Rest and The Rare" album (originally on the ancient "Walls of Jericho"), it went on for quite some time, interrupted by about an eight to ten minute break in for band member introductions, thank you's, and a self-indulgent Andi saving himself for last before leaving the stage. There was still a large crowd waiting for them to come back, and the chants of "Heavy Metal" and "Helloween" continued on until the blazing intro to Fear Factory's "Shock" blasted through the P.A. and the lights came on. What an amazing show! Nobody in attendance could have felt they didn't get enough as they left the building. The band gave all anybody could want and more - plus several flying guitar picks, a drumstick, the best performance they had to offer under less than ideal circumstances (It must also be pointed out that due to the quick turnaround, they didn't even have their own instruments!), and their willingness to stay a few minutes after the show and meet the fans!

IF anyone had a complaint, it could only have be abut the fact that the band ignored any of the real early stuff, back during the Kai Hansen days, like "Ride the Sky," etc. But as Andi stated in the beginning, he wasn't in the band back then, so "What could you expect?" It didn't seem to matter.

"Helloween's" one night only appearance was just what the heavy metal scene needs to help cure its ills, or restore faith in metal, however you want to look at it. For that one night, we all got to see what everyone in Europe has been enjoying for years. And by the looks of things, thanks to bands like "Helloween" (who'll make little, if any, return on a show like this) heavy metal, even in such narrowly focused markets such as this one, still possesses the support to carry a pulse, and is NOT ready to call it a life just yet!