Was Gamma Ray better with Scheepers?

Dug out Insanity and Genius and got me to thinking. They had less of a Helloween sound with him. I'm not sure if I do like it better but it's great stuff.

Hmmm good question, definitely a different vocal style. But having heard more Gamma without Ralf I'd go with current.

Wargod

I don't have every album with each (2 with Ralf and 4 with Kai) but I don't think there's much of a comparison. I do like the debut, but it's a bit unfocused at times. I wasn't too fond of the second album. By contrast, Kai fronting the band led to their masterpiece: Land of the Free. The other three albums I have of theirs are awesome too and I know a lot of the songs from the Kai-era albums that I don't have.

i like the albums with Ralf a lot more. but most of the ones without him are ok too.

Absolutely not. I like the debut album with the Scheep, but Land of the Free / Somewhere Out in Space are in a league of their own, untouchable.

i like almost all of gamma ray albums. ralf's albums had some weak songs too." land of the free" is my fave album from the band

I'm mostly familiar with the Kai mateial (only heard 1 or 2 songs with Scheepers) and I think he's never sounded better (miles ahead of his work on 'Walls Of Jericho'). I really like Scheepers work with Primal Fear so I'm glad Kai replaced him giving us two great bands. As comparing their voices, I like both of them in different ways so I couldn't pick one over the other.

I think Ralf had a better voice, but the Kai era has better songs.

Heading For Tomorrow is my favorite by them. Title track is insane. Haven't heard all albums with Kai (LotF, PP, NWO are the ones I have), but with him fronting Rays lost their uniqueness imo.

I like both eras but tend to prefer the albums w/Kai on vox.

Heading For Tomorrow is definitely my fave, so I'd say yes. Sigh No More is average, and Insanity and Genius has an odd mix of some of their best tracks and some of their absolute worst.

I like all Gamma Ray. I never really gave it much thought but having to decide on it, I'd go with the Kai albums. Much stronger albums,overall (as already stated)>

007 wrote:

I like all Gamma Ray. I never really gave it much thought but having to decide on it, I'd go with the Kai albums. Much stronger albums,overall (as already stated)>

This.

I prefer the ones with Kai. And I prefer Scheepers in PF.

Cant stand the first vocalist. Kai fits the band perfectly in my opinion.
Oddly enough, I think Land of The Free is such a dull album, I can hardly listen all the way through.

I like both but with Kai it became another Helloween. Don't know if I could pick. And I love PF so it's all good.

Dark Horseman wrote:

Dug out Insanity and Genius and got me to thinking. They had less of a Helloween sound with him. I'm not sure if I do like it better but it's great stuff.

I think Gamma Ray was indeed better with Ralf on vocals, but I still like them today with Kai on the mic!\m/

Yes, for me the were better with Scheepers !

Welcome truerock. So troo it's still true.

I love scheepers. He's one of my favourite singers, and i enjoy all his works.

Wargod wrote:

Hmmm good question, definitely a different vocal style. But having heard more Gamma without Ralf I'd go with current.

Wargod

With all due respect to Kai Hansen's vocal abilities, IMO Ralf is in the Top 10 of clean-style metal vocals. There simply is no comparison between the 2 vocally speaking. I have seen both and heard both guys perform live in person, and of these 2, Ralf clearly has the better voice for Judas Priest/Queensryche-inspired power metal.

Gilbert wrote:

I love scheepers. He's one of my favourite singers, and i enjoy all his works.

Amen! BTW, I love your avatar!

truerock wrote:

Yes, for me the were better with Scheepers !

Agreed! Heading For Tomorrow is a brilliant album!

Sure, Scheepers is the better vocalist. But Gamma Ray's material is much more solid after he left and that's really not because of him,just that the writing improved,I think.

I think they were definately more musically interesting with Scheepers. with some stuff thrown in that was a bit off the wall. Interesting how the break-up led to two comparably speaking somewhat generic Metal bands such as Primal Fear and what Gamma Ray is today.