Land of the Free (Gamma Ray album)

This article is about the Gamma Ray album. For the Pennywise album, see Land of the Free?

Untitled

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.

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Rebellion in Dreamland"	Kai Hansen	Hansen	8:44
2.	"Man on a Mission"	Hansen	Hansen	5:49
3.	"Fairytale"	Hansen	Hansen	0:50
4.	"All of the Damned"	Hansen	Hansen	5:00
5.	"Rising of the Damned"	Hansen	Hansen	0:43
6.	"Gods of Deliverance"	Hansen	Jan Rubach	5:01
7.	"Farewell"	Dirk Schlächter	Schlächter	5:11
8.	"Salvation's Calling"	Rubach	Rubach	4:36
9.	"Land of the Free"	Hansen	Hansen	4:38
10.	"The Saviour"	Hansen	Hansen	0:40
11.	"Abyss of the Void"	Hansen	Hansen	6:04
12.	"Time to Break Free"	Hansen	Hansen	4:40
13.	"Afterlife"	Hansen	Rubach	4:46

2003 bonus tracks

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
14.	"Heavy Metal Mania" (Holocaust cover)	John Mortimer	Mortimer	4:49
15.	"As Time Goes By" (pre-production version)	Hansen, Piet Sielck	Hansen, Sielck	4:53
16.	"The Silence '95"	Hansen	Hansen	6:29

• "Heavy Metal Mania" and "As Time Goes By (pre-production version)" also appear on the Rebellion in Dreamland EP.
• "The Silence '95" also appears on the Silent Miracles EP.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Sputnikmusic
Metal Storm

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".

Land of the Free is by far Gamma Ray's most successful album with the most copies sold worldwide.

Personnel

Gamma Ray

• Kai Hansen – lead vocals (all but 12), guitars
• Dirk Schlächter – guitars
• Jan Rubach – bass
• Thomas Nack – drums

Guest musicians

• Sascha Paeth – keyboards
• Hansi Kürsch – co-lead (7) and backing (9, 11) vocals
• Michael Kiske – lead (12), co-lead (9) and backing (9) vocals