Better Than Raw
1998 studio album by Helloween
Better Than Raw is the eighth studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1998. The album spawned the singles "I Can" and "Hey Lord!".
The album was recorded at Chateau du Pape and Crazy Cat Studios in Hamburg and at Mi Sueño Studio in Tenerife. It was produced and mixed by Tommy Hansen at Chateau du Pape and mastered by Ian Cooper at Metropolis, London.
Track listing
M - 2 also appears on the "I Can" single.
M - 3,4 also appears on the "Hey Lord!" single.
Personnel
Helloween
Andi Deris – lead and backing vocals
Michael Weikath – guitar, backing vocals
Roland Grapow – guitar, backing vocals
Markus Grosskopf – bass, backing vocals
Uli Kusch – drums
Others
Jorn Ellerbrock – keyboards
Tommy Hansen (producer) – keyboards
Jutta Weinhold, Ralf Maurer, Christina Hahne – backing vocals
Trivia
Hanson have been known to use the album introduction as an entrance to their concerts.
"Lavdate Dominvm" (read as Laudate Dominum, Classical Latin for "Praise the Lord") was written as a tribute for the band's dedicated fans in Spain, South America, and other Catholic and Christian countries and regions.
"Midnight Sun" is about the ending of a bad relationship.
The cover was inspired by The Smurfs, with Gargamel changed for the witch and the Smurfs for pumpkins.
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Attribution, date and provenance are strongest when supported by the original work, a catalogue record and documented transmission. The source revision retrieved here is dated Apr 25, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q832462. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1998.
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