One of the older German power metal bands, Heavens Gate formed in 1982,
under the name Steeltower.
As Steeltower, they released Night Of The Dog in 1984, but following
a lineup change or two, they decided to rename themselves as
Heavens Gate.
They recorded frequently throughout the nineties, ending with
Menergy in 1999.
A quick listen to Hell For Sale! reveals the band firmly entrenched in
classic Euro power metal, with clear
Judas Priest
and
Helloween
influences, and on certain songs (notably "Rising Sun") the everpresent
happy chorus that seemingly every German band includes in their songs.
To their credit, though, this was released in 1992, several years before
much of the current crop of soundalikes were on the scene.
By the end of their career, their style had altered slightly, as the
aforementioned Menergy shows a slightly darker side of the band.
Of trivial note is the presence here of guitarist Sascha Paeth, who
has gone on to become a well-known and respected metal producer.
