Few musicians have had a greater impact on European power metal than Kai Hansen. Through his work with Helloween and later Gamma Ray, the German guitarist, vocalist and songwriter helped establish many of the genre’s defining characteristics.
Now Hansen is stepping back into the spotlight with Born With A Hammer, his first solo album since XXX – Three Decades In Metal, released under the Hansen & Friends banner. The new record is scheduled to arrive on September 18 through earMUSIC.
Spanning ten tracks, Born With A Hammer draws from the many influences that have shaped Hansen throughout his career. The album blends traditional heavy metal, hard rock, punk-inspired energy and melodic songwriting, all driven by his recognizable guitar style and vocal delivery.
According to the announcement, the material was written without compromise and reflects a straightforward approach centered on a passion for heavy music. The result is a record that presents Kai Hansen in a direct and personal setting while staying firmly rooted in metal.
Production duties were handled by Eike Freese, who also contributes guitar work to the album. The lineup further includes Alexander Dietz of Heaven Shall Burn on guitar, Dan Wilding of Carcass on drums and Tim Hansen of Induction on guitar. Wilding previously worked alongside Hansen on XXX – Three Decades In Metal.
Coinciding with the album announcement, Kai Hansen has released the first single, “Feeding The Beast”. Serving as the opening track on Born With A Hammer, the song arrives with an accompanying music video and offers an early preview of the album’s direction. Built around sharp guitar riffs, strong melodies and a fast-paced approach, the track delivers a classic heavy metal feel while showcasing the energy behind the new project.
The release follows a particularly active period for Hansen, who has spent recent years touring globally as part of Helloween‘s reunion-era lineup. While those performances reconnected him with one of the most celebrated chapters of his career, Born With A Hammer gives him space to focus on material under his own name.
Born in Hamburg in 1963, Kai Hansen first gained attention in the late 1970s when he joined forces with future Iron Savior co-founder and producer Piet Sielck in the band Gentry. He later co-founded Helloween alongside guitarist Michael Weikath in 1983, contributing to the band’s formative years and helping create landmark releases including Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I and Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part II.
After leaving Helloween in 1989, Hansen launched Gamma Ray, a band that would become one of Germany’s most respected and long-running power metal acts. Over the decades, he has also collaborated with artists and bands including Blind Guardian, Angra, Michael Kiske, Hammerfall, Storm Warrior and Unisonic.
Having returned to Helloween in 2016 and once again performing on major stages worldwide, Kai Hansen continues to balance his role within the legendary band while pursuing new creative outlets. With Born With A Hammer, he adds another chapter to a career that has influenced generations of metal musicians.
