Trick Or Treat – Evil Needs Candy Too (20th Anniversary Edition) (2026), 320+FLAC
Twenty years after their debut first burst out of Modena in a shower of double-kick drums, candy wrappers and HELLOWEEN-sized choruses, TRICK OR TREAT return to “Evil Needs Candy Too” and rebuild it from the ground up. Same songs, same mischievous spirit — but played with two decades of stage scars, tighter muscles and a much bigger sonic punch.
Originally released on Halloween 2006, “Evil Needs Candy Too” introduced a young Italian band whose love for classic European power metal was impossible to miss. The speed, the huge melodies, the humor and the bright vocal harmonies all carried the unmistakable influence of early HELLOWEEN, but even then TRICK OR TREAT were already developing the playful personality that would later become their trademark.
The 2026 Anniversary Edition does not simply polish the original tapes. The entire album has been re-recorded by the current lineup, which makes the differences immediately noticeable. The guitars are thicker, the rhythm section hits harder and Alessandro Conti approaches the old vocal lines with twenty years more control and character.
“It’s Snack Time” once again opens the gates before the title track takes off at full speed, still sounding like a sugar rush with twin guitars attached. “Time For Us All” remains one of the more mature songs from the debut, slowing the pace just enough to let the melodies and harmonies breathe.
“Like Donald Duck” preserves the band’s sense of humor, while their power-metal transformation of “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” still sounds gloriously ridiculous in exactly the right way. Beneath the joke, though, the arrangement is tight and technically sharp — the kind of thing only works when the musicians can really play.
“Joyful In Sadness” and “Sunday Morning In London” reveal how much the band have grown since 2006. The structures remain familiar, but the new performances add more depth, especially in the backing vocals and guitar interplay.
“Who Will Save The Hero” remains one of the album’s strongest examples of TRICK OR TREAT balancing melody with heavier sections, while “Back As A Pet” and “Perfect Life” keep the energy high without turning into simple speed-metal exercises.
“Back To Life” closes the album with another rush of classic power metal, complete with an extended instrumental section that now benefits enormously from the current lineup’s greater precision and confidence.
The charm of this edition is that it does not try to erase the original. The 2006 album still has the reckless excitement of a young band throwing everything into its first real statement. The 2026 version simply asks what those same songs sound like after twenty years of touring, recording and learning exactly when to accelerate — and when not to.
Country: Italy
Label: Independent
Genre: Power Metal / Melodic Power Metal
Original release: October 31, 2006
20th Anniversary Edition: October 31, 2026
Format: CD / Digital
Tracklist:
01 – It’s Snack Time
02 – Evil Needs Candy Too
03 – Time For Us All
04 – Like Donald Duck
05 – Girls Just Want To Have Fun
06 – Joyful In Sadness
07 – Sunday Morning In London
08 – Who Will Save The Hero
09 – Back As A Pet
10 – Perfect Life
11 – Back To Life
Alessandro Conti – Vocals
Guido Benedetti – Guitars
Luca Venturelli – Guitars
Leone Villani Conti – Bass
Dario Capacci – Drums
Recorded in 2026
Mixed & Mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio
New artwork by Alessandro Conti
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