NEW SOLO ALBUM “BORN WITH A HAMMER” OUT SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 VIA earMUSIC
Listen to “Wait And See” now!
Watch “Wait And See” video here
Pre-Order “Born With A Hammer” here!
With “Wait And See”, Kai Hansen releases the third single from his upcoming solo album “Born With A Hammer”. After the speed, freedom and rock’n’roll spirit of “Welcome To Life”, the new track turns towards the heavier side of the album and immediately feels darker, tighter and more intense.
At its core, “Wait And See” is driven by sharp riffs and a rhythm that keeps pressing forward, but there is also a subtle electronic pulse running underneath it. That slight electronic edge gives the song a restless, modern feel without taking away any of its weight. When the chorus opens up, the track finds the unmistakable mix of power, melody and bite that has always made Hansen’s songwriting so distinctive.
What stands out most is how alive the song feels. Hansen is not trying to recreate an earlier era or to prove that he can still play this kind of music. The riffs, the small electronic details and the directness of the performance all sound instinctive. The point is not simply that he can still make music this forceful; it is that he clearly still wants to.
That balance gives “Wait And See” its own character. It is one of the harder and more forceful songs on “Born With A Hammer”, but the electronic touches, changing textures and strong sense of melody keep it from ever feeling one-dimensional.
The release is accompanied by a new video built from footage captured during a trip to Slovakia. Away from the usual stage setting, it shows Hansen driving a Mustang, travelling through the country and spending time in the studio, offering a rare, more personal glimpse of the person behind the music.
“Born With A Hammer” was produced by Eike Freese, Kai Hansen and Alexander Dietz. The album was recorded with Eike Freese on guitar, Heaven Shall Burn’s Alexander Dietz on bass, Carcass drummer Dan Wilding and Induction guitarist Tim Hansen.
Across ten songs, “Born With A Hammer” brings together powerful heavy metal, punk attitude, hard rock drive and strong melodies. Following “Feeding The Beast” and “Welcome To Life”, “Wait And See” makes it clear that the album does not follow one fixed direction, while still sounding unmistakably like Kai Hansen throughout.
Following the worldwide success of Helloween’s recent reunion era and its major international tours, “Born With A Hammer” sees Kai Hansen return his focus to his own musical world. His history is naturally present in “Wait And See”, but it never weighs the song down. This is not a metal icon looking backwards; it is Kai Hansen sounding fully engaged with what comes next.
TRACKLIST
- Feeding The Beast
- Wait And See
- Don’t Care
- Wait And See
- Born With A Hammer
- I.D.G.A.F.
- End Of The Road
- Triple Trouble
- Invaders
- Wonderland
FORMATS
CD Digipak
Black LP Gatefold (180g)
Limited Picture Disc LP (180g)
ABOUT KAI HANSEN
Kai Hansen is one of the most influential creative forces in modern heavy metal. As a co-founder of Helloween and founder of Gamma Ray, he has played a defining role in shaping the sound and spirit of power metal, continuing to inspire artists and fans around the world.
Today, he is once again performing on the biggest stages worldwide with Helloween. “Born With A Hammer” now reveals another side of his creative drive: personal, direct and fully charged.
