Helloween

Born in Hamburg in the mid-1980s, Helloween forged a fast, melodic brand of heavy metal that aligned with the rise of European power metal. Founded in 1984 around Kai Hansen, Michael Weikath, Markus Grosskopf, and Ingo Schwichtenberg, the band first released a self-titled EP, then the album Walls of Jericho in 1985, defined by a sound close to speed metal. The arrival of vocalist Michael Kiske in 1986 steered Helloween toward more melodic songwriting, fully realized on Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I (1987) and Part II (1988), which became touchstones of the genre. After internal tensions and Hansen’s departure, Helloween entered a more experimental phase in the early 1990s before returning to a heavy/power approach with the addition of singer Andi Deris in 1994, a period that led notably to The Dark Ride (2000). Through lineup changes, including the addition of guitarist Sascha Gerstner and drummer Dani Löble, Helloween remained active on international stages. Since the Pumpkins United tour launched in 2016, the project has reunited former and current members, including the return of Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske, a momentum carried forward by an eponymous studio album, Helloween, released in 2021.