| Helloween | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| EP by | ||||
| Released | 29 April 1985 | |||
| Recorded | January–February 1985 | |||
| Studio | Musiclab Studio, Berlin, Germany | |||
| Genre | Speed metal | |||
| Length | 26:22 | |||
| Label | Noise | |||
| Producer | Helloween | |||
| Helloween chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 6/10 [2] |
| Metal Forces | 9/10 [3] |
Helloween is the debut EP by German power metal band Helloween. It was released on 29 April 1985 on Noise Records.
Although it is a speed metal rather than a power metal album, the record is significant as the first effort by the group that would redefine the power metal genre. [4] Helloween was followed up later that same year by the band's first full-length album, Walls of Jericho . [5]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Starlight" | Weikath/Hansen | 5:17 |
| 2. | "Murderer" | Hansen | 4:26 |
| 3. | "Warrior" | Hansen | 4:00 |
| 4. | "Victim of Fate" | Hansen | 6:37 |
| 5. | "Cry for Freedom" | Weikath/Hansen | 6:02 |
| Total length: | 26:22 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Surprise Track" (White Christmas/I'll Be Your Santa Claus) | 2:08 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Reptile" | 3:44 |
| 7. | "Phantoms of Death" | 6:34 |
| 8. | "Oernst of Life" (Taken from the 1984 Death Metal compilation) | 4:46 |
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg by members of bands Iron Fist, Gentry, Second Hell and Powerfool. It is said that the band is one of the most influential European heavy metal bands of the 1980s. Its first lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Kai Hansen, bassist Markus Grosskopf, guitarist Michael Weikath and drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg. By the time Hansen quit Helloween in 1989 to form Gamma Ray, the band had evolved into a five-piece, with Michael Kiske taking over as lead vocalist. Schwichtenberg and Kiske both parted ways with Helloween in 1993; Schwichtenberg died two years later as the result of suicide. Between then and 2016, there had been numerous line-up changes, leaving Grosskopf and Weikath as the only remaining original members. As a septet, their current lineup includes four-fifths of the Keeper of the Seven Keys: Parts I and II-era (1987–1988) lineup, featuring three additional members, vocalist Andi Deris, guitarist Sascha Gerstner and drummer Daniel Löble.
Kai Michael Hansen is a German musician who is the founder, lead guitarist and vocalist of power metal band Gamma Ray. He is also one of the co-founders of another power metal band Helloween, which he rejoined in 2016. He is a prominent figure in power metal and has sold millions of albums worldwide. He is regarded as "the godfather of power metal", having founded two seminal bands in the genre. In 2011, he joined the band Unisonic featuring former Helloween vocalist Michael Kiske. Hansen and Kiske reunited with Helloween in 2017 for a world tour with all current members, celebrating the 30-year anniversary of release of the albums Keeper of the Seven Keys Parts I and II.
Gamma Ray is a German power metal band from Hamburg, founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from power metal band Helloween, in 1989. He is the band's lead vocalist, guitarist and chief songwriter. Between 1990 and 2014, Gamma Ray recorded eleven studio albums.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I is the second studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1987. It marks the first appearance of vocalist Michael Kiske, and is considered the album that created the genre of European-style power metal.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II is the third studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1988. The album sold well, and success bloomed all over Europe, Asia, and even the United States. The album went gold in Germany and reached No. 108 in the US.
Pink Bubbles Go Ape is the fourth studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1991. It marked the departure of guitarist Kai Hansen, with Roland Grapow replacing him. It was also the first album released on EMI Records.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy is the eleventh studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 2005. It is the first album with new and current drummer Dani Löble and a continuation of their 1987 and 1988 albums Keeper of the Seven Keys, Parts I and II. The album is a double CD with nearly 80 minutes playing time and comes in a digipack with 6 flaps. It was produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and features Blackmore's Night singer Candice Night on the track "Light The Universe". The album’s opening track, “The King for a 1000 Years” is, to date, the longest song released by the band.
Walls of Jericho is the debut studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1985 on LP by Noise Records. It is the only album featuring Kai Hansen as lead vocalist until 2021's Helloween, although he would continue to act as guitarist on the two following albums.
Live in the U.K. is the first live album by German power metal band Helloween. It was released in Japan as Keepers Live. In the United States, it was released as I Want Out – Live without the track "Rise and Fall", and with a shorter edit of the introduction.
Master of the Rings is the sixth studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1994. It is the first to feature new members Andi Deris and Uli Kusch.
Markus Grosskopf is a German musician best known as the bass guitarist, backing vocalist and a founding member of the power metal band Helloween.
The Best, The Rest, The Rare is the first compilation album by German power metal band Helloween. It was released in 1991 on the label Noise Records.
Keeper of the Seven Keys is a four-part album series by Helloween, composed of the band's second, third, and eleventh full-length studio albums as well as their third live album.
Treasure Chest is a box set by German power metal band Helloween.
"Future World" is a song and a single made by German power metal band Helloween, from the album Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I. It is performed frequently by Helloween and Gamma Ray at their concerts.
"I Want Out" is a song by German power metal band Helloween from the album Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 2, that was released as a single in 1988.
Unisonic was a German hard rock/power metal supergroup, founded on 10 November 2009 by Helloween singer Michael Kiske alongside Dennis Ward and Kosta Zafiriou from Pink Cream 69 and Mandy Meyer, formerly in Asia and Gotthard. In 2011 the band was joined by Gamma Ray leader and Helloween co-founder, Kai Hansen.
United Alive in Madrid is the fourth live album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 2019. The recordings took place during the band's Pumpkins United World Tour (2017–2018), with former members Michael Kiske and Kai Hansen joining Helloween's line-up. The main concert was recorded on 9 December 2017 at the WiZink Centre in Madrid, Spain and the bonus tracks in Chile, Brazil, Czech Republic and Germany.
Helloween is the sixteenth studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released on 18 June 2021. The album is the first released with the "Pumpkins United" line-up, which marked the return of original member Kai Hansen on guitars and vocals and Michael Kiske on vocals in 2016, in addition to the five-member line-up active since 2005.
