Helloween (derived from the words “hell” - hell and Halloween) is an innovative musical group from Germany, whose specific views on high-speed power metal allowed them to become one of the key metal bands of the 80s.
Express acquaintance
You need to get acquainted with the group, especially the metal one, directly, and not from retelling biographies.
The band’s key album, according to many critics, is Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 1. These are classical metal guitars in the style of Rob Halford and Iron Maiden and texts of a fantasy orientation. Acquaintance with Helloween should begin with this album. In addition, you should still listen to songs such as If I Could Fly, Lost in America and Battle's Won.
The origin of the group and its path to success
Helloween is a group whose biography is a long and winding path. It begins in 1979 when guitarists Kai Hansen and Pete Silk decided to create a project called Gentry (the name symbolizes a kind of mockery of people of the "noble class"). It happened in Hamburg.
The official birthday of Helloween is considered to be 1983, when some members of the bands Iron Fist and Powerfool joined Gentry. As a result, Michael Weikath (guitar), Marcus Grosskoppf (bass guitar) and Ingo Schvichtenberg (percussion) joined the duo described above.
Band debut
In 1988, Helloween's first full-length album, Walls of Jericho, was released. He made the group almost the flagship of the German metal scene, although in the world he was received rather coolly - the album was marked only on the Japanese chart, and then in 75th place. Critics also did not say very flattering about the album.
But Teutonic metal fans were delighted. The songs "How Many Tears", "Reptile" and "Judas" became the hallmarks of the group. By the way, due to the increased execution speed, “Walls of Jericho” is considered a speed metal.
The critical point of group success
It's about creative success, not commercial success. In the world of music, these two concepts rarely combine.
Halloween is a group with a variable composition that is changing to this day. In 1986, a new vocalist, Michael Kiske, joined the band. He had a very bright and recognizable voice, which had a very positive effect on the sound of the group.
In 1987, an album was recorded titled Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 1, and after him, a year later - Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 2. These two albums have become classic power / speed metal. The hearts of thousands of fans shuddered to the beat of Helloween's tunes. It’s not sad, but Helloween is a group whose reviews are much more positive than her level of popularity. Any classic is doomed to this. Halloween is a band that literally single-handedly created a German metal scene.
After that, the group completely plunged into the tour. They were seen by almost all of Europe and the West ... And after that the central participant of Helloween - Kai Hansen left. He attributed this to monstrous tour fatigue and conflicts with the band. After that, a new era began in the life of Helloween. The band had to convince the record labels for some time that they could do a lot without a lead guitarist and songwriter.
The Kiske Age
Helloween continued to collaborate with their traditional label NOISE. The group’s albums were massively bought by inertia from the old successes of the collective. By the way, Roland Grapov took the place of Kai.
Pink Bubbles Go Ape is the band's first album, recorded without Kai Hansen. It could be compared to an uncouth boulder. The album was very hard on sound and a little melodic. Critics believe this is almost the most disastrous disc recorded by Helloween. If not for the old achievements of the team, Pink Bubbles Go Ape would hardly have become so popular.
After that, the group publishes a number of concert and studio albums, which are still comparable to various uncouth boulders, and only in 1998 did they have something completely new - the Better Than Raw album. This album is special in that every member of the group participated in the songwriting. This indicates harmony within the group and the high professionalism of the musicians.
In general, Better Than Raw is characterized by lingering melodic choruses and bright, contrasting guitar riffs. With this album, Helloween proved to be unwilling to stand still. Magazine "Kerrang!" dubbed Better Than Raw the band’s best album since Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 2.
Avoiding Roots and Another Radical Turn
Halloween is a constantly changing band. Of course, with such a mode of existence, it is very difficult to keep in one canon, and the Helloween began to constantly go from their roots, changing the color of their sound.
In 1994, the crisis began in the group. Drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg was fired from Helloween for a number of reasons: schizophrenia, alcoholism, drug addiction. After that, he threw himself under the train. Replaced poor Ingo drummer from GAMMA RAY (group Kai Hansen) named Uli Kush.
The radical turn of the group occurred after the departure of the next "central player" - Michael Kiske from Helloween. Replaced by Andy Derris.
And then in the life of the group complete harmony began. The “Andy era” began. The feud over the battle of vanity ended, and Helloween again began the carnival.
Halloween is a group that, like the phoenix, can be reborn over and over again. The next such revival were the albums The Dark Ride and Rabbit Don't Come Easy. Songs “If I Could Fly” and “Mr. Torture "became hits that can be safely added to the" gold fund "of the group.
Helloween nowadays
Helloween is a band whose discography is constantly growing. And although the feuds in the team are reviving from year to year, the guys manage to maintain the integrity of the group and continue to delight fans with new albums. The latter, by the way, was released recently - on May 29, 2015.