Helloween
Encyclopedia
Helloween is a German power metal
band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 1 and Pt.2, are considered masterpieces of the genre.
Since its creation, the band has released thirteen studio albums and has undergone numerous line-up changes. Former members have gone on to found numerous bands, including Gamma Ray
, Iron Savior
and Masterplan.
, Germany. The original line-up included Kai Hansen
on vocals and guitar, Michael Weikath
on guitar, Markus Grosskopf
on bass, and Ingo Schwichtenberg
on drums. That year, the band signed with Noise Records
and recorded two songs for a Noise compilation record called Death Metal
. The compilation featured the bands Hellhammer
, Running Wild
, and [Blood Avenger (band)]. The two tracks were "Oernst of Life" by Weikath and Hansen's "Metal Invaders," a faster version of which would appear on the band's first full-length album.
Helloween recorded and released its first record in 1985, a self-titled
EP containing 5 tracks. Also that year, the band released its first full-length album, Walls of Jericho
. During the following concert tour, Hansen had difficulties singing and playing the guitar at the same time. Kai's last recording as the band's lead singer was in 1986 on an EP titled Judas
, which contained the song "Judas" and two other live tracks. Following these releases, Helloween began the search for a new vocalist.
, from a local Hamburg band named Ill Prophecy. With their new lead singer in tow, Helloween approached record labels Noise International and RCA and proposed the release of a double-LP to introduce the new line-up. This proposition was turned down. Instead, they recorded a single LP, Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I, which was released in 1987. In 1988, Helloween released Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II, the companion album. MTV
put the single "I Want Out" into heavy rotation and in support of its "Headbanger's Ball" show. MTV also presented the inaugural Headbanger's Ball Tour with Helloween joining San Francisco Bay area
thrash-metal band Exodus
in support of headlining act Anthrax
. The band was slotted in the prestigious second spot, right before Anthrax's set. On the heels of this exposure to US audiences, the band achieved worldwide success.
Guitarist Kai Hansen unexpectedly left the band soon after the European leg of the Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II tour, due to conflicts within the band, troubles with Noise International, and a growing dissatisfaction with life on tour. He was soon replaced by former Rampage guitarist Roland Grapow
, who finished the rest of the tour with the band.
for their new record company, EMI. The album was less heavy, and with song titles such as "Heavy Metal Hamsters", "I'm Doing Fine, Crazy Man", and "Shit and Lobster", showed a shift toward — and an emphasis on — humor rather than the epic moods on previous releases. As a result, Pink Bubbles Go Ape failed both commercially and critically, and tensions started to build amongst the band members.
The pop-influenced follow-up Chameleon was released in 1993. Instead of taking a heavier approach, the band ventured into new territory, eschewing its signature double-guitar harmonies for synthesizers, horns, acoustic guitars, a children's chorus, country music, grunge, and swing. As with the previous album, Chameleon failed commercially and critically. Tensions within Helloween worsened, and the band split into three factions, with Michael Kiske and Ingo Schwichtenberg on one side, Michael Weikath and Roland Grapow on the other, and Markus Grosskopf in the middle, trying to keep peace between the four men.
fell ill due to mental and drug-related issues, and was eventually fired, replaced by session drummer Ritchie Abdel-Nabi. Meanwhile, the conflicts within the rest of the band worsened, with Michael Weikath refusing to work any longer with Michael Kiske. The decision was made to fire Kiske. Since his firing, Kiske has not spoken positively about Helloween. In May 2008, Kiske released Past In Different Ways
; an album featuring most of his old Helloween songs, albeit rearranged and re-recorded acoustically.
In addition to the firing of Kiske, Abdel-Nabi, whose inability to replicate Schwichtenberg's machine-gun style of drumming hindered Helloween's ability to play live fan-favorites like "Eagle Fly Free" and "How Many Tears", was let go by the band. 1993 would come to a close for Helloween with no singer, no drummer, and no record contract (EMI released the band from its agreement for the low sales numbers for Pink Bubbles Go Ape and Chameleon).
frontman Andi Deris
as its new lead singer and Uli Kusch
, formerly of Kai Hansen's Gamma Ray
, on drums. Deris had been approached by Weikath to join the band in 1991, but he had declined, despite being intrigued by the offer and having to deal with emerging conflicts between him and his band. In the years since, however, Kiske was fired from Helloween and the issues within Pink Cream 69 worsened. Faced with the inevitability of his firing, Deris accepted Weikath's offer. Despite not possessing the four-octave range boasted by Kiske, Deris's vocal similarity to Kai Hansen, his enthusiasm, his strong songwriting skills, the return of the "classic" Helloween sound in songs such as "Where the Rain Grows" and "The Game Is On", and the seeming rejuvenation of Weikath and Grapow seemed to strike a chord with the fans. With this new lineup and a new record contract with Castle Communications, Helloween released its comeback album, Master of the Rings
.
In 1995, original drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg
committed suicide by jumping in front of a train in his native Hamburg. In the years since his departure from Helloween, Schwichtenberg had gotten involved in drug-use and suffered from depression. Dedicated to his memory, 1996's The Time Of The Oath
re-established the band as one of the most popular European metal bands (see 1996 in music
). Following another world tour, a double live album called High Live
was released. In 1998 Helloween released Better Than Raw
, one of the band's heaviest albums since the full-length debut. The subsequent supporting tour was made up of stops in Europe, Japan, and Brazil, but on December 20, 1998, the band visited New York and played a show at the venue Coney Island High in Manhattan, the first show for Helloween in the United States in nearly a decade. The band would follow Better Than Raw with a 1999 release titled Metal Jukebox
, a cover-album featuring Helloween's versions of songs from such bands as Jethro Tull
, Faith No More
, The Beatles
, ABBA
, and Deep Purple
.
, a more experimental and darker album than their previous releases. It came complete with downtuned guitars and a gruffer singing style from Deris. Immediately following the tour, Helloween parted ways with guitarist Roland Grapow and drummer Uli Kusch. One version of events states that Weikath, Deris and Grosskopf felt that Kusch and Grapow, in particular, were spending more time on and paying more attention to their new side-project, Masterplan (Grapow's output on Helloween albums had dropped to barely one song per album by that point); since the others believed that Kusch and Grapow were not 100% dedicated to Helloween they were dismissed. Another version states that Grapow and Kusch had pushed to continue the direction that the band had taken with The Dark Ride and that Weikath, not wanting a repetition of the Kiske situation, huddled with Deris and Grosskopf, whereby the decision was made to get rid of them. In any case, they were fired, via e-mail
(with Grapow's wife finding out before he did that he had been fired), and decided to make Masterplan their full-time band. They were replaced by guitarist Sascha Gerstner
(ex-Freedom Call
, Neumond), and drummer Mark Cross (ex-Metalium
, Kingdom Come
, At Vance
, Firewind
), culminating with the recording of another studio album, titled Rabbit Don't Come Easy
, in 2003. Cross could not finish the album due to mononucleosis, completing only two tracks; the drum tracks were completed by Motörhead's Mikkey Dee
. Stefan Schwarzmann
, former drummer of Running Wild
and Accept
would shortly thereafter take over the drumming duties. Despite a somewhat tepid response to the album, Helloween nonetheless completed a successful world tour, highlighted by the return of classic songs such as "Starlight", "Murderer", "Keeper of the Seven Keys" and "How Many Tears" to the setlist. Additionally, the band toured the United States for the first time since 1989 playing to sold-out crowds at nearly every venue.
. A change in record company also followed as they inked a deal with German label SPV
. Any fears that what had now become a revolving door of band members would affect the quality of their new album were laid to rest as Helloween's new studio album, titled Keeper of the Seven Keys - The Legacy
, was released on October 28, 2005 in Germany, and November 8 in the U.S.A. to commercial and critical acclaim. The album had a pre-release single, "Mrs. God
", as well as a video for the track. The track "Light the Universe
" was released as a single on November 22, featuring Candice Night
of Blackmore's Night
on guest vocals. She also appears in the video clip for that track.
In late 2006, Helloween filmed and recorded shows in São Paulo
(Brazil), Sofia
(Bulgaria) and Tokyo (Japan), for their live album Keeper of the Seven Keys – The Legacy World Tour 2005/2006. The DVD also featured extra footage of the band as well as interviews and a road movie. This is the second Helloween live album to feature Andi Deris as frontman, and third overall. It enjoyed chart success in several countries: Germany: 9 (DVD) & 58 (CD), Sweden: 9 (DVD), France: 10 (DVD)
Helloween has since completed their studio album Gambling with the Devil
, which was released on October 23, 2007. It received many positive reviews, with most fans praising the album as being one of the best Deris era albums. Despite being one of Helloween's heaviest albums, it is noted for featuring more keyboards. "As Long as I Fall
", the first single, was released in early September and available only via download (save for Japan, where it was released on CD). The video for the song is available at their official site.
Helloween teamed up with Kai Hansen
's current band Gamma Ray
for their 2007/2008 "Hellish Rock" world tour, which started in early November 2007. Helloween were headlining and Gamma Ray
were labeled as the "very special guest" with most shows also having fellow German "guest" Axxis
. The tour went through Europe, Asia, South America as well as a few dates in the US. The tour is notable for Kai Hansen
stepping on stage with his former band fellows Weikath and Grosskopf to perform hits "I Want Out" and "Future World" in the last encore
segment of Helloween.
album in Japan. The album was released on February 1, 2010 in Europe. The album is a compilation of 10 of the band's best known songs, re-recorded in different musical styles than the original recordings and by the current lineup. It features a 17 minute "Keepers Medley", recorded by a 70 piece orchestra from Prague, mixing together "Halloween", "The Keeper of the Seven Keys", and "The King for 1000 years". There is a limited edition digipak
, including a 30 minute "making of"-DVD with interviews and studio footage. The bands website states that the album was released on April 13, 2010 in North America via Sony & THE END RECORDS labels. On May 14, 2010, it was announced on their site that they are working on a new studio album, which would be their fastest and heaviest effort in years.
, on October 31 in Europe and November 3 in the US. Before its physical release, the band made it available worldwide for streaming via its Myspace page. The name of the album alludes to the seven deadly sins which, according to Andi Deris, it goes straight to the point "after an acoustic album, we needed definitely
something that shows the people without any question that this is a metal album". The band has started a tour to promote the album. They are joined in concerts by Stratovarius
and Trick or Treat/Pink Cream 69
as their guests. Its been announced on April 5, 2011, Via the bands website that 7 Sinners
has now been awarded 'Gold status' in Czech republic alone. The band announced that after their european tour ended they will start to write and record a new album.
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 1 and Pt.2, are considered masterpieces of the genre.
Since its creation, the band has released thirteen studio albums and has undergone numerous line-up changes. Former members have gone on to found numerous bands, including Gamma Ray
Gamma Ray (band)
Gamma Ray is a power metal band from Hamburg, northern Germany, founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from the German power metal Helloween. Hansen is the current lead vocalist, guitarist as well as the chief songwriter of Gamma Ray. The band is known as one of the most prominent...
, Iron Savior
Iron Savior
Iron Savior is a German power metal band that formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1996. Following a period of several years working behind the scenes in music production, multi-instrumentalist and producer/engineer Piet Sielck joined with former Helloween bandmate Kai Hansen and then-drummer for Blind...
and Masterplan.
Walls of Jericho (1984-1986)
Helloween formed in 1984 in HamburgHamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Germany. The original line-up included Kai Hansen
Kai Hansen
Kai Michael Hansen is a power metal guitarist and vocalist.Hansen is the founder, lead guitarist, and vocalist of power metal band Gamma Ray, and the co-founder and former member of German metal band Helloween. He is a prominent figure in power metal, and has sold millions of albums worldwide...
on vocals and guitar, Michael Weikath
Michael Weikath
Michael Ingo Joachim Weikath is the guitarist of the German Power metal band Helloween."Weiki" was born in Hamburg, Germany. He is one of the Helloween founding members, along with the musicians Kai Hansen , Markus Grosskopf and Ingo Schwichtenberg . Along with Grosskopf he is the only other...
on guitar, Markus Grosskopf
Markus Grosskopf
Markus Großkopf, born 21 September 1965 in Hamburg, Germany, is the bass guitarist, and one of only two remaining original members of the German power metal band Helloween...
on bass, and Ingo Schwichtenberg
Ingo Schwichtenberg
Ingo Schwichtenberg was one of the founding members of German power metal band Helloween and was famous for his high-energy drumming....
on drums. That year, the band signed with Noise Records
Noise Records (Germany)
Noise Records was a German record label founded by German music industry personality Karl-Ulrich Walterbach in 1983 as an expansion of his company Modern Music Records. Noise Records specialized in thrash and melodic speed metal. It was sold to the Sanctuary Records Group in 2001 and ceased any...
and recorded two songs for a Noise compilation record called Death Metal
Death Metal (Split album)
Death Metal is a split album by the bands Helloween, Hellhammer, Running Wild and Dark Avenger. It contains the only recorded material of the German band Dark Avenger....
. The compilation featured the bands Hellhammer
Hellhammer
Hellhammer was an influential extreme metal band from Switzerland, active during 1982–1984. They are regarded as being one of the first extreme metal bands and are a key influence on later black metal and death metal bands.-Biography:...
, Running Wild
Running Wild (band)
Running Wild is a German heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Hamburg. They were part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene to emerge in the early to mid 1980s. The band has carved its niche in the metal world as the first "pirate metal" band, a theme which took off with the release of Under...
, and [Blood Avenger (band)]. The two tracks were "Oernst of Life" by Weikath and Hansen's "Metal Invaders," a faster version of which would appear on the band's first full-length album.
Helloween recorded and released its first record in 1985, a self-titled
Helloween (album)
-Credits:*Kai Hansen – vocals, Guitar*Michael Weikath – Guitar*Markus Grosskopf – Bass*Ingo Schwichtenberg – drums-Facts:* Recorded January – February, 1985 at Musiclab Studio, Berlin, Germany* Produced by Helloween...
EP containing 5 tracks. Also that year, the band released its first full-length album, Walls of Jericho
Walls of Jericho (album)
Walls of Jericho is the debut full length studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1985 on LP and had an important development in the power metal giving some influences.In 1988 Walls of Jericho was released on CD...
. During the following concert tour, Hansen had difficulties singing and playing the guitar at the same time. Kai's last recording as the band's lead singer was in 1986 on an EP titled Judas
Judas (song)
"Judas" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga, taken from her second studio album Born This Way . The song was released worldwide on April 15, 2011, four days ahead of its scheduled release, by Interscope Records. Written and produced by Lady Gaga and RedOne, "Judas" is a dance song that...
, which contained the song "Judas" and two other live tracks. Following these releases, Helloween began the search for a new vocalist.
Keeper of the Seven Keys, Parts I & II (1986-1989)
The band found an 18-year-old singer, Michael KiskeMichael Kiske
Michael Kiske is a singer best known as the lead vocalist for the German power metal band Helloween, from 1986 to 1993. From 1996 up to 2009, Kiske recorded four solo albums, participated on various metal and rock related projects, while he also performed with numerous bands as a guest vocalist...
, from a local Hamburg band named Ill Prophecy. With their new lead singer in tow, Helloween approached record labels Noise International and RCA and proposed the release of a double-LP to introduce the new line-up. This proposition was turned down. Instead, they recorded a single LP, Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I, which was released in 1987. In 1988, Helloween released Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II, the companion album. MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
put the single "I Want Out" into heavy rotation and in support of its "Headbanger's Ball" show. MTV also presented the inaugural Headbanger's Ball Tour with Helloween joining San Francisco Bay area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
thrash-metal band Exodus
Exodus (band)
Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...
in support of headlining act Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
. The band was slotted in the prestigious second spot, right before Anthrax's set. On the heels of this exposure to US audiences, the band achieved worldwide success.
Guitarist Kai Hansen unexpectedly left the band soon after the European leg of the Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II tour, due to conflicts within the band, troubles with Noise International, and a growing dissatisfaction with life on tour. He was soon replaced by former Rampage guitarist Roland Grapow
Roland Grapow
Roland Grapow, born 30 August 1959 in Hamburg, Germany is a professional guitarist and music producer. Roland is best known for his time in the power metal band Helloween, who he played with for 12 years after replacing founding member Kai Hansen...
, who finished the rest of the tour with the band.
Pink Bubbles Go Ape and Chameleon (1989-1993)
In 1989 the band released a live album called Live in the U.K. (Keepers Live in Japan and I Want Out Live in the United States), featuring material from its 1988 European tour. The remaining members continued on, but ran into label problems with Noise, and after litigation kept them from touring and releasing new material, they were eventually released from their contract. A new album would not appear until 1991 when, after several rumors about the band's breaking up, they released Pink Bubbles Go ApePink Bubbles Go Ape
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...
for their new record company, EMI. The album was less heavy, and with song titles such as "Heavy Metal Hamsters", "I'm Doing Fine, Crazy Man", and "Shit and Lobster", showed a shift toward — and an emphasis on — humor rather than the epic moods on previous releases. As a result, Pink Bubbles Go Ape failed both commercially and critically, and tensions started to build amongst the band members.
The pop-influenced follow-up Chameleon was released in 1993. Instead of taking a heavier approach, the band ventured into new territory, eschewing its signature double-guitar harmonies for synthesizers, horns, acoustic guitars, a children's chorus, country music, grunge, and swing. As with the previous album, Chameleon failed commercially and critically. Tensions within Helloween worsened, and the band split into three factions, with Michael Kiske and Ingo Schwichtenberg on one side, Michael Weikath and Roland Grapow on the other, and Markus Grosskopf in the middle, trying to keep peace between the four men.
Kiske's departure
Shortly after, the band began to disintegrate. During the Chameleon tour, the band would often play to half-filled venues. Drummer Ingo SchwichtenbergIngo Schwichtenberg
Ingo Schwichtenberg was one of the founding members of German power metal band Helloween and was famous for his high-energy drumming....
fell ill due to mental and drug-related issues, and was eventually fired, replaced by session drummer Ritchie Abdel-Nabi. Meanwhile, the conflicts within the rest of the band worsened, with Michael Weikath refusing to work any longer with Michael Kiske. The decision was made to fire Kiske. Since his firing, Kiske has not spoken positively about Helloween. In May 2008, Kiske released Past In Different Ways
Past in Different Ways
Past in Different Ways is the fourth solo album of vocalist Michael Kiske. It features acoustic renditions of songs written by Kiske during his time in Helloween and one new track. This came as a surprise to fans, considering Kiske's desire to leave the world of Helloween and heavy metal behind...
; an album featuring most of his old Helloween songs, albeit rearranged and re-recorded acoustically.
In addition to the firing of Kiske, Abdel-Nabi, whose inability to replicate Schwichtenberg's machine-gun style of drumming hindered Helloween's ability to play live fan-favorites like "Eagle Fly Free" and "How Many Tears", was let go by the band. 1993 would come to a close for Helloween with no singer, no drummer, and no record contract (EMI released the band from its agreement for the low sales numbers for Pink Bubbles Go Ape and Chameleon).
Master of the Rings, The Time of the Oath and Better Than Raw (1994-1999)
Helloween returned in 1994 with former Pink Cream 69Pink Cream 69
Pink Cream 69 is a German hard rock band founded in 1987 in Karlsruhe, Germany by Andi Deris, Dennis Ward, Kosta Zafiriou and Alfred Koffler. The band gained their first contract by winning music magazine Metal Hammer 's newcomer competition in Ludwigsburg one year after forming. In 1994, Andi...
frontman Andi Deris
Andi Deris
Andreas "Andi" Deris is the vocalist and the main songwriter for power metal band Helloween, and co-founder and former lead singer of German melodic metal band Pink Cream 69...
as its new lead singer and Uli Kusch
Uli Kusch
Ulrich Kusch, born 11 March 1967, is a heavy metal drummer. He is best known for playing with Helloween, Gamma Ray, and Masterplan. He is known for his technical style of playing, fast-paced speed metal-like rhythm and capable songwriting abilities.-Biography:...
, formerly of Kai Hansen's Gamma Ray
Gamma Ray (band)
Gamma Ray is a power metal band from Hamburg, northern Germany, founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from the German power metal Helloween. Hansen is the current lead vocalist, guitarist as well as the chief songwriter of Gamma Ray. The band is known as one of the most prominent...
, on drums. Deris had been approached by Weikath to join the band in 1991, but he had declined, despite being intrigued by the offer and having to deal with emerging conflicts between him and his band. In the years since, however, Kiske was fired from Helloween and the issues within Pink Cream 69 worsened. Faced with the inevitability of his firing, Deris accepted Weikath's offer. Despite not possessing the four-octave range boasted by Kiske, Deris's vocal similarity to Kai Hansen, his enthusiasm, his strong songwriting skills, the return of the "classic" Helloween sound in songs such as "Where the Rain Grows" and "The Game Is On", and the seeming rejuvenation of Weikath and Grapow seemed to strike a chord with the fans. With this new lineup and a new record contract with Castle Communications, Helloween released its comeback album, Master of the Rings
Master of the Rings
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....
.
In 1995, original drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg
Ingo Schwichtenberg
Ingo Schwichtenberg was one of the founding members of German power metal band Helloween and was famous for his high-energy drumming....
committed suicide by jumping in front of a train in his native Hamburg. In the years since his departure from Helloween, Schwichtenberg had gotten involved in drug-use and suffered from depression. Dedicated to his memory, 1996's The Time Of The Oath
The Time of the Oath
*M - 3,4 also appears on The Time of the Oath single.*M - 5,6 also appears on the Power single.*M - 7,8 also appears on the Forever And One single.- Personnel :* Andi Deris - vocals* Michael Weikath - guitar* Roland Grapow - guitar* Markus Grosskopf - bass...
re-established the band as one of the most popular European metal bands (see 1996 in music
1996 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...
). Following another world tour, a double live album called High Live
High Live
-Disc two:- Credits :* Andi Deris - Vocals* Michael Weikath - Guitars* Roland Grapow - Guitars* Markus Grosskopf - Bass* Uli Kusch - Drums-External links:*...
was released. In 1998 Helloween released Better Than Raw
Better Than Raw
*M - 2 also appears on the I Can single.*M - 3,4 also appears on the Hey Lord! single.-Personnel:*Andi Deris - vocals*Michael Weikath - guitar*Roland Grapow - guitar*Markus Grosskopf - bass*Uli Kusch - drums*Jorn Ellerbrock - keyboards...
, one of the band's heaviest albums since the full-length debut. The subsequent supporting tour was made up of stops in Europe, Japan, and Brazil, but on December 20, 1998, the band visited New York and played a show at the venue Coney Island High in Manhattan, the first show for Helloween in the United States in nearly a decade. The band would follow Better Than Raw with a 1999 release titled Metal Jukebox
Metal Jukebox
-Personnel:*Andi Deris - vocals*Michael Weikath - guitar*Roland Grapow - guitar*Markus Grosskopf - bass*Uli Kusch - drums...
, a cover-album featuring Helloween's versions of songs from such bands as Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
, Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
, and Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
.
The Dark Ride and Rabbit Don't Come Easy (2000-2004)
The year 2000 saw the release of The Dark RideThe Dark Ride
On copies of The Dark Ride and Rabbit Don't Come Easy the disc has "Mr. Torture" and "All over the Nations" in reverse order so this way "All over the Nations" is track #2...
, a more experimental and darker album than their previous releases. It came complete with downtuned guitars and a gruffer singing style from Deris. Immediately following the tour, Helloween parted ways with guitarist Roland Grapow and drummer Uli Kusch. One version of events states that Weikath, Deris and Grosskopf felt that Kusch and Grapow, in particular, were spending more time on and paying more attention to their new side-project, Masterplan (Grapow's output on Helloween albums had dropped to barely one song per album by that point); since the others believed that Kusch and Grapow were not 100% dedicated to Helloween they were dismissed. Another version states that Grapow and Kusch had pushed to continue the direction that the band had taken with The Dark Ride and that Weikath, not wanting a repetition of the Kiske situation, huddled with Deris and Grosskopf, whereby the decision was made to get rid of them. In any case, they were fired, via e-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
(with Grapow's wife finding out before he did that he had been fired), and decided to make Masterplan their full-time band. They were replaced by guitarist Sascha Gerstner
Sascha Gerstner
Sascha Gerstner is a German musician and photographer, currently playing guitar in German Power Metal act Helloween.-Biography:...
(ex-Freedom Call
Freedom Call
Freedom Call is a German power metal band formed in 1998.-Biography:Freedom Call was formed in 1998 by old friends Chris Bay and Daniel Zimmermann during an off-period for the latter's main band, Gamma Ray...
, Neumond), and drummer Mark Cross (ex-Metalium
Metalium
Metalium was a power metal band from Hamburg, Germany. Their style of music was that of the traditional power metal sound which was pioneered in Hamburg by bands such as Helloween and Blind Guardian...
, Kingdom Come
Kingdom Come (band)
Kingdom Come is a hard rock band fronted by Hamburg-born vocalist Lenny Wolf. The group's first album, Kingdom Come was that band's only international hit. It currently consists of an entirely German line-up.-History:...
, At Vance
At Vance
At Vance is a German power metal/Neo-classical metal band. They were formed by vocalist Oliver Hartmann and guitarist Olaf Lenk in 1998.-Biography:...
, Firewind
Firewind
Firewind is a Greek power metal band. Formed in 1998, the group is currently signed to Century Media Records and was originally a small project created by guitarist, Gus G. to showcase his demo, Nocturnal Symphony in 1998. Firewind later became a full band over three years later when they recorded...
), culminating with the recording of another studio album, titled Rabbit Don't Come Easy
Rabbit Don't Come Easy
Rabbit Don't Come Easy is the tenth album by the German power metal/heavy metal band Helloween. It is something of a return to the roots for the band. Rabbit Don't Come Easy combines many old classic Helloween elements with newer sounds and a modern production.No drummer is listed in the band...
, in 2003. Cross could not finish the album due to mononucleosis, completing only two tracks; the drum tracks were completed by Motörhead's Mikkey Dee
Mikkey Dee
Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou , better known as Mikkey Dee is a drummer/songwriter in the Heavy metal band Motörhead. A Swede of Greek descent, he has been known for his speed and precision since his mid-80s stint with King Diamond.- Early life :Delaoglou began his musical career with local bands...
. Stefan Schwarzmann
Stefan Schwarzmann
Stefan Schwarzmann is a German drummer who has recorded for Accept, U.D.O., Running Wild, X-Wild, Krokus and Helloween. Schwarzmann joined Helloween as a replacement for departing drummer Mark Cross in 2003. Although Stefan got on well with the members of the band, he had other musical preferences...
, former drummer of Running Wild
Running Wild (band)
Running Wild is a German heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Hamburg. They were part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene to emerge in the early to mid 1980s. The band has carved its niche in the metal world as the first "pirate metal" band, a theme which took off with the release of Under...
and Accept
Accept
Accept is a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled by former vocalist Udo Dirkschneider, guitarist Wolf Hoffmann and bassist Peter Baltes. Their beginnings can be traced back to the late 1960s...
would shortly thereafter take over the drumming duties. Despite a somewhat tepid response to the album, Helloween nonetheless completed a successful world tour, highlighted by the return of classic songs such as "Starlight", "Murderer", "Keeper of the Seven Keys" and "How Many Tears" to the setlist. Additionally, the band toured the United States for the first time since 1989 playing to sold-out crowds at nearly every venue.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy and Gambling with the Devil (2005-2008)
2005 saw yet another line-up change, following the "Rabbits on the Run" tour, as it became apparent that Helloween and Stefan Schwarzmann did not share the same musical vision. As further noted by the band, he had some trouble performing fast drum parts, so he was replaced by Dani Löble, the former drummer of German metal band Rawhead RexxRawhead Rexx
Rawhead Rexx are a German power metal/heavy metal band. The current members are guitarist and vocalist Juergen Volk, bass player "Face" and drummer Vito Cecere....
. A change in record company also followed as they inked a deal with German label SPV
SPV GmbH
SPV GmbH is an independent German record label.Founded on January 1, 1984, it has slowly grown to be one of the largest independent distributors and record labels worldwide....
. Any fears that what had now become a revolving door of band members would affect the quality of their new album were laid to rest as Helloween's new studio album, titled Keeper of the Seven Keys - The Legacy
Keeper of the Seven Keys - The Legacy
Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy is the eleventh studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released October 31, 2005. The musicians, Andi Deris , Michael Weikath , Markus Grosskopf , Sascha Gerstner and new addition Dani Löble , see this recording in direct context with their 1987 and...
, was released on October 28, 2005 in Germany, and November 8 in the U.S.A. to commercial and critical acclaim. The album had a pre-release single, "Mrs. God
Mrs. God
"Mrs. God" is a song by the German power metal band Helloween from their album Keeper of the Seven Keys - The Legacy. The song is about the emancipation of women showing Helloween's sense of humour...
", as well as a video for the track. The track "Light the Universe
Light the Universe
Light the Universe is a song by the German power metal band Helloween from their album Keeper of the Seven Keys - The Legacy.It features Candice Night from Blackmore's Night as co-vocalist...
" was released as a single on November 22, featuring Candice Night
Candice Night
Candice Night is an American vocalist/songwriter and the musical partner of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. She is the lead singer, multi-instrumentalist, and lyricist for the traditional folk rock project, Blackmore's Night since its origins in 1997.-Biography:Born in Hauppauge, Long Island, New...
of Blackmore's Night
Blackmore's Night
Blackmore's Night is an English-American traditional folk rock duo led by Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night .-Early:...
on guest vocals. She also appears in the video clip for that track.
In late 2006, Helloween filmed and recorded shows in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
(Brazil), Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
(Bulgaria) and Tokyo (Japan), for their live album Keeper of the Seven Keys – The Legacy World Tour 2005/2006. The DVD also featured extra footage of the band as well as interviews and a road movie. This is the second Helloween live album to feature Andi Deris as frontman, and third overall. It enjoyed chart success in several countries: Germany: 9 (DVD) & 58 (CD), Sweden: 9 (DVD), France: 10 (DVD)
Helloween has since completed their studio album Gambling with the Devil
Gambling with the Devil
-Critical reception:The album has received mostly positive reviews, with critics hailing it as one of the band's strongest efforts in quite a while.Andi Deris' vocals on the album also got praise for their power, range and emotion.-Charts:-Credits:...
, which was released on October 23, 2007. It received many positive reviews, with most fans praising the album as being one of the best Deris era albums. Despite being one of Helloween's heaviest albums, it is noted for featuring more keyboards. "As Long as I Fall
As Long as I Fall
- References :* Official Helloween Messageboard * Official Helloween Website...
", the first single, was released in early September and available only via download (save for Japan, where it was released on CD). The video for the song is available at their official site.
Helloween teamed up with Kai Hansen
Kai Hansen
Kai Michael Hansen is a power metal guitarist and vocalist.Hansen is the founder, lead guitarist, and vocalist of power metal band Gamma Ray, and the co-founder and former member of German metal band Helloween. He is a prominent figure in power metal, and has sold millions of albums worldwide...
's current band Gamma Ray
Gamma Ray (band)
Gamma Ray is a power metal band from Hamburg, northern Germany, founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from the German power metal Helloween. Hansen is the current lead vocalist, guitarist as well as the chief songwriter of Gamma Ray. The band is known as one of the most prominent...
for their 2007/2008 "Hellish Rock" world tour, which started in early November 2007. Helloween were headlining and Gamma Ray
Gamma Ray (band)
Gamma Ray is a power metal band from Hamburg, northern Germany, founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from the German power metal Helloween. Hansen is the current lead vocalist, guitarist as well as the chief songwriter of Gamma Ray. The band is known as one of the most prominent...
were labeled as the "very special guest" with most shows also having fellow German "guest" Axxis
Axxis
Axxis is a German power metal band that was founded in 1988. Their debut album, "Kingdom of the Night", became the best-selling debut album ever by a hard rock band in Germany in 1989.-Biography:...
. The tour went through Europe, Asia, South America as well as a few dates in the US. The tour is notable for Kai Hansen
Kai Hansen
Kai Michael Hansen is a power metal guitarist and vocalist.Hansen is the founder, lead guitarist, and vocalist of power metal band Gamma Ray, and the co-founder and former member of German metal band Helloween. He is a prominent figure in power metal, and has sold millions of albums worldwide...
stepping on stage with his former band fellows Weikath and Grosskopf to perform hits "I Want Out" and "Future World" in the last encore
Encore (concert)
An encore is an additional performance added to the end of a concert, from the French "encore", which means "again", "some more"; multiple encores are not uncommon. Encores originated spontaneously, when audiences would continue to applaud and demand additional performance from the artist after the...
segment of Helloween.
Unarmed - Best of 25th Anniversary (2009)
On December 26, 2009, Helloween released the Unarmed – Best of 25th AnniversaryUnarmed – Best of 25th Anniversary
-Charts:-Credits:*Andi Deris – Vocals*Michael Weikath – Guitar *Sascha Gerstner – Guitar*Markus Grosskopf – Bass *Dani Löble – Drums *Prague Symphony Orchestra...
album in Japan. The album was released on February 1, 2010 in Europe. The album is a compilation of 10 of the band's best known songs, re-recorded in different musical styles than the original recordings and by the current lineup. It features a 17 minute "Keepers Medley", recorded by a 70 piece orchestra from Prague, mixing together "Halloween", "The Keeper of the Seven Keys", and "The King for 1000 years". There is a limited edition digipak
Digipak
Digipak is a patented style of CD, DVD or BD packaging, and is a registered trademark of AGI World Ltd., an Atlas Holdings company.-Features:...
, including a 30 minute "making of"-DVD with interviews and studio footage. The bands website states that the album was released on April 13, 2010 in North America via Sony & THE END RECORDS labels. On May 14, 2010, it was announced on their site that they are working on a new studio album, which would be their fastest and heaviest effort in years.
7 Sinners (2010)
Helloween released their brand new album, 7 Sinners7 Sinners
7 Sinners is the thirteenth studio album by Helloween, released October 31, 2010.A video clip for "Are You Metal?" was released 11 October 2010. Its visuals draw from the Saw movie franchise and play on clichés of the metal genre...
, on October 31 in Europe and November 3 in the US. Before its physical release, the band made it available worldwide for streaming via its Myspace page. The name of the album alludes to the seven deadly sins which, according to Andi Deris, it goes straight to the point "after an acoustic album, we needed definitely
something that shows the people without any question that this is a metal album". The band has started a tour to promote the album. They are joined in concerts by Stratovarius
Stratovarius
Stratovarius are a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1984. Since their formation they have released 13 studio albums and one live album. Along with Helloween, Blind Guardian, Rhapsody of Fire and Gamma Ray, Stratovarius are considered one of the leading groups of the power metal and symphonic...
and Trick or Treat/Pink Cream 69
Pink Cream 69
Pink Cream 69 is a German hard rock band founded in 1987 in Karlsruhe, Germany by Andi Deris, Dennis Ward, Kosta Zafiriou and Alfred Koffler. The band gained their first contract by winning music magazine Metal Hammer 's newcomer competition in Ludwigsburg one year after forming. In 1994, Andi...
as their guests. Its been announced on April 5, 2011, Via the bands website that 7 Sinners
7 Sinners
7 Sinners is the thirteenth studio album by Helloween, released October 31, 2010.A video clip for "Are You Metal?" was released 11 October 2010. Its visuals draw from the Saw movie franchise and play on clichés of the metal genre...
has now been awarded 'Gold status' in Czech republic alone. The band announced that after their european tour ended they will start to write and record a new album.
Members
- Andi Deris – lead vocals (1993–present)
- Michael Weikath – lead guitar (1984–present)
- Sascha Gerstner – guitar (2002–present)
- Markus Grosskopf – bass (1984–present)
- Daniel Löble – drums (2005–present)
| Era | Lineup | Album(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1984–1986 |
|
Helloween (album) -Credits:*Kai Hansen – vocals, Guitar*Michael Weikath – Guitar*Markus Grosskopf – Bass*Ingo Schwichtenberg – drums-Facts:* Recorded January – February, 1985 at Musiclab Studio, Berlin, Germany* Produced by Helloween... (1985) Walls of Jericho (album) Walls of Jericho is the debut full length studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1985 on LP and had an important development in the power metal giving some influences.In 1988 Walls of Jericho was released on CD... (1985) |
| 1986–1989 |
Michael Kiske Michael Kiske is a singer best known as the lead vocalist for the German power metal band Helloween, from 1986 to 1993. From 1996 up to 2009, Kiske recorded four solo albums, participated on various metal and rock related projects, while he also performed with numerous bands as a guest vocalist... – vocals |
Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 2 *"Save Us" was not included on the original LP: appears on the NOISE Records release.*Tracks 1 and 2 also appear on the "Dr. Stein" single*Track 3 also appears on the "I Want Out" single*Tracks 4 and 5 also appear on the Treasure Chest compilation... (1988) |
| 1989–1993 |
Roland Grapow Roland Grapow, born 30 August 1959 in Hamburg, Germany is a professional guitarist and music producer. Roland is best known for his time in the power metal band Helloween, who he played with for 12 years after replacing founding member Kai Hansen... – guitar, backing vocals |
Pink Bubbles Go Ape 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... (1991) |
| 1993–2001 |
Andi Deris Andreas "Andi" Deris is the vocalist and the main songwriter for power metal band Helloween, and co-founder and former lead singer of German melodic metal band Pink Cream 69... – vocals Uli Kusch Ulrich Kusch, born 11 March 1967, is a heavy metal drummer. He is best known for playing with Helloween, Gamma Ray, and Masterplan. He is known for his technical style of playing, fast-paced speed metal-like rhythm and capable songwriting abilities.-Biography:... – drums, backing vocals |
Master of the Rings 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.... (1994) The Time of the Oath *M - 3,4 also appears on The Time of the Oath single.*M - 5,6 also appears on the Power single.*M - 7,8 also appears on the Forever And One single.- Personnel :* Andi Deris - vocals* Michael Weikath - guitar* Roland Grapow - guitar* Markus Grosskopf - bass... (1996) Better Than Raw *M - 2 also appears on the I Can single.*M - 3,4 also appears on the Hey Lord! single.-Personnel:*Andi Deris - vocals*Michael Weikath - guitar*Roland Grapow - guitar*Markus Grosskopf - bass*Uli Kusch - drums*Jorn Ellerbrock - keyboards... (1998) Metal Jukebox -Personnel:*Andi Deris - vocals*Michael Weikath - guitar*Roland Grapow - guitar*Markus Grosskopf - bass*Uli Kusch - drums... (1999) The Dark Ride On copies of The Dark Ride and Rabbit Don't Come Easy the disc has "Mr. Torture" and "All over the Nations" in reverse order so this way "All over the Nations" is track #2... (2000) |
| 2001-2003 |
Sascha Gerstner Sascha Gerstner is a German musician and photographer, currently playing guitar in German Power Metal act Helloween.-Biography:... — guitars, backing vocals |
Rabbit Don't Come Easy Rabbit Don't Come Easy is the tenth album by the German power metal/heavy metal band Helloween. It is something of a return to the roots for the band. Rabbit Don't Come Easy combines many old classic Helloween elements with newer sounds and a modern production.No drummer is listed in the band... (2003) |
| 2003–2005 |
Stefan Schwarzmann Stefan Schwarzmann is a German drummer who has recorded for Accept, U.D.O., Running Wild, X-Wild, Krokus and Helloween. Schwarzmann joined Helloween as a replacement for departing drummer Mark Cross in 2003. Although Stefan got on well with the members of the band, he had other musical preferences... – drums |
Rabbit Don't Come Easy Rabbit Don't Come Easy is the tenth album by the German power metal/heavy metal band Helloween. It is something of a return to the roots for the band. Rabbit Don't Come Easy combines many old classic Helloween elements with newer sounds and a modern production.No drummer is listed in the band... (2003) |
| 2005–present |
Daniel Löble Daniel "Dani" Löble is a Swiss-German drummer, who since 2005 has been playing in the legendary power metal band Helloween. Dani began his career with Rawhead Rexx, a band that he helped form but departed due to his new commitments to Helloween. He was also a touring drummer for Blaze Bayley from... – drums |
Keeper of the Seven Keys - The Legacy Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy is the eleventh studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released October 31, 2005. The musicians, Andi Deris , Michael Weikath , Markus Grosskopf , Sascha Gerstner and new addition Dani Löble , see this recording in direct context with their 1987 and... (2005) Gambling with the Devil -Critical reception:The album has received mostly positive reviews, with critics hailing it as one of the band's strongest efforts in quite a while.Andi Deris' vocals on the album also got praise for their power, range and emotion.-Charts:-Credits:... (2007) 7 Sinners 7 Sinners is the thirteenth studio album by Helloween, released October 31, 2010.A video clip for "Are You Metal?" was released 11 October 2010. Its visuals draw from the Saw movie franchise and play on clichés of the metal genre... (2010) |
Former tour-only members
- Jorn Ellerbrock – keyboards (1988–2003)
- Ritchie Abdel Nabi – drums (1993)
Discography
- Helloween (EP)Helloween (album)-Credits:*Kai Hansen – vocals, Guitar*Michael Weikath – Guitar*Markus Grosskopf – Bass*Ingo Schwichtenberg – drums-Facts:* Recorded January – February, 1985 at Musiclab Studio, Berlin, Germany* Produced by Helloween...
(1985) - Walls of JerichoWalls of Jericho (album)Walls of Jericho is the debut full length studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1985 on LP and had an important development in the power metal giving some influences.In 1988 Walls of Jericho was released on CD...
(1985) - Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 1 (1987)
- Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 2 (1988)
- Pink Bubbles Go ApePink Bubbles Go ApePink 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...
(1991) - Chameleon (1993)
- Master of the RingsMaster of the RingsMaster 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....
(1994) - The Time of the OathThe Time of the Oath*M - 3,4 also appears on The Time of the Oath single.*M - 5,6 also appears on the Power single.*M - 7,8 also appears on the Forever And One single.- Personnel :* Andi Deris - vocals* Michael Weikath - guitar* Roland Grapow - guitar* Markus Grosskopf - bass...
(1996) - Better Than RawBetter Than Raw*M - 2 also appears on the I Can single.*M - 3,4 also appears on the Hey Lord! single.-Personnel:*Andi Deris - vocals*Michael Weikath - guitar*Roland Grapow - guitar*Markus Grosskopf - bass*Uli Kusch - drums*Jorn Ellerbrock - keyboards...
(1998) - Metal JukeboxMetal Jukebox-Personnel:*Andi Deris - vocals*Michael Weikath - guitar*Roland Grapow - guitar*Markus Grosskopf - bass*Uli Kusch - drums...
(1999) - The Dark RideThe Dark RideOn copies of The Dark Ride and Rabbit Don't Come Easy the disc has "Mr. Torture" and "All over the Nations" in reverse order so this way "All over the Nations" is track #2...
(2000) - Rabbit Don't Come EasyRabbit Don't Come EasyRabbit Don't Come Easy is the tenth album by the German power metal/heavy metal band Helloween. It is something of a return to the roots for the band. Rabbit Don't Come Easy combines many old classic Helloween elements with newer sounds and a modern production.No drummer is listed in the band...
(2003) - Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy (2005)
- Gambling with the DevilGambling with the Devil-Critical reception:The album has received mostly positive reviews, with critics hailing it as one of the band's strongest efforts in quite a while.Andi Deris' vocals on the album also got praise for their power, range and emotion.-Charts:-Credits:...
(2007) - 7 Sinners7 Sinners7 Sinners is the thirteenth studio album by Helloween, released October 31, 2010.A video clip for "Are You Metal?" was released 11 October 2010. Its visuals draw from the Saw movie franchise and play on clichés of the metal genre...
(2010) - Upcoming album (2012)