There are bands that define a movement, and then there are bands that create one. Helloween is the latter. Over the course of four decades, the German Metal legends have forged a path unlike any other, pioneering what would become known as power Metal and inspiring generations of musicians along the way.
With a career spanning 16 studio albums, millions of records sold, and headline appearances at the world’s biggest Metal festivals, they have cemented themselves as one of the most important and enduring acts in heavy music.
Now, with March Of Time (The Best Of 40 Years), Helloween offers a comprehensive retrospective—a 42-track odyssey through their storied career. But this is not just another greatest hits album; it is a celebration of resilience, reinvention, and musical ambition. It captures everything that has made Helloween an unstoppable force, from their raw speed Metal beginnings to their grand, symphonic anthems of today.
This is more than just a collection—it’s a testament to a band that never stood still, always pushing forward, yet never forgetting its roots.
The Birth Of A Legend: Speed Metal Foundations (1984-1986)
To understand why Helloween matters, we must go back to Hamburg, Germany, in the early 1980s. Metal was evolving rapidly. The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) had brought twin-guitar harmonies and soaring vocals to the forefront, while Thrash Metal was introducing relentless speed and aggression. Somewhere between the two, a young German band was carving out something entirely new.
Founded in 1984, Helloween initially featured Kai Hansen (guitar/vocals), Michael Weikath (guitar), Markus Grosskopf (bass), and Ingo Schwichtenberg (drums). Their debut album, Walls Of Jericho (1985), produced by Harris Johns (Kreator, Sodom), was a ferocious blend of Speed Metal intensity and melodic finesse.
Songs like Ride The Sky and Metal Invaders tore through the underground Metal scene with blistering pace, while How Many Tears hinted at the grand songwriting ambitions that would later define them.
But something was missing. Hansen’s vocal performances were strong, but the band needed a frontman with a wider range to fully realise their vision. Enter Michael Kiske, a 19-year-old with an operatic voice that would take the band to new heights.
Key Helloween Tracks From The Speed Metal Era:
Walls Of Jericho/Ride The Sky – A relentless, high-energy opening statement.
Victim Of Fate – A glimpse of the band’s growing sense of drama and melody.
How Many Tears – A defining moment of their early career, foreshadowing their power Metal evolution.
Keeper Of The Seven Keys: Power Metal Is Born (1987-1989)
With Kiske on board, Helloween entered the studio with producers Tommy Newton and Tommy Hansen to create Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I (1987) and Part II (1988). These albums did not just elevate the band’s career; they gave birth to Power Metal as a genre.
The Keeper records introduced a level of melody, scale, and storytelling previously unseen in Heavy Metal. Eagle Fly Free was an instant anthem, Future World a euphoric burst of optimism, and Dr. Stein proved that heavy music could be theatrical and fun.
But the true centrepieces were the sprawling epics—Keeper Of The Seven Keys and March Of Time, which demonstratedthe band’s ability to weave progressive elements into their high-speed assault.
Of all the classics from this era, I Want Out became the band’s defining anthem. Written by Hansen, the song’s message of rebellion and escape resonated beyond the Metal world later covered by bands like HammerFall and even mainstream rock artists.
Key Helloween Tracks From The Keeper Era:
Future World – A masterclass in power Metal’s uplifting energy.
Eagle Fly Free – A technical and melodic showcase.
I Want Out – The ultimate power Metal anthem of freedom and defiance.
Keeper Of The Seven Keys – A progressive, cinematic masterpiece.
These albums catapulted Helloween to international fame. They toured the world, playing festivals like Monsters Of Rock and Wacken Open Air. But behind the scenes, tensions were brewing. Hansen departed in 1989, forming Gamma Ray, while internal struggles would soon lead to one of the band’s darkest periods.
Helloween – The 1990s: Turmoil and Reinvention
The ’90s were a turbulent time for Metal, with grunge and alternative rock dominating the mainstream. For Helloween, the decade was marked by creative risks, internal strife, and personal tragedy.
With Pink Bubbles Go Ape (1991) and Chameleon (1993), the band experimented with a more commercial sound, alienating some fans. While both albums had standout moments—Kids Of The Century, Number One, and Windmill—they lacked the cohesive Pwer Metal magic of the Keeper era.
Then came heartbreak. In 1995, drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg, battling depression, tragically took his own life. It was a devastating loss that shook the band to its core.
But from the ashes of tragedy came a rebirth. Enter Andi Deris, whose arrival as the band’s new vocalist in Master Of The Rings (1994) marked the beginning of a new chapter. With The Time Of The Oath (1996) and Better Than Raw (1998), Helloween returned to form, fusing melody with a heavier, more modern sound. Songs like Sole Survivor, Power, and Steel Tormentor re-established them as Power Metal’s reigning force.
Key Helloween Tracks From The 1990s:
Sole Survivor – A powerful comeback statement.
Power – One of their biggest anthems of the decade.
If I Could Fly – A hauntingly beautiful power ballad.
The 21st Century and Beyond: Evolution and the Ultimate Reunion
By the 2000s, Helloween had fully embraced their dual identity—staying true to their Power Metal roots while exploring new sonic landscapes. Albums like The Dark Ride (2000), Rabbit Don’t Come Easy (2003), and Gambling With The Devil (2007) proved they were still pushing boundaries.
But in 2016, something truly special happened. The Pumpkins United tour brought together Michael Kiske, Kai Hansen, Andi Deris, and the modern lineup in one supergroup formation. It was an unprecedented reunion, and it was clear from the energy on stage that this was not just a nostalgia trip—it was a rebirth.
Their 2021 album Helloween, produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, was an absolute triumph. Tracks like Skyfall, a 12-minute sci-fi epic, proved that the band was still innovating.
Key Tracks From The Helloween Reunion Era:
Pumpkins United – A heartfelt tribute to their legacy.
Skyfall – A progressive masterpiece.
Helloween – A Must-Have Retrospective
March Of Time (The Best Of 40 Years) is more than an album—it’s a monument to one of Metal’s greatest bands. Featuring tracks from every era, this release is essential listening for fans old and new.
Helloween has played every major Metal festival—from Wacken to Download, from Hellfest to Rock In Rio—and theycontinue to sell out arenas worldwide. With their legacy secured and a future still unwritten, one thing is certain: Helloween is not just a band. They are Heavy Metal history in motion.
So, whether you are revisiting old classics or discovering them for the first time, one thing is clear: Helloween’s story is far from over. The best way to predict the future is to add March Of Time to it.
Helloween celebrate their 40th anniversary with March Of Time, a brand new deluxe, career spanning anthology. Released via BMG on 28 March 2025. For more details, visit https://helloween.lnk.to/marchoftime40PR.
Helloween embark on their 40 YEARS ANNIVERSARY TOUR in Europe in the Autumn at the below dates.
17 October : Rockhal, Esch-sur-alzette, Luxembourg
18 October : Poppodium 013, Tilburg, Netherlands
20 October : Eventim Apollo, London, United Kingdom
22 October : Zenith Paris – La Villette, Paris, France
24 October : 02 Arena, Prague, Czech Republic
25 October : Tiposbet Arena, Zvolen, Slovakia
26 October : Papp László Sportaréna – Páholy bérlők parkolás, Budapest, Hungary
29 October : Spodek, Katowice, Poland
31 October : RuhrCongress Bochum, Bochum, Germany
1 November : Barclays Arena, Hamburg, Germany
3 November : Sentrum Scene, Oslo, Norway
4 November : Sentrum Scene, Oslo, Norway
6 November : Helsinki Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland
8 November : Partille Arena, Partille, Sweden
13 November : Campo Pequeno, Lisbon, Portugal
15 November : La Cubierta De Leganés, Leganés, Spain
19 November : Forum, Assago, Italy
20 November : The Hall, Dübendorf, Switzerland
22 November : Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Stuggart, Germany
Helloween – March Of Time – Tracklisting
5 LP BOX SET
LP ONE – SIDE A
- Walls of Jericho/Ride the Sky
- Metal Invaders
- Victim of Fate
- How Many Tears
SIDE B - Eagle Fly Free
- Halloween
- A Tale That Wasn’t Right
LP TWO – SIDE A
- Future World
- March of Time
- Dr. Stein
- I Want Out
SIDE B - Keeper of the Seven Keys
- Kids of the Century
- Number One
LP THREE – SIDE A
- Windmill
- Sole Survivor
- Perfect Gentleman
- In the Middle of a Heartbeat
- Why?
SIDE B - Forever and One (Neverland)
- Power
- Steel Tormentor
- Hey Lord!
- I Can
LP FOUR – SIDE A
- If I Could Fly
- Mr. Torture
- Hell Was Made In Heaven
- Light The Universe
- The Invisible Man
SIDE B - As Long As I Fall
- Kill It
- Where the Sinners go
- Are You Metal?
- Nabataea
LP FIVE – SIDE A
- Straight out of Hell
- Waiting for The Thunder
- Heroes
- My God Given Right
- Pumpkins United
SIDE B - Best Time
- Fear of the Fallen
- Skyfall 3CD
