Biography of Helloween

Biography

Helloween Alongside Switzerland's Celtic Frost and Sweden's Bathory, Germany's Helloween were possibly the most influential heavy metal band to come out of Europe during the 1980s. By taking the hard riffing and minor key melodies handed down from metal masters like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, then infusing them with the speed and energy introduced by the burgeoning thrash metal movement, Helloween crystallized the sonic ingredients of what is now known as power metal. Sadly, just as they were on the verge of breaking to a wider audience -- even flirting with American success -- the band's meteoric rise was rudely interrupted by internal strife and a string of bad business decisions. These blunders kept them from ever regaining their original momentum, but Helloween took their hard-knock lessons in stride and continued to prosper in the international metal arena on their own terms. More importantly, they remained the benchmark by which most every power metal band is still measured. Helloween were formed in Hamburg, Germany, by guitarists Kai Hansen and Michael Weikath, bassist Markus Grosskopf, and drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg. Originally named Second Hell then Iron Fist before morphing into Helloween in 1982, they signed with Germany's own fledgling Noise International two years later. With Hansen also handling vocals and the bulk of songwriting duties, the quartet recorded its self-titled debut mini-album in early 1985. The full-length Walls of Jericho and the Judas maxi-single followed the year after, and the media was soon buzzing over the band's thrash-fueled interpretation of classic heavy metal. Countless fans across continental Europe were also fast converting to the band's cause, but Hansen remained dissatisfied with his singing ability, and felt Helloween needed a proper frontman in order to achieve their full potential. Enter teenage vocalist Michael Kiske, whose high-pitched delivery followed in the footsteps of previous heavy metal banshees like Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson. The new chemistry proved as explosive on-stage as it did in the studio, and with their classic lineup now intact, Helloween were ready for the big time. Returning to the studio in early 1987, the band emerged in May with Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 1, a landmark recording that remains arguably the single most influential power metal album to date. Its volatile combination of power and melody would inspire an entire generation of metal bands, and transformed Helloween into bona fide superstars all over Europe and the U.K., even making tentative inroads into America at the time. The band toured relentlessly for the rest of the year and into 1988 (including a lengthy opening stint with Iron Maiden), but despite this manic work schedule, they still found time to record the aptly titled Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 2. Released in September 1988, the record was another blockbuster that crashed the U.K. Top 30, but its uneven songwriting (especially from longtime leader Kai Hansen) revealed the beginnings of a major band crisis. Helloween's watershed performance at that year's Donington Monsters of Rock Festival proved to be their crowning glory, but for Hansen, his dream come true also represented the culmination of his ambitions for the group. Shockingly, the guitarist soon announced his departure from the band he had helmed to the top, claiming that Helloween were now too big a beast for him to control. (He would soon make a fresh start with a new outfit called Gamma Ray, which, to no one's surprise, sounded remarkably like Helloween.) But the remaining members of Helloween weren't about to let their shot at stardom slip away, and after drafting former Rampage guitarist Roland Grapow, they got right back to work with a sold-out tour of the U.K. Impressed by the band's momentum, giant EMI stepped in and offered to sign them away from the ever troubled Noise Records, but in doing so, wound up igniting a legal dispute that would sideline Helloween for nearly two years. Several live albums (Live in the U.K. for Europe, Keepers Live for Japan, and I Want Out: Live for the U.S.) were released to distract the fans during this hiatus, and the band obtained added support from the mighty Sanctuary management team (Iron Maiden, W.A.S.P., etc.) to boot. Confident that they'd accumulated little, if any rust from their extended layoff, Helloween finally returned to action with the oddly titled Pink Bubbles Go Ape in 1991. But no amount of EMI or Sanctuary muscle could compensate for the scattered, unfocused songwriting that dominated the album. Furthermore, the band's quirky attempts at humor had grown so forced that fans weren't sure what to make of furious metal anthems with names like the title track and "Heavy Metal Hamsters." The record bombed in no uncertain terms, as did its even more schizophrenic follow-up, Chameleon. Recorded in 1993 by an obviously shell-shocked band, its poor showing only exacerbated growing internal dissension, which culminated with the ousting of both Kiske (off to launch a solo career) and Schwichtenberg due to drug-related physical and mental health issues. Fair-weather friends EMI and Sanctuary also decided to cut their losses at this time, leaving the shattered remnants of Helloween to fend for themselves. Attempting to regroup as fast as possible, Helloween brought in new singer Andi Deris and drummer Uli Kusch to record 1994's Master of the Rings, a small but determined step in the right direction. Then tragedy struck, when former drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg -- a diagnosed manic depressive whose worsening condition had been partly to blame for his dismissal -- took his own life, throwing himself in front of a train near his native Hamburg. Shaken to the core, but as driven as ever, Helloween dedicated 1996's The Time of the Oath to their fallen friend, and, coincidentally, the album turned out to be the strongest since their glory years, doing much to resurrect their career. The ensuing tour spawned the double-disc set High Live and confirmed the band's return to form as major players in the international metal arena (in Europe and Japan, they were arguably bigger than ever). Helloween continued to prosper with 1998's Better Than Raw, 1999's celebratory Metal Jukebox covers album, and 2000's The Dark Ride, and not even the departure of longtime members Grapow and Kusch could slow them for long. Now regarded as elder statesmen of Euro-metal, Helloween celebrated their achievements with 2002's Treasure Chest greatest-hits set. This was followed by 2003's Rabbit Don't Come Easy, which introduced new guitarist Sascha Gerstner and featured Motörhead's Mikkey Dee guesting on drums until a permanent replacement could be found in Stefan Schwarzmann (ex-U.D.O., Running Wild and many more). Helloween - I Want Out.mp3 Helloween - Forever And One.mp3 Helloween - Eagle Fly Free.mp3 Helloween - Dr Stein.mp3 04 - Helloween - Your Turn.mp3 Helloween - Wind Mill.mp3 HELLOWEEN - 11 If I Knew.MP3 Helloween - Future World.mp3 Helloween - A Tale That Wasn't Right.mp3 HELLOWEEN - 06 Before The War.MP3 Helloween - In The Middle Of A Heartbeat.mp3 Helloween - Windmill.mp3

HISTORY OF EUROPE BAND

The group was formed in 1979 in Upplands Väsby, Stockholm, Sweden by vocalist Joey Tempest, guitarist John Norum, bassist Peter Olsson and drummer Tony Reno, under the name Force. After winning a national music contest, they changed the name to Europe. In 1981, bassist Peter Olsson out and replaced by John Leven. In 1985, drummer Tony Reno replaced the former drummer Ian Haugland Trilogy group. Keyboard player Mic Michaeli also recruited to strengthen the band formation.
[edit] Success of the world

Two limited release first album in 1982 and 1984, Europe and Wings of Tomorrow. Both were received well in Japan and Scandinavia. Europe worldwide and reached a high popularity in the year 1986 through the third album The Final Countdown. This album produced the phenomenal hit "The Final Countdown" which ruled the charts number 1 in 26 countries. [Citation needed] the single sold about 8 million copies. Album alone sold approximately 6.5 million copies. Other songs on this album like "Carrie", "Rock The Night", and "Cherokee" soared to hit the world. The end of 1986 guitarist John Norum out because of differences of opinion with other personnel in the musical direction of Europe.

Kee Marcello, guitarist for glam rock band Easy Action, enter and succeed John Norum Europe at the time was busy on tour. In 1988, Europe released their fourth album Out of This World which spawned the hit Superstitious. Although not as phenomenal previous album, Out of This World was still able to achieve some platinum. After that, Europe successfully toured the world.

In 1991 Europe released a fifth album, Prisoners in Paradise. Compared with the success of two previous multiplatinum albums, this fifth album sales were not too good because it only sold about 1 million copies worldwide. Prisoners in Paradise had scored hits "I'll Cry for You" and the title track with an album of "Prisoners in Paradise".

Many years living in an exhausting tour of Europe to make personnel decided to rest. Plan to rest two years turned out to be longer, a member of Europe became busy with solo careers of each and other projects. Onslaught of grunge music that swept the world come to make most of the hard rock music market as Europe joined buried carried.
[edit] Reunion

In 1999 Europe was invited to a reunion concert. Guitarist John Norum and Kee Marcello agreed to appear together in a New Year's Eve concert in Stockholm. They brought two classic hits of Rock The Night and The Final Countdown at this concert.

After this reunion concert, the news about the reunion of the total pricking. In 2003, Europe decided to return to the rock music scene with their classic formation era of "The Final Countdown", Joey Tempest (vocals), John Norum (guitar), Mic Michaeli (keyboards), John Leven (vocals), and Ian Haugland ( drums). Although offered, guitarist Kee Marcello decided not to join.

In 2004 Europe released the album Start From the Dark which was a fairly warm reception from the fans. Color display is more hard rock hard and thick with bandages thicker guitar, the album sold more than 600,000 copies. Fantastic music presented very different from the color of their music in the era of the 1980s. In 2006 Europe released the album Secret Society which is still the same color as the album Start From The Dark. Europe apparently decided to not return to their sound in the 1980s the melodic. They appear with a more ferocious music who show distortion down-tuned guitars and powerful drum roffel. 9 September 2009 Date of Europe released a new album titled Last Look at Eden.

Europe - Final Countdown.mp3
Carrie - Europe.mp3

Children Of Bodom - The Final Countdown (Europe cover).mp3
Astrix - europe (unreleased).mp3

EUROPE - I'LL CRY FOR YOU.MP3
Europe - Open Your Heart.mp3

Europe - Cherokee.mp3
Europe - Prisoners In Paradise.MP3
Europe - Superstitious.mp3