The new, self-titled album from the reunited expanded classic lineup of German power metallers HELLOWEEN has landed in the Top 10 in more than 10 countries, including Germany, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria.
The reactions worldwide are overwhelming. With the highest amount of magazine cover stories and interviews ever at Nuclear Blast, HELLOWEEN also wrote history for its record label. “This album is more than a masterpiece – this album is heavy metal history”, says Markus Staiger, CEO of Nuclear Blast Tonträger Produktions- und Vertriebs GmbH. “It is my lifetime record, the most important one I have ever been involved in. We have fantastic physical products, we did everything we could – without thinking about budgets or limitations. Everyone involved gave 110% and I am so damn’ proud of this album! In my opinion, it is the best one HELLOWEEN ever did!”
All chart entries:
Germany: #1
Spain: #1
Finland: #1 (physical) + #2 (overall)
Sweden: #1 (physical) + #3 (overall)
UK: #1 (rock) + #24 (overall)
Switzerland: #2
Austria: #3
Scotland: #4
France: #5 (physical) + #15 (overall)
Czech Republic: #5
Portugal: #5
Italy: #5 (physical) + #14 (overall)
Japan: #6
Australia: #8 (physical) + 135 (overall)
Belgium: #11
Netherlands: #12
Poland: #13
Slovakia: #29
Norway: #36
USA: #58 (Billboard Top Albums) + #3 (Current Hard Music)
The cover artwork for “Helloween” was painted by artist Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with HATEBREED, SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH and SODOM, among others.
The “Pumpkins United” lineup features returning singer Michael Kiske and guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen alongside frontman Andi Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Daniel Löble.
Produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, the new HELLOWEEN LP was recorded in part at the H.O.M.E. Studios in Hamburg (where everything started in 1984). The same recording console used for such HELLOWEEN albums as “Master Of The Rings”, “Time Of The Oath” and “Better Than Raw” was utilized to record the band’s new material. The effort was mixed at the Valhalla Studios of Ronald Prent (IRON MAIDEN, DEF LEPPARD, RAMMSTEIN).
