Is there a better heavy metal band name than Helloween? It conveys exactly what to expect in one simple, made-up word, combining two of the most prevalent themes in metal. Helloween is a similar distillation of heavy metal’s essentials, going strong since its founding in 1984.
The band forms one of the foundations of power metal, focusing on clean, melodic vocals, catchy riffs and themes of epic fantasy. The bombastic, over-the-top style has been an integral element of the metal scene for decades, especially in Europe, where power metal bands remain regular fixtures on rock festival bills.
In the U.S., power metal is more of an underground phenomenon, but Helloween have grown into metal icons, from the early days of influential MTV show Headbangers Ball (they opened the very first Headbangers Ball tour in 1989) to the current Pumpkins United World Tour, bringing veteran singers Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske back into the fold. Kicking off its North American leg in Las Vegas, the tour features three eras of Helloween frontmen (including current vocalist Andi Deris) performing songs from throughout the band’s career. It’s heavy metal at its most primal, all embodied in that classic name.
House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7, starting at $29.99 plus tax and fee, 18+. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
