The book:
They established the canons of power metal, thanks to an original recipe capable of combining speed and power with great melody and lyrics full of irony and positivity. And they have lived more than thirty-five years of history, between dizzying ascents, ruinous falls and unexpected resurrections.
They are Helloween, the "pumpkins" of metal, founded in Hamburg at the beginning of the Eighties by Kai Hansen and Ingo Schwichtenberg and jumped to global success with the arrival of Michael Kiske on vocals and the release of two consecutive albums, the Seven Keys Part 1 and Part 2, unanimously considered to be true milestones of the genre.
Referred to by many as the designated heirs of Iron Maiden to the throne of metal, they soon found themselves with a great future behind them, having to face traumatic line-up changes, painful griefs and heavy flops. A crisis that was overcome in the mid-nineties thanks to the arrival of singer Andi Deris and the perseverance of guitarist Michael Weikath, a unique character, loved as much as hated and seen by many as a moody father-master of the group.
While around them dozens of bands found success by copying their recipe and the ex Kai Hansen carried on the banner of power with his Gamma Ray, Helloween climbed the slope challenging accusations of betrayal to metal and lack of credibility, churning out a record after another, always faithful to their philosophy.
A long ride that culminated in the triumphant reunion of 2016 that repaid the Helloween for all the difficulties faced in the past, taking them around the world for almost two years in full arenas and stadiums, opening yet another new chapter in one of the most interesting stories and troubled by metal. A story that is told here for the first time in depth from the beginning to the present day, enriched by the analysis of all the discs published.
The author:
Son of the Eighties and curious by nature, Massimo Longoni is a musical omnivore who grew up listening to pop, rock, metal, songwriters, hip hop and even a little opera. All genres of which he then had the opportunity to write. He has collaborated with Jam, Guitar Club, Donna Moderna, Onstage, Tv Smiles and songs and for some of these he still writes. He participated in the creation of the Dictionary of pop-rock by Enzo Gentile and Alberto Tonti and in 1000 concerts that changed our lives, edited by Ezio Guaitamacchi. Since 2007 he has been dealing with the entertainment pages of Tgcom24.