April 18th, 2026
Helloween makes triumphant return to Montreal for 40th anniversary
German power metal luminaries Helloween landed in Montreal this week for their 40th anniversary tour. Needless to say, the evening was a monstrous success. Totally unsurprising given the band’s notoriety and reputation for delivering one of the best spectacles in the business. What’s more, it had only taken 48 hours for the show to completely sell out once tickets went on sale. Incredible!
Also, one might add, totally understandable. The heavy metal pioneers from Deutschland hadn’t visited Montreal since 2018; at the time, they had played Mtelus. I distinctly remember this fact because I was attending video game school at the time and had to skip out early from an evening to class, in order to catch the last few songs of their set. Needless to say, my teacher was not amused.
See Also: Journey at Bell Center, Montreal
This time around, the event took place at L’Olympia, a larger venue. At the show, I spoke to several fans who had never seen them, but had been fans for several decades. Listening to these personal accounts of fandom, I realized how special this show really was. Helloween was back, celebrating 40 years of melodic musical prowess, ready to blow our minds and challenge our collective vocal chords.
However, all good adventures have an introduction and tonight’s kindling to spark the flame, was Beast in Black.
Beast in Black
Beast in Black had fans present in large numbers; I saw many shirts. And tonight, I would be hearing their music for the first time. I had no idea what to expect.
Hailing from Helsinki, Beast in Black labels themselves as ”an international heavy metal band”- which I assume either means they like touring or are formed from members of various nationalities- and they play a hyper melodic dance metal highly inspired by the 80s. A great example of this can be found on their track One Night in Tokyo, whose beat is clearly a tribute to Culture Beat’s mega hit, Mr. Vain.
I can hear you saying: ”But, Mr. Vain is a 90s song, Justin!” Well, yes. Yes it is. Let’s not get too caught up on the specifics, shall we?
Moving on, the primary thing that just leapt out at me, was their backdrop. Initially, it took some time for brain to register it, but once I did, I was very surprised. Their art for this tour is essentially an enormous tribute to late manga author Miura’s masterpiece, Berserk, a wonderful and haunting dark fantasy series. At the very center of their beautiful backdrop, was Guts or The Black Swordsman, as he is also known.
Wait. Beast in Black. Black Swordsman. Coincidence? I think not.
As entertaining as they were, I had only one thing on my mind: Helloween.
Helloween
Picture this: a band that’s existed for 40 years, has released 17 studio albums with 3 different singers who were all great, going on tour to celebrate their illustrious career. And, to make things crazier, all 3 singers currently collaborate as co-vocalists. Does this seem crazy to you? Well, it should. Multiple eras of singers working together is nothing short of an impossibility. This is a tall tale straight from the Twilight Zone of music!
After making my way to the photo pit, I noticed a group of fans by the stage, with an elaborate banner hanging over the side of the metal barrier. The sign indicated that they’d traveled 1000km to attend the show. They had come all the way from far off Gaspé! Speaking to them and hearing about their story made the evening all the more special.
The Keeper of the Seven Keys
The lights went out and roaring cheers erupted from the crowd. A pumpkin gradually appeared on an enormous screen, piercing the darkness as it broke through to our reality. Wasting no time, Helloween roared into the epic song ”March of time”. Trading lyrics, singers Andy Deris and Michael Kiske performed in tandem to an entranced crowd.
Following the opening song, the Keeper, Helloween’s own sorcerer supreme, appeared on a huge screen. Wielding words imbued with cosmic messages of hope and power, it set the tone for the night. The show had begun.
Read More:
>> Angine de Poitrine at Minotaure, Gatineau
>> Live at Place Bell, Laval
>> Rise Against at L’Olympia, Montreal
From that point on, the night was a non-stop, top tier musical rock ride.
Deris’ vocal performance during We Burn was inspirational. He effortlessly sang while bringing the crowd towards him, despite the immensity of the hall, with his masterful gestures, beckoning to the masses like a veteran storyteller. Then, appearing on the gargantuan screen behind the drum kit, the Keeper once again addressed the crowd. It warned us of the evils that we must continue to fight, together as one, united human race.
Up next was Kai Hansen, original singer for the band, who offered us an amazing performance of Ride the Sky. Taken from their first album, Walls of Jericho, it’s an absolute speed metal classic. Proving that he still has the voice, Kai dominated the stage for this song, singing flawlessly, smiling and shredding like a true German master. When it was done, he exited the stage to the deafening cheers of the crowd. Then, they immediately transitioned towards Into the Sun, a new ballad taken from their newest album.
Ok. Let’s a take breather and paint a picture of what the stage looked like for most songs. To each side, an intricate setup of lights was present; vertical in design, these lights enriched the show with their versatility and motion. Towards the back, a side-to-side riser platform supported the over the top drum kit of Helloween’s long time drummer, Daniel Löble. Daniel would later woo the crowd with a mesmerizing drum solo towards the three quarter mark of the show.
Helloween, the musical jukebox
Helloween’s set lasted for well over 2 hours. Within that time span, a member of the audience should expect the unexpected.
At the very least, a fan can expect to be blown away and surprised. One such moment was when the most of the band left the stage, leaving only Deris and Kiske behind. The lights dimmed and the 2 singers made themselves at home at the front of the stage, seated on two stools, each sporting an acoustic guitar.
Suddenly, the crowd and the legendary vocalists engaged in a more intimate moment, with both band members trading light barbs about each other. This multiplied the happiness in the room, again proving that despite the venue’s girth, Helloween skillfully bring you in close and tug at your heart strings. And then, they broke into Yesterday, by The Beatles. At this point, it felt like you were just having a good time with your old friends Helloween. So, why not!
Following this, they performed shortened versions of In the Middle of a Heartbeat and A Tale That Wasn’t Right, 2 of their most popular ballads.
Read More:
>> The Meteors at Foufounes Électriques, Montréal
>> Lady Gaga at Bell Center, Montreal
>> Poison Ruin at Petit Campus, Montreal
Helloween would continue the evening for some time, playing hit after hit, smashing through grand tunes like Heavy Metal(Is the Law) and Halloween, before performing a 4 song encore. With every song, a unique backdrop and lighting scheme. At every turn, an unexpected surprise.
The evening did indeed live up to the celebration that was Helloween’s 40th anniversary. It was a grand gesture and in a way, a bow to the fans, who patiently, will often wait for years, sometimes decades, to see their favorite pumpkins play.
