Burning Sun

Burning Sun serves as a precursor to Helloween's 2013 full-length 'Straight Out of Hell'. Released in late 2012, this EP is notable for its inclusion of the title track which features a prominent Hammond organ performance by Matthias Ulmer, adding a classic hard rock texture to their signature power metal sound. The EP showcases the 'Deris-era' lineup's chemistry, particularly the interplay between guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner. The track 'Another Shot of Life' provides a more melodic, mid-tempo counterpoint to the title track's speed. Crucially, the inclusion of a live version of 'Where the Sinners Go' recorded at the Woodstock Festival in Poland highlights the band's massive appeal in Eastern Europe, capturing the energy of a crowd numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Critically, it was seen as a strong teaser that reaffirmed Helloween's position at the top of the European metal hierarchy after decades in the industry.