Watch: HELLOWEEN Gets Inducted Into METAL HALL OF FAME By ARCH ENEMY's ALISSA WHITE-GLUZ

German power metal band HELLOWEEN was inducted into the Metal Hall Of Fame by founder Pat Gesualdo and special guest Alissa White-Gluz from ARCH ENEMY. The induction took place on May 20 in front of thousands of fans at Terminal 5 in New York City.

"HELLOWEEN have helped establish the origins of the power metal genre," says Gesualdo. "We are proud to have HELLOWEEN represent the genre and it's fans throughout the world, and to have Alissa White–Gluz join us in the induction as well."

HELLOWEEN guitarist Michael Weikath adds: "It's truly an honor to be inducted into the Metal Hall Of Fame! Being listed next to some of the biggest bands in rock and metal makes us very proud and is rewarding our work as 'The Ambassadors of Power & Melodic Metal' for the last four decades."

HELLOWEEN has released 16 studio albums, three live albums, three EPs and 30 singles. The German band has 14 gold and six platinum records, and has sold over 10 million records worldwide.

The Metal Hall Of Fame is dedicated to forever enshrining the iconic musicians and music industry executives responsible for making hard rock and heavy metal music what it is today.

The annual Metal Hall Of Fame gala is held every January in California with additional special event inductions held at major concerts and festivals throughout the world.

As a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization, all proceeds from the Metal Hall Of Fame and D.A.D. (Drums And Disabilities) events bring free music programs to health facilities to help special needs children and wounded veterans.

The Metal Hall Of Fame voting process is derived by fans of all genres of hard rock and heavy metal, along with the Metal Hall Of Fame voting committee. Fans cast their vote all year round for their favorite artists, bands, producers, and music industry executives via the Metal Hall Of Fame web site at www.metalhalloffame.org.

HELLOWEEN kicked off its "United Forces" tour of North America on May 13 at The Factory in Deep Ellum, Dallas, Texas. Support on the 13-date trek is coming from Swedish metallers HAMMERFALL.

HELLOWEEN's North American tour will close on June 3 in San Francisco, California.

Singer Michael Kiske's first album back with HELLOWEEN, 2021's self-titled effort, landed in the Top 10 in more than 10 countries, including Germany, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria. The cover artwork for the LP was painted by artist Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with HATEBREED, SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH and SODOM, among others.

Produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, the latest 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).

"Helloween" saw the legendary German power metallers going "back to the roots," with the band recording fully analogue and Daniel Löble playing the drum kit previously used by HELLOWEEN's original drummer, the late Ingo Schwichtenberg, on the legendary "Keeper Of The Seven Keys" recordings.

The "Pumpkins United" tour marked the first time Kiske had played live with HELLOWEEN since 1993. Guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen, who departed HELLOWEEN in 1988, had been joining the band onstage on various tours and festival appearances throughout the years. The set featured several duets with Kiske and his replacement, Andi Deris, along with many rarely played songs, including "Kids Of The Century", "Rise And Fall" and "Livin' Ain't No Crime". Hansen — who fronted HELLOWEEN until late 1986 — sang a medley of several early HELLOWEEN classics, including "Ride The Sky", "Judas", "Starlight" and "Heavy Metal (Is The Law)".