German power metal legends HELLOWEEN have surprised fans worldwide with the sudden release of "Skyfall II," a three-track EP available exclusively through their official website and Bandcamp as of today, March 7. The EP serves as a direct narrative continuation of "Skyfall," the epic 12-minute track that anchored their 2021 reunion album "Helloween" and was widely praised as one of the greatest songs in the band's four-decade history. The EP was recorded in total secrecy at Trixx Studios in Hamburg between November 2025 and January 2026, with not a single word leaking to the press.
"Skyfall II" runs at a colossal 18 minutes across its three tracks: the titular 12-minute epic "Skyfall II — The Reckoning," a standalone six-minute piece called "Children of the Fallen," and an orchestral instrumental reprise titled "Genesis Remembered." All three former vocalists — Michael Kiske, Andi Deris, and Kai Hansen (who sings as well as plays guitar) — contribute lead vocal sections, as does bassist Markus Grosskopf, who takes his first-ever lead vocal on a studio recording.
The EP is available as a digital download and as a limited 12" EP pressed in gold vinyl, limited to just 2,000 copies globally. The physical edition sold out within four hours of going on sale. Producer Charlie Bauerfeind, who worked on the "Helloween" reunion album, returns to helm the production, delivering a sound that is simultaneously enormous and intimate. HELLOWEEN have not confirmed whether "Skyfall II" is a standalone release or a preview of a full album, but the cryptic phrase "the saga continues" in the release statement has fans speculating.