Release Date: August 29th, 2025
Genre: Power Metal
Links: https://www.helloween.org/helloween
Line Up:
Andi Deris – Vocals
Michael Kiske – Vocals
Kai Hansen – Guitars, Vocals
Michael Weikath – Guitars
Sascha Gerstner – Guitars
Markus Grosskopf – Bass
Dani Löble – Drums
Tracklist:
1. Giants on the Run
2. Savior of the World
3. A Little is a Little Too Much
4. We Can Be Gods
5. Into the Sun
6. This is Tokyo
7. Universe (Gravity for Hearts)
8. Hand of God
9. Under the Moonlight
10. Majestic
German power metal band Helloween needs no introduction at this point: They’re one of the most iconic and most influential power metal bands in the world, as well as arguably the inventors of the genre, depending on who you ask. Regardless, their legacy is undeniable, having released such masterpieces as the Keeper of the Seven Keys duology and The Dark Ride, along with plenty of other excellent albums, throughout their 40+ year career. They’ve gone through a few different eras over the past few decades, but with their self-titled 2021 album, they managed to bridge it all together, bringing back founding member Kai Hansen and legendary vocalist Michael Kiske, while maintaining the rest of their modern lineup. The result was easily their best album in over 20 years, as well as one of my personal favorites by them, as they manage to channel their classic energy, while still retaining some of their more modern elements. Four years later, the band is set to release their 17th full length album, Giants and Monsters, looking to keep their momentum going.
First off, I’ll say while this album isn’t a personal favorite the way their S/T album was, it’s still an excellent album overall, as well as one that’s likely to appeal to others more than it does to me on a personal level. Obviously, Helloween have a distinct sound at this point, which is rooted in classic, high energy power metal with glorious sing-along choruses, and that side of their music is still very much intact. They’ve also been known to do some more experimental tracks from time to time, as well as some slower, softer material. That side of the band wasn’t too present on the previous album, which was largely fast-paced, heavy and melodic the whole way through, with even the slower, more heavy metal oriented tracks being fairly heavy and intense. That isn’t the case with Giants and Monsters, which sometimes falls into hard rock and melodic metal territory, a fact that shouldn’t be too surprising to anyone who’s heard lead single “This is Tokyo”. It’s a solid track, and enjoyable in its own right, but I was hoping it would be an oddball, as well as my least favorite on the album, and unfortunately, that isn’t the case. There are in fact at least 2-3 other tracks which I’d consider even less in line with what I want from the band, with one in particular being probably my least favorite song they’ve written since the abominable pair of “Wanna Be God” and “Asshole” from Straight Out of Hell. On the flipside of things, classic, speedy material is still here and as fantastic as ever, with tracks like “Savior of the World” and “We Can Be Gods” sure to please fans of the band’s early work, and there’s also a couple more progressive tracks, which are also fantastic. If anything, I’d say this is one of the band’s most varied albums in quite some time, meaning not everything will likely appeal to most people, but most metal fans, especially longtime fans of the band, are pretty much guaranteed to find something to be excited about here.
Performances are strong across the board. With three guitarists (Kai Hansen, longtime axeman Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner), it’s obvious what the main instrument of the album is, and indeed, there’s some fantastic melodic lead guitar work here, as well as some great riffs, especially on the speedy power metal tracks, as well as the more progressive tracks. Keyboards are used sparingly, as usual, most notable on a couple of the slower tracks, but for the most part, this is an album dominated by guitars and vocals, like any Helloween album. The rhythm section is in great shape, with veteran members Markus Grosskopf (Bass) and Dani Löble (Drums) in top form, doing a nice job of alternating between being intense and laidback throughout the album. Production is also top notch, as usual, though I do notice some occasional vocal effects, which are a bit obtrusive, but not terribly off putting. Which leads me into one of the most important aspects of the album, and unsurprisingly, the vocals are excellent. With Kiske and Hansen back in the mix, to go along with longtime vocalist Andi Deris, the band has three singers, each of whom is given plenty of chances to shine throughout the album. Kiske is most noticeable, especially on the more power metal oriented tracks, with his smooth, soaring vocals leading the way through some killer choruses, while Deris utilizes his more animated vocals quite effectively, especially on the softer tracks, and Hansen is mostly used in short bursts, really getting to shine with some big moments, especially on the opening track “Giants on the Run” and “Universe (Gravity for Hearts)”.
And that brings me to the songwriting, which is the one area I feel somewhat mixed about. On the one hand, there’s certainly a lot of top notch material here, and only one track I outright dislike, but on the other hand, coming off the incredibly strong and consistent S/T album, this is a noticeable step back into more “normal” quality. The album kicks off with “Giants on the Run”, one of the more epic, progressive tracks on the album, despite only clocking in at a bit over 6 minutes. Following a brief tease at the main riff, the track slows down for a soft, slow opening verse, with Deris being accompanied by light guitar work and subdued percussion, before the drums and heavy guitars fully kick in for an explosive, melodic and extremely catchy chorus. The track alternates nicely between calm and intense passages, with the highlight coming around the middle, in an epic, progressive section with many tempo changes. Kai Hansen takes over lead vocals for a while, and there’s some offbeat instrumental work, followed by bursts of speedy power metal, and then a really beautiful, almost ballad-like section, where Hansen sings softly and delivers some of his best vocals I’ve heard in a very long time. It’s easily the highlight of the track, and it’s followed up by an excellent solo section, and then another run through the chorus. Overall, it’s a fantastic opening track, and one of my top four favorites on the album.
Next is “Savior of the World”, another personal favorite. It opens up with a brief keyboard section, before quickly speeding up, and once it gets going there’s some excellent guitar work, with a classic power metal feel, as well as intense, pounding drums, which stay that way for the entire duration of the track. The verses are heavy and intense, while the chorus is extremely melodic and has a very late 80’s/early 90’s feel to it, in the best way possible. Indeed, the track is written by Weikath, so it’s no surprise it sounds so classic, and more importantly, lead vocals are performed by Kiske, who absolutely steals the show, especially on the final run through the chorus, where his high, soaring vocals are in full effect and as glorious as ever. There’s also a really fun, high energy guitar solo in the middle, and while the vocals are the highlight, the instrumental work is also excellent throughout. Unfortunately, those two highlights are followed up by my least favorite track on the album, “A Little is a Little Too Much”. It’s one of the more subdued tracks on the album, falling squarely into melodic metal/hard rock territory, with a very pop infused chorus. The track is led by some rather playful, atmospheric sounding keys, which combined with the guitar work on parts of the track, reminds me a bit of Lordi, which is certainly not something I ever thought I’d say about a Helloween track. The instrumental work is solid, if not what I’m looking for from the band, but the chorus is irritating. That mouthful of a title is repeated far too many times for my tastes, and the chorus as a whole has a very pop feel, and while I’m perfectly fine with that sort of thing if it’s done well, in this case the vocal melodies and lyrics both fall horribly flat, with Deris and Kiske being unable to save it.
Just as it seems like the album may be starting to fall off a bit, “We Can Be Gods” quickly arrives to prove the band can still deliver classic power metal at its best. It starts with some rather intense, electronic sounding keys, mixed with some thick, heavy guitar work and frantic drums, which carry on throughout the verses. The chorus is a bit lighter and more melodic, while still maintaining the frantic pace, and it has some absolutely fantastic vocal melodies. All three singers are used effectively throughout the track, and it’s definitely one of the best cases of the three working fluidly together. The solo section has a very classic power metal feel, along with the rest of the track, and unsurprisingly, there’s some Gamma Ray influence, as the track happens to have been written by Hansen. From the intense to the calm we go, with “Into the Sun”, a mostly piano driven ballad, featuring a duet between Deris and Kiske. The latter opens up the track with some very nice vocals during the opening verse, but then comes the one slightly awkward moment of the track, leading into the chorus, as Deris enters in and the two alternate lines, but the vocal melodies for this part are a bit odd and disjointed, so it doesn’t quite work out. Thankfully, though, the chorus is fantastic, with both vocalists being given plenty of room to work with, and the vocal melodies are excellent. Unsurprisingly, there’s a very beautiful guitar solo in the middle, which combines with the chorus to help elevate the track. It’s a bit of a bumpy ride, and not one of my favorite ballads by the band, but it’s still a solid track, overall.
Next is the aforementioned lead single “This is Tokyo”, which I don’t need to say much about. The keyboards have a rather playful feel, and some of the melodies sound very Japanese, which is obviously intentional, as the track is about Deris’s love of Japan. The track alternates between soft verses and a slightly more energetic chorus, though the track is very light and very pop infused the whole way through. The chorus is fun and catchy, with some nice vocal melodies, and Deris really shines throughout the track, clearly in his element. Guitars aren’t very noticeable for most of the track, but there is a very nice solo towards the end. Overall, it’s a solid track, and it has grown on me a fair bit since I first heard it. The second single is “Universe (Gravity for Hearts)”, the longest track on the album at around 8 and a half minutes. It opens up with a rather soft section, with a brief tease at the chorus, before quickly speeding up and settling into classic power metal territory. Despite the length, it’s a surprisingly fun, straight-forward track for most of its duration, moving at a fast pace, and it’s another track where Kiske’s soaring vocals shine, especially during the frantic verses, and the speedy yet melodic chorus. The most complex section of the track comes in the middle, during a rather offbeat instrumental section, which leads into an intense vocal section where the vocal melodies are a tad disjointed, but Hansen makes it work, while Deris delivers some effective backing vocals. That’s followed up by a rather extensive, high energy solo section, with some very technically impressive guitar work. Overall, it’s not quite one of my top four favorites on the album, but it’s still an excellent track, and certainly much better than any of the tracks immediately surrounding it.
The inconsistency continues with “Hand of God”, my second least favorite track on the album. It’s a perfectly acceptable track, but it just doesn’t do much for me, and I imagine it’ll be rather divisive among fans of the band. It’s another lighter, slow paced track, with a very catchy chorus. It does have some nice lead guitar work in bursts, but the verses are more keyboard driven, with a slight electronic feel, while the chorus is again very pop influenced, and while it’s pleasantly fun and catchy, the vocal melodies and lyrics don’t do much for me, so I find myself a bit bored. The verses and instrumental portions are solid, though, with the guitar solo towards the end being especially impressive. Overall, it’s an enjoyable track, but I find it lacks something special to make it really stand out. Such is not the case for “Under the Moonlight”, another classic sounding track, written by Weikath. It moves at more of a moderate pace, more upbeat than the slower tracks, but not as fast or intense as the more power metal oriented tracks. The verses have a slight hard rock edge, with Kiske delivering some rather intense and animated vocals by his standards, while the chorus is very fun and catchy, with some rather classic sounding vocal melodies and instrumental work. The solo section in particular has a very 90’s/2000s era Helloween feel, and is probably my favorite part of the track, along with the chorus.
Closing out the album is another Hansen penned track, the 8 minute epic “Majestic”, which certainly lives up to its name. It’s the most progressive track on the album, with several tempo changes throughout, as well as several changes in mood and intensity. It starts off rather calm, with a soft, atmospheric vocal section, before settling into more of a mid-paced groove for the opening verse. From there, the track moves at a moderate pace, with a nice mix of heaviness and melody, and all three vocalists are used effectively throughout the track. The chorus is very epic, with some excellent vocal melodies, heavy guitars and intense drums. While the vocal sections are generally mid-paced, there’s a very extensive instrumental section in the middle, where the band goes into all out power metal territory, with some of their best instrumental work in ages, and it’s easily the highlight of the track, alternating fluidly from one epic moment to the next, with Hansen delivering some nice vocals during a brief softer section midway through, before the band goes right back at it, with more intense instrumental work. It’s an amazing track on its own, and it closes the album out on a definite high note.
Overall, Giants and Monsters is a bit of a frustrating release, but also one which sums up Helloween as a whole pretty well: It has some absolute top notch power metal, with excellent instrumental work, fantastic vocal performances and killer choruses, as well as a couple of weaker slower paced tracks, and a couple tracks which are great overall, but have potential to be a bit better. Performances are excellent across the board, and fans of each of the band’s different eras are bound to find something to enjoy here, while anyone looking for a more varied album, is sure to be satisfied. As a longtime fan of the band, I’d say this is a “normal” quality album for the band, which is what I would have expected following albums like Straight Out of Hell and My God-Given Right, though admittedly, that S/T 2021 album did get my hopes up that the band had more masterpieces in them. Perhaps they do, but regardless this is still a great album overall, and one which most fans of the band are sure to enjoy at least in part, while newcomers can also give it a try, to get a feel for the different aspects of the band’s sound, before perhaps checking out one of their more consistent albums.
Ratings: 8/10
Written by: Travis Green
My Global Mind – Staff Writer
Travis Green is a Canadian based writer for My Global Mind, with a particular passion for power metal, as well as an interest metal in all its forms.
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