Looking back, Helloween was likely crafted to ensure that it ticked a lot of boxes - in terms of ensuring there was a good spread of songwriting credits as well as time in the spotlight vocally for both Kiske and Deris. Giants & Monsters still ensures both, but it perhaps feels a bit more natural this time - with Hansen more of a force both vocally and from a songwriting perspective, too. Neither Kiske nor Deris seem to mind if the other gets to shine brighter at times, which is healthy, and that is apparent during the opening semi-epic Giants on the Run - which features both Deris and Hansen vocally as the song's co-writers. There is little standing on ceremony here, too, with a mid-paced riff essentially crashing in immediately, aided by a subtle synth melody, but the song's overall arrangement is quite varied and classic Helloween in the sense that it takes a few twists and turns. This percussive, riffy opening is quite short-lived, as soon the heaviness drops away - leaving clean guitars to form an atmospheric backing for the verses, which see Deris singing in a gentle manner. Perhaps the song is not the explosive start that many would have expected, but I really like how the album opens - with these clean verses acting as a strong atmospheric build towards a fast-paced chorus, which sees Deris really letting rip in a more traditional manner whilst double bass drumming and strident guitar riffing take things to the next level. This slow verse/fast chorus combo works well early on - but the song maintains its heaviness during a mid-section which sees Hansen take over vocally, with a more aggressive approach working well briefly before he sings in his more traditional, nasally manner during a lengthy bridge section which sees heavy riffing and melodic tones working well together. Busy guitar leads and harmony guitar solos are thrown in when needed, alongside a rather dramatic, chanted vocal refrain - and when the song culminates in Deris delivering the final chorus with real venom the varied arrangement pays off. Having being largely, or perhaps entirely, absent from the opening track, Kiske is introduced during the smoother, fast paced Savior of the World - a Weikath-penned power metal anthem which is very typical of Helloween's core sound. Kiske has lost little of his vocal power over the years, and this song is a great showcase for him. Endless double bass drumming keeps the song moving, whilst layers of pompous keyboards create a strong melodic backing - but there is still plenty of crunch thanks to the overall guitar riffing, and the verses see the synths drop away somewhat to allow the guitars to shine through. The chorus sees them return, though, with pulsing synth additions creating a melodic halo around everything - whilst Kiske's smooth and accessible vocal harmonies drive everything. He sings lead throughout the whole song, with occasional harmonies thrown in to bulk things out, but it works well as he is really suited to this kind of material - with his high-pitched screams during the chorus showcasing his talents nicely. The song is much more accessible in terms of arrangement - but it is not one which needs to be complex, with big melodies and the overall pace driving everything.
The Deris-penned A Little Is a Little Too Much is a classic mid-paced cruncher with something of an anthemic overall sound. There is another song like this later on the album, and since Deris joined the band in 1994 he has been writing songs like this for them - with the big chorus being a great candidate for being played live thanks to its fists-in-the-air melodies and the strong vocal interplay between him and Kiske. The two trade vocal lines back and forth during the verses, allowing for a good mix of grit and melody, whilst the chorus sees them singing and harmonising together nicely. Staccato, slab-like riffing and a twinkling synth melody form the basis of the song musically - and it is another piece which does not take too many risks arrangement-wise. The synth prominence perhaps is a little different, and a 1980s-style chorus key change feels a little cliché, but overall the song is a lot of fun - with a chorus that sticks in the brain from the off. Hansen's We Can Be Gods ups the pace, and immediately turns the clock back to the very early days of Helloween - as well as the heavier end of Gamma Ray. The chorus feels like classic Helloween, with Kiske tending to dominate, but the verses are a bit more Gamma Ray in feel - and there is more of a focus throughout on guitar leads, with tasty, melodic playing injecting itself when necessary. The use of bombastic piano during the chorus helps the song to sound massive, too, and the way the piano just sits beneath the hard-driving riffing gives the song a real boost - and it is something a little different for the band overall. Kiske sings most of the song, but Hansen shares the verses with him - with his nasally snarl working well given the song's overall crunch, before the chorus is taken to new heights thanks to Kiske's soaring delivery. The aforementioned lead guitar reliance is later taken to its logical conclusion with a lengthy solo segment which likely features all three of the band's guitarists given how it twists and turns. The album's only ballad, Into the Sun, is up next - which opens with sombre piano melodies and Kiske singing in a deeper register than he generally does. Written by Deris, the ballad is quite typical when it comes to Helloween's previous efforts - but the vocal interplay between him and Kiske helps to elevate it - and there is also quite a rousing string arrangement during the verses in particular. The mix of the piano and strings, alongside the rest of the band adding weight during parts of the song, makes the ballad shine - and the chorus is pretty memorable thanks to the harmonies and the way Kiske and Deris sing in a bit of a call-and-response manner at times. An emotional guitar solo is later thrown in, which builds on some of the melodies found elsewhere, and the dense ballad works well as a bit of a mid-album change of pace - and allows Kiske in particular to try something a bit different vocally.
This Is Tokyo is the second of Deris' big anthemic pieces here - following A Little Is a Little Too Much. Arrangement-wise, though, the song is different from that previous bouncy track - as it feels a bit more varied thanks to some slow-burning moments during the verses which build towards a proper shout-along chorus that is made for being played live. Deris tends to dominate vocally throughout, with his gritty voice perfect for the simple chorus in a manner similar to songs like Are You Metal? from the past. Kiske adds his voice to verses at times, but generally just to harmonise with Deris - and I like the fact that the band do not always feel that the vocal arrangements on this album need to be complex and include everyone. Deris is just better suited to this song and it shows - whilst a busy guitar solo section later adds some Japanese-adjacent shredded melodies. The next two songs are written by Gerstner, with the epic-length Universe (Gravity for Hearts) up first. It is the longest song on the album and one of two here over eight minutes long - and it opens slowly, with some clean guitar melodies over which Kiske sings a version of the song's chorus in a drawn out and dramatic way. The rest of the band soon kick in, though, with the track being a fast-paced power metal anthem for a while. Given the song's length, though, there is more of a progressive arrangement here. Traditional 1980s power metal is present during much of the verses and the soaring chorus, which feels different to its initial incarnation, whilst crunchier, Judas Priest-adjacent riffing makes up the pre-chorus. Given that much of the song is fast-paced, Kiske's smooth and soaring vocals are utilised throughout. He sounds great here, and the song is perfectly suited to his voice - with the chorus in particular shining thanks to his talents. It sounds like Deris and Hansen add some occasional backing vocal counterpoints at times during the verses, but in general this is Kiske's song - even when a more slow-burning section later kicks in. The deeper vocals he utilised during the ballad return during this murky section - but following a knotty riffy section, a Queen-like vocal-led passage kicks in which Hansen takes over for. Hansen's quirky voice works well for this moment of strange bombast - and the cinematic guitar solo which follows is filled with soaring melody. It is one of those songs that gets better with each listen - and it shows that Gerstner is just as important to this incarnation of Halloween as all the classic members. His second contribution Hand of God is quite different, with the short, poppy track playing around with synths in a pleasing way. He also releases synthy rock under the name Palast, so he has clearly allowed some of that side of his writing to creep in here - and it works quite well. Deris sings the robotic, mid-paced track - his gritty voice mixing well with the plentiful synths and chiming guitar melodies. The song feels like nothing else on the album really, but over repeated listens it has stuck with me. The chorus, despite its strange, deliberate pace, feels hooky - and I like the way Deris sings the song in a slightly different manner to how he usually would. Big guitar melodies are still present throughout - and another cinematic solo is thrown in to help further add some melody to the pulsing, electronic track.
Under the Moonlight is Weikath's second songwriting contribution - but it is a bit more mid-paced than is typical of his efforts. Kiske sings the song, though, which is not surprising - and there is certainly some classic power metal tropes here which are welcome following the left-turn of the previous song. Big guitar melodies are ever-present throughout, with a hooky refrain kicking things off - which returns later on to help the song soar. It is the shortest song here, at just over three minutes, and it was clearly written just to be bouncy and hooky. Despite the mid-paced feel, the song is very energetic overall - and there is a poppy bounce thanks to the groove of the drums and the ever-present harmony guitar leads. Kiske really leans into this vibe, too, and his vocals just sound so joyous throughout - with the chorus being an infectious piece that grabs hold and never really lets go. The album then comes to a close with the other eight minute-plus piece here, Majestic. Written by Hansen, the epic-length piece is another somewhat progressive number - and it opens slowly with some murky clean guitars and spoken word from Hansen. Hansen has sung bits and pieces throughout this album, but he features quite a lot here early on - although the song is really the only one here which features all three singers prominently. Helloween seemed to want to do this more, particularly with duets between Kiske and Deris, but as I said earlier I think that everyone is just more comfortable with their positions in the band now - so this big vocal arrangement actually helps the song to really stand out. Hansen is certainly featured less, but his early contributions are welcome - whilst Deris and Kiske trade vocals throughout much of the song, with their interplay during the chorus really making it tick. The chorus is gritty and heavy, but with an anthemic feel, whilst the song overall lacks some of the brightness of Helloween's core sound. There are hints of Gamma Ray again here, which is no bad thing, especially during the early Hansen-led moments - as well as during a later clean bridge section which also features his singing. Even the riffing is quite Gamma Ray-esque, but the soaring vocals of Kiske and the anthemic Deris moments root the song firmly in the Helloween canon - with lengthy guitar solos also doing their bit to add plenty of melody. A final chorus later brings the album to a close - and the big, anthemic nature of it makes me wonder if this is another track which is likely to be played live on the upcoming tour. In truth, a lot of the songs here feel made for the stage - and I would not be surprised to see this album dominating the setlist later the year. With lots of classics being played over the past few years, it seems right that the upcoming tour focuses on this album - as it is a quality release with lots of memorable songs as well as some pieces which try something slightly new. It is both classic-sounding Helloween whilst feeling fresh at the same time - and perhaps metal's greatest reunion/coming together of eras continues to impress, putting others to shame in the process.
The album was released on 29th August 2025 via Reigning Phoenix Music. Below is the band's promotional video for This Is Tokyo.
No comments:
Post a Comment