In a brand new interview with Hakos Pervanidis of the Metallic Hammer Greece TV program TV Warfare, HELLOWEEN singer Andi Deris and guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen spoke concerning the band’s upcoming album, “Giants & Monsters”, which is due on August 29 through Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). Requested if they’d agree that “Giants & Monsters” sounds “extra targeted and direct” than 2021’s self-titled effort, Hansen mentioned (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Yeah, I might agree. I imply, now we have range, however we have grown collectively as HELLOWEEN and the person members, so you could possibly hear the variations between the songs and the songwriters nonetheless, however there is a straight crimson line. And we’re extra related now.”
Deris chimed in: “Thus far I am joyful to say that there have been a lot of little issues being put into your music by the opposite guys, which was a lot simpler this time. Actually, we had a lot extra time, really, so everyone had tons of time to pay attention to every and everyone’s tracks and provide you with personal concepts. Kai, for instance, he added I might say an entire new music into my music. ‘Giants On The Run’, the entire center half is a brand new music which Kai put in, and it is simply good; it suits. That is one thing I like and I at all times needed to have, however, truthfully, again within the day, like [on] the [previous] album, everyone was minding his personal enterprise. It’s a must to write tremendous songs for the brand new upcoming album and the expectations are so excessive as a result of Michael [Kiske, HELLOWEEN singer] and Kai are again. And so there was no mindset to really put your shit into the opposite songs and vice versa. And this time it simply performed out simply as a result of the stress was gone. I believe once you simply had such a profitable album, it takes away a lot stress as a result of you realize you had been heading in the right direction. So play with it. Do not stress it. Simply play with it. And that was a number of enjoyable.”
Relating to the “Giants & Monsters” album title, Deris mentioned: “The primary title says all of it. It is ‘Giants On The Run’, and it talks about us as mankind. We are literally giants. We’re gods inside. However then you could possibly provide you with a conspiracy concept. Are we on function, purposely put down that the god facet, that big factor that all of us have inside, is just not allowed to precise itself or to come back out? However on the finish of the day, everyone, each particular person I do know, they’re much larger inside with their desires, with their prospects they wish to have, than they’re really allowed to have or allowed to be in our society. And there you could possibly provide you with that conspiracy concept. Are we held down on function? I personally suppose once I take heed to my inside, I do know everyone from the band and all my buddies I do know, they’re a lot larger inside. They’re nice, nice folks. They usually have nice concepts, however in our world, you are not allowed to precise it.”
Kai added: “It takes all efforts. It’s a must to battle the monsters. That is the purpose. And I believe the title leaves so much room a for interpretation. You may say the giants is your nice concepts that you just might need, your goals, your targets. However then right here come the monsters, the demons it’s important to battle and on a regular basis battle. Then you could possibly go to the Anunnaki, the return of the gods from outer house, large folks and so forth. There’s a number of room for fantasy, I believe.”
Andi continued: “However I simply went again additionally to the Bible. I mentioned, ‘Okay, look, it is even written within the Bible.’ There have been giants strolling on earth, and who says that the giants should not nonetheless right here in ourselves? I imply, we are nonetheless the giants, and as Kai mentioned, you consistently should battle the demons, the monsters in your life. And I believed that is an excellent metaphor. And I believe everyone is aware of what I am speaking about as a result of generally once you’re with your self fascinated about your self, your personal life, you understand you’ll be rather more if solely you’re allowed to be.”
Requested if HELLOWEEN purposely approached songwriting this time round in a means the place the vocals and the primary refrain are available very early in every music, Andi mentioned: “Sure and no. I imply, truthfully, if it will destroy the music, I would quite not, me personally. I believe everyone within the band would agree, as a result of if the music yells for it and shouts for it — maintain it brief; in any other case it is getting boring — then I maintain it brief.
Hansen added: “It is good to have that on the industrial tracks, all of the — how do you say it? — the hit singles. It is very onerous. Personally, I do not thoughts if it takes longer to enter the refrain if it is sensible for a music. So there isn’t any normal thought or rule once you strategy songwriting to say, ‘Oh, no, the refrain has to come back after one minute or so.'”
Deris continued: “If we discuss wanting what the industrial facet can be, and again within the days, I keep in mind you’ve got been pressured by the report firm to place it brief into most three-minute songs as a result of in any other case it could not be a single. Fuck it. I imply, truthfully, no. If I’ve to maintain it brief, then in all probability, as a result of I am a cussed asshole, I might do the alternative. However no one tells me what to do, so I simply personally write the way in which I really feel. However then once more, it is crucial, when now we have guys within the band who say, ‘It is a nice music, and I might hear it even higher once we not maintain it that brief.’ For instance, ‘Giants On The Run’. [Kai‘s] half is not less than three minutes and stretches the music to eight minutes one thing, which was one thing like spherical 5 minutes, and it’s very value it. But when it is not value it, why would you? That was one other query: ‘Do you at all times have to put in writing these lengthy songs?’ And Kai mentioned, ‘No.’ It is simply what it’s. Whenever you’re within the technique of songwriting and it yells for one more half and this is an concept, and yeah, I might do that lyrics, so I want one other half, in any other case the story is just not spherical, and perhaps you find yourself with 10 or 12 minutes.”
Hansen added: “And it is enjoyable to do these lengthy songs. To me, it is enjoyable. It is a type of problem, however I do not do it on function to say, ‘I want a protracted music.’ It is simply if the music offers it to you, you then do it.”
Deris defined: “And if the story is 2 sheets of paper. You may’t presumably put all of the lyrics in a three-minute music; that is not attainable. So you then’ve received totally different emotions relying on the lyrics itself. All of a sudden there is a romantic part, for instance. Ah, yeah, undoubtedly it’s important to go down and do one thing romantic round it arrangement-wise. You in all probability can not go all metally with that romantic factor. And so it cries, it, it yells, it shouts for one more half.”
On the subject of how they steadiness followers’ expectations with being inventive and attempting new issues with their music, Hansen mentioned: “It is a problem and it is at all times like a stroll on the sting. As a result of in case you contemplate that you really want folks to be happy with what you are doing, however however, once you do your factor, you shouldn’t contemplate that. You shouldn’t write with that function in thoughts, as a result of, to begin with, it’s important to be a fan of what you are doing. To me, it is a very egoistic course of. I write for myself, and I wish to be a fan of what I am doing. After which I am glad if different folks suppose so too.”
Deris added: “Yeah, that is my means too. I do not wanna say I do not give a fuck, however if you end up writing, there needs to be nothing behind your thoughts. It is simply you and your music. And as Kai mentioned, in case you goosebump goes up, it is nice for your self, to begin with. After which once you end the music, on the second thought or second guess can be, ‘Would they prefer it on the market?’ However through the songwriting course of, it is not essential. You’re essential as a result of it’s important to really give your ideas, your emotions into no matter you do within the very second. And sure, generally it is not adequate that the folks would say, ‘Yeah, I like it.’ However I at all times say that the likelihood that I’m utterly proud of my music and my goosebump goes up, contemplating myself a super-normal man, so once I say I like it, my goosebumps go up, as a result of I contemplate myself a mediocre man, I might say the traditional individual on the market would really feel the identical [as] I do. That is what I at all times hope.”
Hansen continued: “You develop a sense. I imply, once you write a music, and also you belief your self, in case you prefer it, then there will likely be a number of others that would really like it too.”
Deris concurred, saying: “No assure, however that is the way in which to work.”
“Giants & Monsters” monitor itemizing:
01. Giants On The Run
02. Savior Of The World
03. A Little Is A Little Too A lot
04. We Can Be Gods
05. Into The Solar
06. This Is Tokyo
07. Universe (Gravity For Hearts)
08. Hand Of God
09. Underneath The Moonlight
10. Majestic
“Helloween” was the primary HELLOWEEN album to characteristic the band’s expanded lineup, consisting of returning singer Michael Kiske and Hansen together with Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Daniel Löble.
Final December, Deris instructed Spain’s MariskalRockTV concerning the musical path of the brand new HELLOWEEN materials: “I like two or three songs from Kai. [They’re] tremendous loopy, and I like ’em to demise. Weiki [guitarist Michael Weikath] has an awesome music as properly. My songs are actually at all times good. [Laughs] [That’s a] joke, joke, joke. However I believe now we have a lot of nice songs, undoubtedly. Tremendous-nice hooks, a lot of constructive sing-alongs. So, yeah, I believe that is one thing that we in all probability may have within the occasions to come back. [Laughs] Very constructive, I’ve to say. So I might say 80 % of the album is tremendous constructive. Typically very quick and heavy, however constructive. Good, good temper. And now we have a ballad. Lastly, now we have a ballad.”
Earlier in December, Deris was requested by The Metallic Command how the fabric for HELLOWEEN‘s subsequent album compares to that on “Helloween”. He mentioned: “I would say it is rather more simple listening, as a result of there’s much less constructed stuff on it. It is extra flowing with the wind, so to say. It is very, very constructive, so I might quite say it is extra joyful, joyful HELLOWEEN than the opposite album. I believe it’s kind of extra… yeah, the stream is, for my style, not as edgy because the final album, which was cool — I like edgy stuff — however we should always have roughly some counterpart to edgy, extra exhausting issues. The final album, for me, was nice to pay attention by way of — it was edgy, it was heavy, it was difficult right here and there — however after listening to it, then I wanted a pause. It was exhausting. After [listening to ‘Helloween’], I wanted some break, put it that means. I liked it, and I nonetheless like it, however it’s demanding. I believe the subsequent album will likely be rather more simple listening, I believe rather more pleasant to sing alongside [to]; there are many elements in there. So I might quite describe it as a extra joyful, joyful HELLOWEEN album. That may be one of the best description.”
Andi continued: “It is onerous to explain, as a result of there are many speedy and heavy issues on it. However once I pay attention by way of it, I really feel good. I imply, that is an excellent signal. Not that I felt dangerous once I listened to the final album — that is not what I imply. It is enjoyable. I take heed to it, and it is enjoyable. Undoubtedly.”
Relating to what he and his HELLOWEEN bandmates realized from the making of “Helloween” that they improved upon this time round, Andi mentioned: “Yeah, I believe the principle key phrase can be confidence. The final album, we needed to get to know one another in that new setup, lineup, learn how to work with [each other], learn how to work right here and blah, blah, blah, and this time we simply realized, okay, really everyone has such nice concepts; simply do not management one another. We need not really stick in a studio for pre-production for 2 months as a result of everyone did it for himself. Let’s simply take heed to it and say, ‘Wow, cool.’ So this time we have been some lazy backs, really, and simply mentioned, you realize, pre-production we simply do ourselves again at house, everyone in his personal studio, and we simply take the approach we’re given. Web is nice, and you may have stay periods on-line, and that made life a lot simpler as a result of everyone is simply relieved that you just [are] nonetheless at house. You continue to work onerous, however you are at house. And as everyone knows, once you’re at house, work does not harm that a lot as being again within the studio once more someplace on the planet, however not with your loved ones. And these days you’ll be able to even have your loved ones life, you’ve your eight, 9 hours per day within the studio, you your self determine once you make a break or once you go and have a meal along with your girl or go all the way down to the seaside, in my case. That makes life a lot simpler and rather more pleasant than sitting in a fricking studio time and again and once more, each day for 2 months, only for a pre-production, which you could possibly simply do at house collectively. So this time, I’ve to say there’s confidence that we earned for one another that helped so much to make issues much more easygoing. And I believe that is precisely what you pay attention, once you undergo the songs and also you take heed to them — you are feeling that easiness: ‘Wow. Wow. Okay, cool.’ I like it. In order that’s the way in which to go.”
Upon its launch in June 2021, “Helloween” landed within the Prime 10 in additional than 10 international locations, together with Germany, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria. The duvet art work for the LP was painted by artist Eliran Kantor, who has beforehand labored with HATEBREED, SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH and SODOM, amongst others.
Produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, the final HELLOWEEN LP was recorded partially on the H.O.M.E. Studios in Hamburg (the place all the things began in 1984). The identical recording console used for such HELLOWEEN albums as “Grasp Of The Rings”, “Time Of The Oath” and “Higher Than Uncooked” was utilized to report the band’s new materials. The trouble was combined on the Valhalla Studios of Ronald Prent (IRON MAIDEN, DEF LEPPARD, RAMMSTEIN).
“Helloween” noticed the legendary German energy metallers going “again to the roots,” with the band recording totally analog and Löble enjoying the drum equipment beforehand utilized by HELLOWEEN‘s authentic drummer, the late Ingo Schwichtenberg, on the legendary “Keeper Of The Seven Keys” recordings.
HELLOWEEN launched a brand new stay album, “Reside At Budokan”, on December 13, 2024 through Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). The colossal effort immortalized HELLOWEEN‘s September 16, 2023 efficiency at Tokyo’s legendary Nippon Budokan.
“Reside At Budokan” was made out there in a plethora of codecs: 2CD-digipak and 3LP vinyl in trifold with the primary print run of each coming as “deluxe version” together with embossed cowl art work, in addition to Blu-ray, DVD and digital. Every model is meticulously crafted to swimsuit the metallic group’s numerous tastes, guaranteeing each fan can relive the uncooked, unfiltered power of HELLOWEEN of their most popular medium.
This launch celebrated the grand finale of HELLOWEEN‘s epic world tour from 2022 to 2023. Spanning over 30 international locations on three continents, the tour was nothing wanting a triumph, drawing huge crowds and showcasing the band’s timeless enchantment, the sold-out live performance in Tokyo is the crowning glory of the cycle.