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HELLOWEEN
Giants & Monsters

Reigning Phoenix Music (2025)
Rating: 7.5/10

Album number 19 seems a world away from the mystical charms of those 80s records, but Helloween remains a consistent crew driven by a power metal ethos. I’ll openly admit that as the early 90s hit and the dreadful Chameleon (1993) opus emerged, I completely fell out of love with the band. Mind you, the Germans weren’t the first band to succumb to the alternative 90s and they quickly got things back on track with Master Of The Rings (1994) and The Time Of The Oath (1996), even if my adoration had slipped.

As times have changed, Hellowen has soldiered on regardless. Ups and downs have still occurred with subsequent albums, but for the band it’s always been a creative process, never truly standing still.

Giants & Monsters is the album I expected from the guys; a steely amalgamation of hard metal streaked with flashes of the unorthodox. As with most Helloween albums this one is executed with such skill and vim, featuring 51 minutes of music, ten songs, most of which come equipped with the speedy vim of Kai Hansen’s axe work.

You can expect the usual soaring melodies and streaks of majesty, even if some of it is coated in too much gloss. There’s intricacy and a haunting piano on ‘Majestic’, thunderous power metal with the hasty gallop of ‘Universe (Gravity For Hearts)’, some full on speed metal aesthetic with ‘Saviour Of The World’, and a cluster of anthems that stick in your head as you wave your scarves from the likes of ‘We Can Be Gods’ and ‘This Is Tokyo’.

Variety has always been the spice of life for Helloween, and when you’ve got both Michael Kiske and Andi Deris driving the vocals you just know the delivery is on point. Their styles match well as they lead us through a myriad of merry metallic mayhem, flashing high energy riffs and electrical charges.

‘Giants On The Run’ is the ideal opening track, a bold and boisterous affair which epitomizes the current sound of the band. But pretty much everything served up here is fluid, a touch fancy and usually grandiose. Helloween is Helloween, so no point beating around the bush with convoluted words, just dig in and enjoy. Power to the pumpkins!

Neil Arnold

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