Year : 2025
Style : Melodic Power Metal
Country : Germany
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 121 mb
Bio:
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg, Northern Germany. The band is a pioneering force in the power metal subgenres and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I and Part II, are considered masterpieces of the genre. Twelve musicians have been a part of the band's line-up in its history, which has consisted of singer Andi Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bass guitarist Markus Grosskopf, and drummer Daniel Löble since 2005.Helloween was formed in 1984 by members of bands Iron Fist, Gentry, and Powerfool. Its first line-up consisted of Weikath, Grosskopf, singer and guitarist Kai Hansen and drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg. After the release of a self-titled EP and a first album in 1985, it expanded into a quintet when singer Michael Kiske joined, with Hansen only acting as guitarist. Under this line-up, they released the Keeper of the Seven Keys albums (1987 and 1988), which established Helloween as a notable heavy metal band and led to the creation of the power metal subgenre. However, Hansen left the band quickly after the release of Part II and was replaced by Roland Grapow. He then created the band Gamma Ray.Helloween's first two albums without Hansen, Pink Bubbles Go Ape (1991) and Chameleon (1993), were commercial and critical failures,which created tensions between band members and led to the firing of Schwichtenberg and the departure of Kiske. They were replaced by Uli Kusch and Andi Deris respectively. The albums released under this line-up, consisting of Master of the Rings (1994), The Time of the Oath (1996), Better Than Raw (1998) and The Dark Ride (2000), received a warm reception from both fans and critics, gradually establishing Helloween as a successful band again.However, tensions following the release of The Dark Ride led to the dismissals of both Grapow and Kusch, who then went on to found Masterplan together. Grapow was replaced by Gerstner, but the attempts to find a new drummer were chaotic and no band member was credited for drums on the album Rabbit Don't Come Easy (2003). The band finally found a stable drummer in the person of Löble in 2005. Under this new and current line-up, the longest in its history, the band has released four successful studio albums: Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy (2005), Gambling with the Devil (2007), 7 Sinners (2010), and Straight Out of Hell (2013), with all members except Löble contributing to songwriting.Since its creation, Helloween has released fourteen studio albums, three live albums, three EPs, and twenty-seven singles, and has sold more than five million records worldwide.
Album:
Giants & Monsters is the upcoming seventeenth studio album by German power metal band Helloween, to be released on 29 August 2025.To those of us of a certain vintage, Helloween provokes memories of glorious days in the late 1980’s listening to Michael Kiske telling tales of seven keys and their keeper! Rightly regarded as at the forefront of European Power Metal, they’ve forged a career blending melodies with soaring vocals and speed metal riffs for 42 years, 12 members and with this release 17 studio albums.“Giants and Monsters” is also their second album as a septet featuring the “Pumpkins United” line up after 2021’s self-titled release. We have three vocalists contributing, their individual talents utilised to their best. Andi Deris, with the band since 1994 is again joined by Michael Kiske and Kai Hansen, the latter also performing guitar duties. Along with Markus Grosskopf on bass and Michael Weikath on guitars the septet is rounded out by 21st century additions Sascha Gerstner on guitar and Dani Löble on drums.As expected with the quality of the musicians involved and a relaxed timeframe during the songwriting process, all band members contributed nuggets of ideas when listening back to a track. With the first track, “Giants on the Run” and its unique Helloween sound, evidence of the abundant craftsmanship is clear.Second track “Saviour of the World” sees Michael Kiske take lead vocal duties evoking a throwback to the classic Helloween sound of late 1980’s and the “Keeper of the 7 Keys” era while fourth track “We Can Be Gods” is the first track in the running order to feature vocal duties from all three singers.Nowhere is the songwriting prowess more evident than on “Into The Sun”, a superb ballad featuring a powerful duet between Deris and Kiske, their brilliant vocal histrionics complimented by fine piano and synth building to an emotionally charged guitar solo.“This is Tokyo” is an ode to Japan and the importance of the country to the development of Deris’ career. A catchy track that’ll incite singalongs and fists in air at gigs.Album closer “Majestic” is a colossus of a track, grandiose music clocking in at over eight minutes, it is the second track to feature all three vocalists. Explosive guitar work, emotion dripping from the fretboards and inventive song structure establishes the track as a future Helloween classic.If you consider Helloween at the top of a Power Metal flow chart and the iconic band names that flow there from, iconic names such as Gamma Ray and Masterplan, plus the quality of the bands where members in the past plied their trade, you know this band and this album is oozing with talent few can match. A worthy addition to Helloween’s discography!With Giants & Monsters, HELLOWEEN boldly step into their fifth decade, proving once again why they remain one of the most influential and beloved bands in heavy metal.
Line-Up:
Michael Kiske - Vocals (Kiske / Somerville, Place Vendome, Unisonic, Michael Kiske, ex-Avantasia (live), ex-Ill Prophecy, ex-SupaRed)
Andi Deris - Vocals (Andi Deris and the Bad Bankers, ex-Pink Cream 69, ex-Kymera, ex-Dragon, ex-Nameless, ex-Paranoid)
Michael Weikath - Guitars (ex-Blast Furnace, ex-Iron Fist, ex-Powerfool)
Kai Hansen - Guitars, Vocals (Gamma Ray, Hansen & Friends, Unisonic, ex-Iron Savior, ex-Avantasia (live), ex-Ancient Call, ex-Gentry, ex-Iron Fist, ex-Powerfool, ex-Second Hell)
Sascha Gerstner - Guitars (Palast, ex-Freedom Call, ex-Lanzer (live))
Markus Grosskopf - Bass (ex-Shock Machine, ex-Weinhold, ex-Bassinvaders, Kickhunter, ex-Avantasia, ex-Trick or Treat (live), ex-Edguy (live), ex-Roland Grapow, ex-Blast Furnace, ex-Gentry, ex-Iron Fist, ex-Second Hell)
Dani Loble - Drums (ex-Glenmore, ex-Hollenhunde, Gotthard (live), ex-Krokus (live), ex-Rawhead Rexx, ex-Blaze (live), ex-Element 58)
Tracklist:
01. Giants On The Run
02. Savior Of The World
03. A Little Is A Little Too Much
04. We Can Be Gods
05. Into The Sun
06. This Is Tokyo
07. Universe (Gravity For Hearts)
08. Hand Of God
09. Under The Moonlight
10. Majestic
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