ALBUM REVIEW: ‘Giants & Monsters’ Is Another Welcome Offering From HELLOWEEN​

BY: Philip Sayblack

​Summer is turning the corner and before long will make way for fall.  In much of the country, millions are already feeling the change in the air as temperatures are finally falling along with humidity levels.  While temperatures are finally cooling off, things are heating up for Helloween.  That is because on Friday, the veteran power metal band released its latest album, Giants & Monsters.  A supporting tour across Europe is set to span Oct. 17-Nov. 22. The band’s 16th (yes, 16th) full-length studio album, it is easily a work that the band’s established audiences and more casual audiences alike will appreciate.  That is proven in part through its featured musical arrangements.  The lyrical themes that accompany that musical material adds its own interest to the whole, making for more engagement and entertainment.  The record’s production rounds out its most important elements.  When it is considered alongside the album’s overall content, the whole makes Giants & Monsters easily one more of the best of this year’s already very crowded field of top new hard rock and metal albums.
Hard rock and metal fans have had a lot to appreciate this year.  New albums from the likes of Arch Enemy, Bleed From Within, Bloodywood, Dream Theater, Grave Digger, Machine Head, and just so many others make that clear.  Even with only a few months left in the year there is still plenty to come, too, from the likes of Sabaton, Dirkschneider and the Old Gang, and Testament.  Needless to say, that means this year’s field of most notable new hard rock and metal albums is already very crowded.  Helloween’s brand-new album, Giants & Monsters, released Friday, only made for that much more crowding.  This 50-minute presentation appeals from beginning for established and casual audiences alike in part because of its featured musical arrangements.  The arrangements in question do not necessarily break any new ground for the band but that is OK.  That is because even with that familiarity in mind, the band still manages to make each of the album’s 10 total tracks unique from works that make up the rest of the band’s catalog.  In other words, that stylistic familiarity is there but the songs still boast their own identity separate from so much of the band’s expansive body of work.  At the same time, comparisons can also be made to works from so many of Helloween’s power metal contemporaries.  Right from the album’s outset, ‘Giants on the Run,’ audiences can make comparisons to works from Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and even Saxon.  Meanwhile the album’s latest single, ‘A Little Is A Little Too Much’ dives back into Helloween’s own 80s hair metal-infused works, so there again is that familiarity in its own right.  With ‘Universe (Gravity For Hearts),’ listeners could argue a comparison to works from yet another power metal act, none other than Dragonforce.  So to that end, the album’s musical arrangements are not necessarily unique here but even with that familiarity are still their own works even therein.  To that end, they make for a good starting point for the record.
The lyrical content that accompanies the album’s musical arrangements builds the appeal for Giants & Monsters.  That is because of its own accessibility and familiarity.  Case in point is yet one more single from this record, ‘This Is Tokyo.’  The album’s lead single, it is a tribute to the city in question, according to front man Andi Deris.  Deris said of the song’s lyrical theme in an interview, “Japan plays a special role in my life because I had my first successes there.  I wanted to create a tribute to Japan for a while now and finally found the right lyrics.  ‘Because ‘Tokyo’ sounds better than ‘Japan,’ the city stands for a whole country that is very important to me.”  Having such a tribute has got to make the people of Japan and Tokyo in whole very proud.  On another level, everyone has had that place or person that has played a pivotal role in their lives.  That is what this song is about.  To that end, it is fully relatable to audiences, proving in its own way, the importance of the album’s lyrical themes.
Going back to ‘Universe (Gravity For Hearts),’ guitarist Sascha Gerstner said of the song’s lyrical theme, “Everything in the universe is connected and what looks like infinite stars could in reality, be moments, hearts, and choices.”  In other words, we are a tiny little speck about the size of Mickey Rooney (Animaniacs fans will get that reference).  We are all one little part of something so much grander.  This is a great starting point for a much bigger existential and philosophical discussion, further proving again the importance of the album’s lyrical themes.
‘A Little Is a Little Too Much’ is yet one more example of the importance of the album’s lyrical themes.  Deris said here in short that essentially, the theme is one of how one little thing happening can lead to something much bigger happening.  That something bigger is not always necessarily good, either.  In other words, we need to take into account the consequences of our actions.  Once again here we have a deep concept to which audiences are certain to connect.  To that end, it and the other themes examined here pair with the rest of the album’s lyrical themes to strengthen the record’s presentation all the more.  When the overall lyrical content is considered alongside the album’s musical arrangements, that whole makes for plenty of reason for audiences to take in this album.
The overall content presented throughout Giants & Monsters is just part of what makes the album impressive.  The record’s production rounds out its most important elements.  Throughout the course of the album’s nearly hour-long run time, the vocals and instrumentation are expertly balanced.  At no point does one musician overpower his band mates.  The result is that the sound quality throughout the album is just as impressive as the record’s overall content.  Keeping that in mind, all three items combine to make Giants & Monsters a fully successful new offering from Helloween.
Giants & Monsters, the latest album from Helloween, is a strong new offering from the veteran power metal band.  That is due in part to its featured musical arrangements.  The arrangements are key because of their familiarity in sound and style and how that is balanced with the unique identity created within each work.  The lyrical themes that accompany the album’s musical arrangements is important because of its own familiarity and accessibility.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to its presentation, ensuring a positive audio quality from beginning to end.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of Giants & Monsters.  All things considered they make the album one more welcome addition to this year’s already very crowded field of new hard rock and metal albums. 
Giants & Monsters is available now.  More information on the album and the band’s forthcoming tour in support of the album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Website: https://helloween.org
Facebook: https://facebook.com/helloweenofficial
X: https://x.com/helloweenorg