Helloween’s vaunted Pumpkins United lineup returns with Giants and Monsters, their second consecutive full-length album as the three-headed monster of Michael Kiske, Andi Deris and Kai Hansen aim to continue the grandeur that was established by their 2021 self-titled full-length and the EP from which the new moniker was established.
“Giants On The Run” is a powerful opener one that showcases a little bit of what each member brings to the table from vocal harmonies, guitar solos and pounding drums. There is a reason why power metal in general owes such a great debt to these Germans.
On “A Little Is A Little Too Much” the band appears to simplify their approach with more a traditional rock aesthetic. Riffs are a little more streamlined, but then the song becomes a vessel for the vocal performances and for the excellent melodies sprinkled within it. Helloween always do a great job of balancing the “bend but don’t break” aspect of power metal’s campiness allowing for metal traditionalists to hang with the band when other Euro power bands would otherwise bowl them over.
“This Is Tokyo” is chock full of bombast with the shared vocal lines contained within the bridge as well as on the choruses that punctuated by the shouting of the song’s title. There are two 8-minute epics on the latter half of the record. “Universe (Gravity For Hearts)” has some of the most beautiful vocal lines on the entire album, especially towards the midsection, where the band intentionally slows down to give space to one vocalist, while speeding it up to provide room for another before displaying great riffs that will take fans back to Keeper Of The Seven Keys and other classics in their discography.
Of course, the band wasn’t done there, as album closer and ending epic “Majestic” enters the fray, albeit slowly before rounding into form. The track bobs and weaves like a boxer looking for the right opportunity to strike, mixing speeds with aplomb allowing the guitar lines to really soar and bring this track and album to its proper close. Helloween have had this long-sustained success for a reason and with this all-star lineup that has been present for nearly a decade, there is nothing standing in the way of even more. Giants And Monsters is the sound of Helloween’s importance and dominance on the power metal genre in the past, present and the future.
(released August 29, 2025 on Reigning Phoenix Music)
Heavy Music HQ Rating:
Watch Helloween – “This Is Tokyo” Video
