There’s no escaping the fact that this review exists purely for nostalgic reasons. As a teenager at the height of the big hair rock/metal bands of the late 80s, I purchased a cassette entitled Live in the U.K. by German band Helloween. Despite Giants & Monsters being the band’s seventeenth studio album, this is the first time I’ve heard the band since 1989. Not known for my appreciation of power metal, I felt it was time to hear what these guys have been up to. I’m glad I did, because this album is a belter. Mixed at Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum, it’s no surprise that the album sounds like the other metal and rock acts that utilised this studio (Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Def Leppard). Producers Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward helped create this vibrant and powerful album.
As with all good metal acts, there’s a level of absurdity in the recording process that found drummer Dani Löble use THREE kits to make sure the vibes were just right. I can confirm that the vibes are indeed, perfect, as the remaining band members consisting of Michael Kiske, Andi Deris (Vocals), Kai Hansen (guitars, vocals), Michael Weikath (guitars), Sascha Gerstner (guitars), Markus Grosskopf (bass) make an outstanding sound when brought together.
Opener ‘Giants On The Run’ blends a downbeat verse to a soaring chorus that hurtles along with double kicked beats and blazing guitars. The vocals switch from a tender croon to a piercing shriek with consummate ease. The operatic passage would normally be something I would run away from, but it feels appropriate and acceptable in this setting. I decided to fully embrace the sound and atmospherics of power metal just this once! ‘Savior Of The World’ races out of the traps with scorching riffs and blasting beats. The chorus is mighty and hugely memorable despite being distinctly overblown and slightly pompous. ‘A Little Is A Little Too Much’ drops in some keyboards for lovely melodic flourishes and is a straight up rocker with an absolutely massive chorus. It brings me right back to my teenage years hearing such BIG METAL!
A powerful Rob Halford-esque shriek opens up the thrashfest that is ‘We Can Be Gods’ which has a host of blistering guitars. It’s hard not to beam from ear to ear when that ridiculous chorus drops with some lovely piano embellishment. If you ever wondered what a thrash version of Abba would sound like, here’s the answer. It’s just bloody brilliant. Eventually the inevitable ballad appears in the form of the tender ‘Into The Sun’ with a lush verse that erupts into a stunning emotive chorus that simply soars and gives you a wonderful feeling. ‘This Is Tokyo’ powers up with some melodic “Whoa-ho-ho-ho!” lines and yet again, there’s a massive swelling chorus with some Def Leppard toned guitars chiming.
The song that caught my attention is the epic 8-minute workout that is ‘Universe (Gravity For Hearts)’ which managed to find me pinging round the kitchen doing a middle-aged man dance that hopefully nobody else saw. Jeez it felt good though! Possessing a ridiculously over the top chorus it’s exactly the kind of thing that would win the Eurovision Song Contest for the craic. It’s glorious and ludicrous and I found it extremely enjoyable. The elongated passage of shredding guitar solos is simply superb. ‘Hand Of God’ pulls in some ambient synths as an undertow for the swinging groove. It’s the kind of song Dave Mustaine would write, fusing pop sensibilities with good old fashioned metal riffs. ‘Under The Moonlight’ probably means well with a host of euphoric hooks and a supremely melodic chorus that sounds like it should be in a bad musical. Album closer ‘Majestic’ puts the train back on the track with another 8-minute epic that lives up to the title. With harmonised vocals and pumping guitars, the dynamics and shifts in tempo keep the song flowing as it winds itself up into a taut ball of blast beats, pummelling riffs and blistering solos.
I’m not going to lie, I really need to be in the right frame of mind to listen to this album and enjoy it. With that caveat, this is a brilliant album that makes no apologies for the sounds therein. The band are unashamed in not taking themselves too seriously and just enjoy creating music they love, and their fans can appreciate. Superbly polished and produced and not a note wasted, it packs a lot into the run time. I can’t advise what fans who have stuck with the band will make of it as I’ve not paid attention to anything since that 1989 live album. What I can say is, I enjoyed catching up with Helloween again, but I’m not compelled to revisit their extensive back catalogue to see what I’ve missed. Giants & Monsters is a cracking metal album bursting with big tunes that transported me back to better times.
