This is a review that I'm surprised to be writing. It's also where you're gonna' see me do the rare negative review, as I don't usually write about things that I'm not excited about.
HELLOWEEN is an ok group, but like most Power Metal bands, it falls flat for me; their new album, "Giants And Monsters" (Out on August 29th, 2025), is no exception. You see, the problem with these types of bands is that I'm bored by the fifth track, and with this new Helloween album, I was bored by the THIRD track. Don't get me wrong, they're very good at what they do, and their long-time fans will be very pleased with this record … which is great, that's the beauty of music, it hits each and every one of us differently, as each and every one of us is different from the person next to us.
The first track is called “Giants On The Run”, and during its nearly 6 and a half minutes you will find things that will bring to mind modern era JUDAS PRIEST, a bit of the only King that matters, KING DIAMOND, but even this, the one song I liked, is more of a miss than it is a hit. Realistically, it would be a much better song if they shaved a minute and twenty seconds off its runtime.
Track 2, “Savior Of The World”, is where my attention began to wander. As Lars Ulrich would say, it sounds stock, which isn't in any way a compliment. Thankfully it's about 2 minutes shorter than its predecessor, but even that can't save it from being completely unremarkable.
I have to admit, though I did make it through the full record, track three, “A Little Is A Little Too Much", is where I stopped on subsequent listens. I mean, literally shut the album off before the one minute mark. My attention was everywhere but on the music, making this an utter failure in terms of quality and bringing in new fans.
With fifteen gold records, six platinum records and over TEN MILLION records sold, there's plenty of proof that Helloween is a talented group, but "Giants And Monsters" is a lacklustre effort. It just does nothing for me, but as I said earlier, long-time fans of Helloween will enjoy this album, and I hope that I am among the few that don't find it appealing.
Score: 2 Mouldy Prop Pumpkins Off Of A John Carpenter Haddonfield Set, Out Of 10.
Words: Tom Hanno.
HELLOWEEN is an ok group, but like most Power Metal bands, it falls flat for me; their new album, "Giants And Monsters" (Out on August 29th, 2025), is no exception. You see, the problem with these types of bands is that I'm bored by the fifth track, and with this new Helloween album, I was bored by the THIRD track. Don't get me wrong, they're very good at what they do, and their long-time fans will be very pleased with this record … which is great, that's the beauty of music, it hits each and every one of us differently, as each and every one of us is different from the person next to us.
The first track is called “Giants On The Run”, and during its nearly 6 and a half minutes you will find things that will bring to mind modern era JUDAS PRIEST, a bit of the only King that matters, KING DIAMOND, but even this, the one song I liked, is more of a miss than it is a hit. Realistically, it would be a much better song if they shaved a minute and twenty seconds off its runtime.
Track 2, “Savior Of The World”, is where my attention began to wander. As Lars Ulrich would say, it sounds stock, which isn't in any way a compliment. Thankfully it's about 2 minutes shorter than its predecessor, but even that can't save it from being completely unremarkable.
I have to admit, though I did make it through the full record, track three, “A Little Is A Little Too Much", is where I stopped on subsequent listens. I mean, literally shut the album off before the one minute mark. My attention was everywhere but on the music, making this an utter failure in terms of quality and bringing in new fans.
With fifteen gold records, six platinum records and over TEN MILLION records sold, there's plenty of proof that Helloween is a talented group, but "Giants And Monsters" is a lacklustre effort. It just does nothing for me, but as I said earlier, long-time fans of Helloween will enjoy this album, and I hope that I am among the few that don't find it appealing.
Score: 2 Mouldy Prop Pumpkins Off Of A John Carpenter Haddonfield Set, Out Of 10.
Words: Tom Hanno.
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