In a recent conversation with Andrew McKaysmith from the Scars And Guitars Podcast, Helloween vocalist Andi Deris opened up about how the band has successfully brought together former members Michael Kiske and Kai Hansen alongside the current lineup, which includes Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf, and drummer Daniel Löble.
When asked if working with the seven-piece formation for the past nine years feels like a form of renewal, Deris replied: “Yes and no. We still call ’em the new old guys. [Laughs] If we talk about fresh wind, again, that’s the fresh old wind, which we are very happy to have. So it works much smoother now because you can satisfy automatically all the generations of Helloween fans. Meanwhile, we are running into three generations [of Helloween fans]. There’s the first generation, which is probably the biggest part, that was the Walls Of Jericho / Keeper Of The Seven Keys fans. And to completely satisfy these guys, you definitely need Michael Kiske, and Kai is definitely a great bonus to it, but I think the voice is the most important thing, that the people are listening to Michael again, which they are used since their youth, since their childhood even. So this is something the ‘new’ singer could never beat. So that’s quite clear… Well, that’s the way it is. So I have nothing to complain about it and not to even talk about. It’s the way we all feel.” (as transcribed by Blabbermouth.net)
Deris went on to reflect on his personal connection to band lineups by referencing Iron Maiden:
“When I listen to my old heroes — yes, I know [late Iron Maiden singer] Paul Di’Anno is not as good [of a vocalist] as [current Iron Maiden frontman] Bruce Dickinson. But nevertheless, these are the albums I more or less grew up with metal, so I always love these two albums with Paul Di’Anno — certainly I do. Still, I would say I love lots of songs with Bruce Dickinson. But when Paul was not in the band anymore, I, as a fan, back in the days, I left Maiden, so to say, just to re-rediscover them later on. But first I was pissed. [Laughs] Maybe that’s the right description.”
On the significance of reuniting with Kiske and Hansen, Deris explained: “But, yeah, [it was] very important that we got the boys back in the band, definitely, because now we’ve got every right to connect with the history without being called copycats or whatever. ‘How can you with a new singer?’, blah, blah, blah. So this is off the table. And now we are allowed to kind of produce best of both worlds. And everybody’s exactly expecting that. So what I wanna say, I’m allowed now to play or to write a [song like] “Giants On The Run”, or [at] the same time a ballad like “Into The Sun” or maybe a poppy thing like “A Little Is a Little Too Much” [all three of which are included on Helloween‘s upcoming album Giants & Monsters] and perform it with Michael together and the worlds don’t collide, but they interconnect, and this is something I really enjoy. So all ego shit besides, that’s exactly what a band should do.”
When McKaysmith pointed out that Helloween appears to be the only major band to bring together singers from different eras both on stage and in the studio, Deris cited Van Halen as a cautionary tale: “I’ll just give you an example of where my idea was born to have this ‘Pumpkins United’ thing, was actually when Van Halen tried to reunite with Diamond Dave and Sammy Hagar. For me, it was a dream come true, being an old Van Halen fan, and I was completely hooked and totally destroyed when I learned that the first show already went to hell in Las Vegas and they kicked their asses on stage. For me, the world was blowing apart. And I just thought, ‘Okay, could we do that but stick together?’ But seeing that show in Las Vegas with Van Halen, we told everybody, ‘Yes, we wanna do that ‘Pumpkins United’ tour. And we swear we’re gonna stick together until the end of the tour, even if we would hate ourselves and try not to kick our asses on stage,’ which fortunately never happened. But maybe that was a good warning sign with what happened with Van Halen, that you should actually try to keep your ego shit in the stable, hold your horse and don’t boil over just because you think you have to now because you’ve got it in the wrong. In Germany, you would say you got it in the wrong tube. So you get the point.”
Fortunately for Helloween, integrating past and present members has been smooth. Deris recalled his early conversations with Kiske, saying: “But actually, it did not take any effort because Michael Kiske was super cool and from beginning on, he gave me the security that we could get along super nicely. The first two or three hours we talked together and the impression that I have or I had back in the days, I thought, ‘Okay, if this impression is who he really is, I would probably love that guy.’ And time just went on and I realized, ‘Okay, I miss him, actually, as a person, as a discussion partner and everything.’ So after the tour, I was in that hole — there was no Michael around me to discuss the shit outta every subject that we had. And this is something you learn to treasure. And, yeah, I don’t know how, but this could have been a friend for life, which was actually living more or less in the same world [as] I did but I never had a chance to really get to know him. Now I did. So I’m super happy. That’s good friendship, and better late than ever, I say. I’m super happy with him. I think he’s happy with me. And yeah. Unfortunately, we’re not gay. [Laughs] That would’ve been the next step… I’m saying that would be the perfect relationship. But honestly, I am just disgusted by just thinking about it. So sexually, this is not gonna happen. [Laughs]”
Helloween‘s new album, Giants & Monsters, is set for release on August 29 through Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). This record follows their 2021 self-titled album and was mixed at the well-known Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum, Netherlands, a location famous for working with bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Def Leppard.
To mark their 40th anniversary, Helloween will embark on a global tour, beginning the European leg in mid-October. Early ticket sales indicate high demand, with some dates already sold out. Fans can expect a comprehensive setlist filled with surprises, showcasing the band’s legacy and ongoing creative evolution.
Giants & Monsters further explores Helloween‘s signature sound, shaped by producers Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, along with the band’s commitment to innovation. For example, Löble recorded all his drum parts on three different kits to achieve the ideal sound for each track, underscoring the group’s meticulous approach to their craft.
