ANDI DERIS says the next HELLOWEEN album will be “happier”, “more confident” and “much easier to listen to” than the self-titled LP

At the beginning of the year, the reunited classic line-up of the German power metallers expanded HELLOWEEN signed with Officiating Phoenix Music (rpm) for the release of their next studio album. The band entered the studio last summer to begin work on the follow-up to 2021’s acclaimed self-titled effort. The LP is scheduled to be released in 2025.

Asked in a new interview with Tony Webster from The Metal Command as the material for HELLOWEENThe next album is comparable to that “Helloween”Singer Andy Deris said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I would say it’s a lot easier to listen to because there’s less contrived stuff in it. It flows more with the wind, so to speak. It’s very, very positive, so I would say it’s more cheerful, happier.” HELLOWEEN than the other album. I think it’s a little more… yeah, the flow isn’t as edgy for my taste as the last album, which was cool – I like edgy stuff – but we should more or less have a counterpart to edgy, more strenuous stuff. The last album was a great listen for me – it was edgy, it was heavy, it was complicated here and there – but after listening to it I needed a break. It was exhausting. After listening to “Helloween,” I needed a break to put it that way. I loved it and still love it, but it’s challenging. I think the next album will be a lot easier to listen to, I think it’ll be a lot more fun to sing along to; There are a lot of parts in there. That’s why I would describe it as more cheerful, happier HELLOWEEN Album. That would be the best description.”

And I continued: “It’s hard to describe because there’s a lot of fast and heavy things on it. But when I listen through it, I feel good. I mean, that’s a good sign. Not that I felt bad the last time I heard it.” Album – that’s not what I mean. I enjoy listening to it.

Regarding what he and his HELLOWEEN Bandmates learned from the making of “Helloween” that they have improved it this time, And I said: “Yeah, I think the main keyword would be confidence. On the last album we had to get to know each other in this new line-up and line-up, how to work with each other, how to work here and blah, blah, blah, and this time we just realized that actually everyone has such great ideas; We don’t have to spend two months in a studio pre-producing because everyone did it themselves. Let’s just listen to it and say, “Wow, cool.” So this time we were a bit lazy and just said pre-production let’s just do it at home, everyone in their own studio, and we’re just using the technology that the internet gives us, which is great, and you can have live sessions online, and that’s made life so much easier because everyone are simply relieved that you still working at home, but as we all know, when you’re at home, work doesn’t hurt as much as being back in the studio somewhere in the world but not with the family. And these days you can actually have your family life, you have your eight, nine hours a day in the studio, you decide when to take a break or when to go out to eat with your lady or go to the beach, in my case that makes life so much easier and much more enjoyable than sitting in a damn studio over and over again for two months for a pre-production that you could easily do together at home. So this time I have to say that the trust we have gained in each other has helped a lot to make things even more relaxed. And I think that’s exactly what you hear when you go through the songs and listen to them – you feel this lightness: “Wow.” Wow. “Okay, cool.” I love it. So this is the right way.”

He then clarified: “I don’t want to say that I want to be back home when I’m on tour. That’s why I hate the idea of ​​laser shows or anything like that. As long as I can walk, I want to be there. But as far as production goes, I have to say I love the technology we have these days.”

Regarding the how HELLOWEEN managed to do the seemingly impossible by making all seven members of the band happy – returning singer Michael Kiske and guitarist/singer Kai Hansen together with DerisGuitarists Michael Weikath And Sascha GerstnerBassist Markus Großkopf and drummer Daniel Löble — And I said: “I think the only thing you have to accept is that you are different people. I think that’s the main problem we had back then, because everyone actually expected the other to have the same opinion, react and express the same opinion (like). ) yourself. And when you realize that we are all different people, you have to accept that everyone probably has a different point of view, at least a millimeter to the left or a millimeter to the right. And you have to sit down and actually find a compromise when you accept that everyone does it differently, that’s not a bad thing. You just have to accept that you yourself will fail here and there, and maybe the other person will be right. And as you get older, you have to compare for decades and you realize, ‘Okay, here I screwed up, there I screwed up, here I wasn’t right, here I wasn’t right.’ You need that experience, and when you have it, you’re a little more humble because you know you’ve done things wrong, or you know you weren’t right back then here and there and blah, blah, blah, if you Assuming that on a base, everything works fine. And you just sit down with that knowledge and try to find a solution that’s good for everyone in the room. And yes, that worked great recently. A few years, I mean, no problem. Even if someone was angry, completely angry, for whatever reason, then someone didn’t react like they did back then, like with aggression or something, but with normal words and said, “Hey, me.” I have a little problem here. You said this and that and blah, blah, blah. And then the explanation comes and you say, ‘Oh, okay, everything’s fine.’”

After its release in June 2021 “Helloween” landed in the top 10 in more than 10 countries, including Germany, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria. The cover artwork for the LP was painted by the artist Eliran Kantorwith whom he has previously worked HATEBREED, SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH And SODOMamong other things.

Produced by Charlie Bauerfeind And Dennis Wardthe last HELLOWEEN The LP was partially recorded there HOME Studios in Hamburg (where it all began in 1984). The same recording console is used for this HELLOWEEN Albums as “Master of the Rings”, “Time of the Oath” And “Better than raw” was used to record the band’s new material. The stakes were mixed Valhalla Studios from Ronald Prent (Iron Maiden, DEF LEPPARD, RAMMSTEIN).

“Helloween” experienced how the legendary German power metallers went “back to the roots” and recorded the band completely in analogue form Löble Playing the previously used drums HELLOWEEN‘s original drummer, the late Ingo Schwichtenbergon the legendary “Guardian of the Seven Keys” recordings.

HELLOWEEN will release a new live album, “Live at the Budokan”on December 13, 2024 Officiating Phoenix Music (rpm). The colossal effort makes you immortal HELLOWEEN‘s performance on September 16, 2023 at the legendary Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.

“Live at the Budokan” will be available in a variety of formats: 2CD digipak and 3LP vinyl trifold, with the first pressing of both being released as a “Deluxe Edition” including embossed cover artwork, as well as on Blu-ray, DVD and digital. Each version has been carefully crafted to suit the diverse tastes of the metal community and ensure that every fan can relive the raw, unfiltered energy of HELLOWEEN in their preferred medium.

This release celebrates the grand finale of HELLOWEENis the epic world tour from 2022 to 2023. The tour of more than 30 countries across three continents was nothing short of a triumph, drawing huge crowds and showcasing the band’s undying appeal. The sold-out concert in Tokyo is the crowning conclusion of the cycle.

Photo credit: Martin Häusler