Helloween: Forty Years of Power Metal Giants

This year marks forty years of HELLOWEEN as a band and bassist Markus Groskopf is in a reflective mood. As one of only two members who have been in the outfit for its entire existence (the other being guitarist Michael Weikath), Grosskopf has helped steward HELLOWEEN through everything from shifts in creative directions to line-up changes. With a new album on the horizon and an anniversary tour for the band, Grosskopf seemingly never saw any other way than forward throughout the decades.

“It went wrong here and there and it was close to falling apart,” Markus shares. “Once started, I would never give it up that easy. You know, that makes us strong.” Grosskopf laughs, “What else would you do? Go back to a factory? No, no, no, man. It’s bullshit.”

Ahead of their ruby anniversary, things have come almost full circle for HELLOWEEN in the last few years. Widening their ranks back in 2016 to welcome back guitarist Kai Hansen and singer Michael Kiske, the expanded Pumpkins United formation of the band continues to go from strength to strength. Having stuck their flag in the ground with the impressive self-titled Helloween in 2021, the group now stand on the cusp of their second album as a seven-piece, Giants & Monsters.

“The vision was kind of carrying on,” Grosskopf details. “Let’s see what we can do after the last successful record.” Far from rehashing the previous album however, Giants & Monsters feels like a fitting culmination of every era of the band to date and then some. Whether it’s the traditional power metal of Savior Of The World, the dark melodicism of Hand of God or the modern epic of Universe (Gravity for Hearts), there’s something for every type of HELLOWEEN fan here. Uniting the material however is a more personal theme of summoning the strength to deal with life’s ups and downs. “Everybody’s got their monsters,” Markus remarks. “When you have bad feelings or some fears or some sadness, you’ve got to fight the monsters inside of you just to carry on, just to kind of survive.”

It’s clear that Grosskopf’s own personal tenacity in weathering the band’s history permeates the album’s theme. “That’s the way I see it, because we were fighting a lot of fights during our forty-year career. It’s not been always like sunshine,” he smirks. “If you really try and win those fights, you’re going to be a giant.”

Speaking of giants, it’s fair to say that modern HELLOWEEN is a sizeable band. With seven members, many of whom are skilled songwriters individually, there’s a high risk for ego clash and butting heads. However, Markus paints a picture of a band united in putting the best music first.

“It’s a luxury problem we’ve got, having like 34 songs or something and then choosing which goes on to the album.” That doesn’t mean it’s a straightforward process, mind. “It’s a struggle. It’s a big discussion and we have different opinions. But that happens when you have a lot of good writers in the band.”

“It’s very interesting how different people see things that you wouldn’t see as a songwriter, because you’re just too close to that song.” It’s effectively a process of checking egos at the door, then? “It doesn’t really matter who wrote that song, even if it hurts sometimes. You’ve got to swallow that pride. Being a part of a band, you’ve got to fight for the team, right?”

It’s that “all for one and one for all” dynamic that seems to drive HELLOWEEN, with Grosskopf highlighting how a powerful camaraderie between the members underpins the band. “We’re a bunch of friends, we’re a team,” Grosskopf smiles. “Having these people, when you feel bad about anything, you don’t have to carry the whole weight on your shoulders. There’s always somebody helping you.”

Where things could perhaps be less cohesive is recording, with the various members of HELLOWEEN dotted across multiple countries. However, with modern recording technology and the careful steering from producers Dennis Ward and Charlie Bauerfeind, Giants & Monsters sounds just as seamless as anything else the band has produced.

“I recorded this bass in my house studio in Hamburg and the others were working where they live or like and we’re sending files back and forth,” Grosskopf outlines. “It’s a different feeling and makes me feel comfortable. Working this way is really, really relaxed.”

But while the technology itself has changed, it’s clear the step-by-step process of recording remains the same as ever. “The way you build up a song is not somehow dependent on the recording technique. You still have to sit down discussing how you want to arrange this song and what you’re going to play to it,” Markus reassures. “This is just the creativity to create some great track, you know?”

It’s clear that it’s that tenacity and willingness to forge on into the unknown is what has kept HELLOWEEN going for four decades, right up to Giants & Monsters. “It’s an attitude we’ve got for going forward. And no matter what comes, we’re there. We had the guts to never give up. That’s what I’m proud of.”

Not one to rest on his laurels, as we wrap up Grosskopf still clearly has his gaze fixed on the band’s future. “You know, you always find a step that you didn’t do before. Getting older, the steps are higher,” he chuckles. “And that’s what I kind of like!”

Giants And Monsters is out now via Reigning Phoenix Music. View this interview, alongside dozens of other killer bands, in glorious print magazine fashion in DS123 here:

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