For a quarter of a century HELLOWEEN played much of their catalogue a half-step down. Andi Deris told Mr. Music's "Meet My Guest" podcast that the compromise was never artistic — it was a guitar-changing problem.
"The majority of the songs we decided to detune half a tone down. I think from [2000's] 'The Dark Ride' on, we had these low tunes, like a half tone or even a full tone down. Back in the days it was not so easy technically. You would have to change the guitars again and again and again," he said. "So we said, 'Okay, the compromise is we don't play 'The Dark Ride' drop D, but we find a middle way,' and we just dropped down half a tone and we played everything half tone D. So 'The Dark Ride' itself on stage was higher performed."
That is over. "Nowadays it's much easier… it's just a push of a button and you are half tone lower, half tone higher. So now we are capable of playing everything in its original [tuning] again."
Asked whether he ever uses that button to save his voice on a rough night, Deris was firm. "Oh, no. You shouldn't do that. Because during a tour, you are completely used to change your technique in between the songs. So when you suddenly push it down a half a tone, then the bridge to switch is lower as well, so you're not doing yourself a favor… your routine is completely fucked up then." If a problem were spotted weeks out, the band would drop everything a tone and rehearse it properly — but that has never been necessary.
The real safety net is the roster. HELLOWEEN currently carry Deris, returning original vocalist Michael Kiske and founding guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen. "Sharing means more luxury. Sharing means a little bit more breaks to calm down, so let Michael sing his song and I'm fine after five minutes again… Michael always says we have two and a half singers. That's pure luxury. And that probably gives us a free ticket to go on another 10 or 15 years even without pissing off the people because we can share."
HELLOWEEN's latest album, "Giants & Monsters", was released in August 2025 via Reigning Phoenix Music, mixed at Wisseloord Studios in the Netherlands.
Source: blabbermouth.net