ANDI DERIS Says HELLOWEEN Is 'Capable Of Playing' All The Classic Songs In Their Original Tunings

In a recent interview with Mr. Music's "Meet My Guest" podcast, Andi Deris spoke about how he had to adapt his voice when he first joined HELLOWEEN as the replacement for Michael Kiske more than three decades ago. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, 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 and again. 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. But nowadays it's much easier. Nowadays with the [technology], we go back to the normal tunings again. Because 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 if he ever pushes a button to lower the key of the songs on a night when he is not feeling good about his voice, Deris said: "Oh, no. You shouldn't do that. Because during a, 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. So it's even worse, actually, because your routine is completely fucked up then. So, no, we would never do that. If you would realize that, let's say in front, a few weeks before the tour, that something is not fine with me or [current HELLOWEEN co-vocalist] Michael [Kiske], then you could decide to put everything one tone down and rehearse like that to get the routine to do that. But so far, thank to God, we never had to do that."

Referencing the fact that both Deris and Kiske currently sing in HELLOWEEN together alongside original guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen, Andi said: "[Having more than one singer] helps a lot, because 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 and can perform much better than if I would have to go on without a break. This is the luxury of two singers. Well, Michael always says we have two and a half singers. Yeah, but that's pure luxury, actually. 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. And in the rehearsal room you check it out, and you say, 'Maybe the running order is not working because I need a break here. Otherwise, my voice is fucked up,' blah, blah, blah. All that shit you can do because you have two singers [or] three singers."

HELLOWEEN's latest album, "Giants & Monsters", arrived in August 2025 via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM).

The follow-up to 2021's "Helloween", "Giants & Monsters" was mixed at the legendary Wisseloord Studios (IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, DEF LEPPARD) in Hilversum, Netherlands.

"Helloween" was the first HELLOWEEN album to feature the band's expanded lineup, consisting of returning members, Kiske and Hansen, along with Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Daniel Löble.

Upon its release in June 2021, "Helloween" landed in the Top 10 in more than 10 countries, including Germany, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria.

HELLOWEEN released a live album, "Live At Budokan", on December 13, 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music. The effort immortalized HELLOWEEN's September 16, 2023 performance at Tokyo's legendary Nippon Budokan.