The relationship between Helloween and former guitarist Roland Grapow has always been controversial. In 2017, Roland Grapow, who replaced Kai Hansen in Helloween in '89 and stayed with the band for 12 years, said in an interview that he was not invited to the members' reunion tour.
In 2021, Andi Deris stated that Grapow took advantage of his colleagues' trust to steal from the group during a period of financial instability.
However, amidst all the rumors that have been circulating for some years, the band made an announcement last Wednesday, the 6th, through social media, denying the rumors about Roland Grapow's dismissal.
“Recently, Roland Grapow was mentioned in some interviews in an incorrect context. We would like to clarify: the band Helloween has no accusations against Roland. Roland's departure occurred in 2001 due to musical and personal differences, although the separation was amicable.”
New Helloween album
The 17th studio album from the acclaimed German power metal band promises to be the most versatile and dynamic release of their career. In an interview with TV War , Kai Hansen and Andi Deris explained how the album's name, Giants & Monsters .
The vocalist said: “I turned to the Bible. I said, ‘Okay, look, it’s even written in the Bible.’ There were giants walking the Earth, and who says the giants aren’t inside us? I mean, we are still the giants, and as Kai said, you have to constantly fight against the demons, the monsters in your life. And I thought that was a great metaphor.”
Kai commented: “You could say that the giants are your big ideas, your goals, your objectives. But then come the monsters, the demons you have to fight and the daily struggle. Then you could go to the Anunnaki, the return of the gods from outer space, the giants and so on. I think there's a lot of room for fantasy.”
READ ALSO: Kai Hansen and Andi Deris explain the name of Helloween's new album.
