ROCKET REVIEW: HELSTAR – “Vampiro” (CD)

Legendary Texas power metal band, HELSTAR, are back in 2016 with a new full length studio effort entitled “Vampiro”, released via MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson’s EMP Label Group. I’m pleased to report that these cats have put together a radical collection of tunes, starting off with the first cut, “Awaken Into Darkness”, which rocked my skull hard as hell. Lead vocalist James Rivera has certainly mastered the high pitch scream in the style of KING DIAMOND. Up next are the slamming “Blood Lust, “To Dust You Will Become”, and “Off With His Head”. The drums handled by Mikey Lewis sound huge in the mix, which is what I always look for in a heavy music release. But for me, the guitar soloing stands out against just about every other band out there. The shredding by Larry Barragan and Andrew Atwood is simply top notch and there are definitely some cool solos jammed throughout.

According to the band, “Vampiro” is “another opus of tales of vampires, like the band’s all-time most acclaimed 1989 release ‘Nosferatu'”, which featured a storyline based on the Bram Stoker novel Dracula. It is definitely dark and fast, full of great riffs and singing that will please not only any old school metal fanatic but the younger kids who are just learning how to bang their heads for the first time today. Track four’s “Off With His Head” is my personal favorite, because the out of this world guitar playing takes it to another level and the 80’s Sabbath-vibe. You can easily hear Dio singing to this one it’s that good. Track five’s “From the Pulpit to the Pit” opens with more acrobatic fret blazing and is probably the fastest song out of them all. This gem is followed by the ass kicking “To Their Death Beds They Fell”, “Malediction”, and the all out blazing “Repent in Fire”. The album does not lose its momentum whatsoever, only seems to increase with intensity, concluding with “Abolish the Sun”, “Black Cathedral” and “Dreamless Sleep”. Any fan of well written and properly produced metal music will want to add “Vampiro” to your collection.

ROCKET REVIEW:

HELSTAR – “Vampiro” (CD)
(EMP Label Group/2016)

1. Awaken Into Darkness
2. Blood Lust
3. To Dust You Will Become
4. Off With His Head
5. From the Pulpit to the Pit
6. To Their Death Beds They Fell
7. Malediction
8. Repent in Fire
9. Abolish the Sun
10. Black Cathedral
11. Dreamless Sleep

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