There’s a certain style of heavy metal, a very particular formula that, at the risk of sounding like an asshole, is something I’m not sure can be understood fully by someone born past a certain year. It’s the sound of metal in its younger years when it was figuring itself and delivering some of the most extreme sounds of that time, and living at the time of that genesis makes this have more impact.
Helms Deep deliver the tried-and-true essence of early 1980s metal, and their admitted inspiration cited from Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and the criminally underrated Riot. It sounds like they create their music in the same room as the masters in their prime, and that’s heavily apparent on their second record “Chasing the Dragon.” The brainchild of vocalist/guitarist Alex Sciortino is a dynamic, fast, exciting throwback that is lucky to also have a major figure from metal’s early years on bassist John Gallagher, of the legendary Raven. Along with guitarist Ray DeTone (Paul Di’Anno’s Killers) and drummer Hal Aponte (Ice Age), the band delivers the goods over and over on this 11-track, 58-minute brawler that gets the juices flowing, the spiked wristbands locked on tight. Helms Deep also is joined by guest musicians Liang Wu (erhu) and Cliff Hackford (tabla) to add some mystique and different textures to this killer.
“Wing Chun” is a mystical, Far East-inspired instrumental opening, leading into barnstormer “Black Sefirot” that just flattens. True vintage heavy metal is achieved, the bass rumbling, a great, simple chorus soaring, and leads that scream Priest. Guitars burst, the chorus blasts back, and everything ends in a blaze of glory. The title track glows brightly, the singing driving, great energy surging through veins. Twin leads blind, and another easy chorus follows. The quick “recite the title” chorus works well for them, but it does bite them in the ass a little bit on this record. The pace keeps jolting, ending in fire. “Craze of the Vampire” begins like early ’80s Maiden, deep singing transitioning to banshee wails, the chorus wonderfully reeking of Deep Purple. The leads layer and continue to build a classic foundation, the bass swaggers, and some prog flourishes blend into warmth and speed served generously together. “Cursed” packs in riffs that feel born of steel four decades ago, the vocals ripping, the power sprawling. The pace is chugging and punchy, the guitars taking on thick humidity, the chorus tearing back, the temperatures rising dangerously. “Flight of the Harpy” has riffs firing, punchy singing, and the title wailed over the chorus. The tempo gallops and toughens up, tearing into fantastical melodies, blasting out with intensity.
“Frozen Solid” charges as the riffs snarl, high-pitched singing sending jolts down your spine, another simple chorus leading the way. The vocals turn in near-glass-shattering highs, the massive tempos rushing toward you, the playing ravaging to the end. “Necessary Evil” starts with deeper singing, the colors coming in a little darker, another basic chorus riding, though in this case it kind of doesn’t work for the song. But the passion is there, soloing blasting, the singing feeling raspier in spots, a knifing pace shaking the ground. “Red Planet” feels cosmic and spacious when it opens, chugging and swimming in the murk, a much different style of chorus adding new colors. Guitars sprawl as a strong progressive flame burns, warmth builds and ruptures, and a noise filter clouds your ears, drifting off into space. “Seventh Circle” is thrashy with the singing burning, another easy chorus flowing, not having the spark it really needs. The soloing floods, though, the playing lathering, the drumming pounding away into the night. Closer “Shiva’s Wrath” is an epic instrumental, starting with acoustics and erhu, slowly opening into progressive lava. The guitars incinerate and show their strength, and then the path flows into dreamier terrain, eventually going dark. The bass bubbles as the guitars overtake, blending into gentler sounds and delicate table drumming that bleed into time.
Helms Deep continue to deepen their roots in classic heavy metal on “Chasing the Dragon,” a record that should fan the flames of anyone’s heart. While I think this would be sharper and more effective minus a couple of tracks, it’s a keeper nonetheless, something that can torch your mind and body repeatedly. For someone who remembers the era from which they draw, it’s like coming home. For anyone who arrived later on, it’s a sterling sharp lesson of where this genre came from and how it never will die.
For more on the band, go here: https://helmsdeep666.bandcamp.com/album/chasing-the-dragon
To buy the album, go here: https://namelessgraverecords.com/collections/nameless-grave-records-releases
For more on the label, go here: https://namelessgraverecords.com/
Meat Mead Metal 