01.Fall Of Dominion
02.Eternal Black
03.This Wicked Nest
04.Souls Cry
05.Isla De Las Munecas
06.Cursed
07.It Has Risen
08.Defy The Swarm
09.Magormissabib
James Rivera (Vocals)
Larry Barragan (Guitar)
Rob Trevino (Guitar)
Mikey Lewis (Drums)
Texas based heavy metal band formed in 1982, they have had a somewhat chequered career, after releasing a brilliant debut album called 'Burning Star' in 1984, they soon split up.Having reformed a year later and another good album they relocated to LA, changed the line up and signed with legendary Metal Blade record label.
In 1989 they released a concept album 'Nosferatu' which should have seen them hit the big time, but it didnt happen, after a few more releases James spend more time with other projects and Helstar vanished, the record company put out a few live albums, but the band was pretty much dead.
It wasnt until 2006 that the band once again reformed and signed with AFM records who put out an album of re-recorded songs and in 2008 a new studio album.
In 2010 a boxed set was released and one further album 'Glory Of Chaos', now four years on the band unleash 'This Wicked Nest'.
Opening with a melodic riff 'Fall Of Dominion' soon bursts into life with a full on thrash assault full of high pitched vocals and pounding drums.In fact this blasts the shit outta many younger so called thrash bands, proving that the old bands are still the best.
'Eternal Black' has a vocal style that reminds me of Snowy Shaw, it has that epic almost symphonic/thrash feel, the music has a riff that stikes a bell somewhere as well, think it might be something by Arch Enemy?
Now cant help but think of Judas Priests 'Painkiller' with this title track, it has the same chord structures and the vocal is pure Halford!
From Priest we move to Megadeth with 'Souls Cry', but then lets remember that this band ARE one of the original first wave of what was once called american power metal, then speed metal and finally thrash.
Awesome riff and some great drumming opens 'Isla De Las Munecas' good timing changes and the double pedal work really punches this one through the speakers.
Like a speeded up take of Black Sabbath's 'Children Of The Grave' this is a really good instrumental.
The longest track on the album at seven and a half minutes comes the moody and atmospheric 'Cursed', a near acoustic almost (Almost) ballad, but the underlining agression keeps it above that most dreaded of rock atrocities!
The pace grows throughout creating a great song.
Speed returns with 'It Has Risen' another driving, screaming assault, the same can be said of 'Defy The Swarm' complete with a little old school Slayer thrown in.
The final track complete with weird title is 'Magormissabib' yeh i dunno what it means but the song fucking slays!
Rating 9/10
For Fans Of : Judas Priest, Exciter, Exodus, Slayer, Megadeth
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