AFM
2008
1. The King of Hell
2. The Plague Called Man
3. Tormentor
4. When Empires Fall
5. Wicked Disposition
6. Caress of the Dead
7. Pain Will Be Thy Name
8. In My Darkness
9. The Garden of Temptation
It's been a good 13 years since Helstar has put out a studio album and any time a band reunites after so long that raises some questions. You never know if the band will have the same sound and have it in them, but with Helstar I had a pretty good clue. James Rivera has kept all but the name of Helstar running really with other bands like Destiny's End and Distant Thunder which pretty much sounded like a continuation of Helstar anyways.
The King Of Hell pretty much picks up in a familiar vein for any fan of the band. I'd say the sound of this one can be described as closest to A Distant Thunder as it has that speedy, almost semi-thrash approach though much of it, but not quite as balls out as Nosferatu. I think this sort of power/thrash blend should satisfy most fans of the band and it certainly did me. If you like high wailing vocals coupled with aggressive music than this is certainly an album worth pursuing as there is also a pretty decent bag of riffs and solos contained here. One thing that does set this album apart from Rivera's other projects to some extent is that original guitarist Larry Barragan is in the mix and his presence can be felt. On King Of Hell it pretty much feels like the band never left and I for one welcome Helstar back. It'd be nice to see Rivera stick with this one as it seems like the man has been floating aimlessly through a million other bands in short stints since Helstar.
To sum things up, this is the Helstar that you fans know and love so get the album. Anyone unfamiliar with the band who likes Priest-esque high wails and heavy, fast music could also find this to be a good investment. I'll certainly be hoping for more Helstar in the future.
Highlights: The Plague Called Man, Caress Of The Dead, Pain Will Be Thy Name, In My Darkness
Rating - 4.0/5
2. The Plague Called Man
3. Tormentor
4. When Empires Fall
5. Wicked Disposition
6. Caress of the Dead
7. Pain Will Be Thy Name
8. In My Darkness
9. The Garden of Temptation
It's been a good 13 years since Helstar has put out a studio album and any time a band reunites after so long that raises some questions. You never know if the band will have the same sound and have it in them, but with Helstar I had a pretty good clue. James Rivera has kept all but the name of Helstar running really with other bands like Destiny's End and Distant Thunder which pretty much sounded like a continuation of Helstar anyways.
The King Of Hell pretty much picks up in a familiar vein for any fan of the band. I'd say the sound of this one can be described as closest to A Distant Thunder as it has that speedy, almost semi-thrash approach though much of it, but not quite as balls out as Nosferatu. I think this sort of power/thrash blend should satisfy most fans of the band and it certainly did me. If you like high wailing vocals coupled with aggressive music than this is certainly an album worth pursuing as there is also a pretty decent bag of riffs and solos contained here. One thing that does set this album apart from Rivera's other projects to some extent is that original guitarist Larry Barragan is in the mix and his presence can be felt. On King Of Hell it pretty much feels like the band never left and I for one welcome Helstar back. It'd be nice to see Rivera stick with this one as it seems like the man has been floating aimlessly through a million other bands in short stints since Helstar.
To sum things up, this is the Helstar that you fans know and love so get the album. Anyone unfamiliar with the band who likes Priest-esque high wails and heavy, fast music could also find this to be a good investment. I'll certainly be hoping for more Helstar in the future.
Highlights: The Plague Called Man, Caress Of The Dead, Pain Will Be Thy Name, In My Darkness
Rating - 4.0/5
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