Helestios stand at the point, where death metal, black metal, doom metal, power metal and epic metal meet. Helestios belong to the new hopes of extreme metal, they arise as a new force in the world wide scene, a new force, which seems unstoppable and unbeatable. This band, which has its stronghold in the UK, was formed by Latvian vocalist/guitarist Henrijs Leja and Greek guitarist Stylianos Angelis in early 2020 and after a nice debut, “Your Pain Tastes Good”, they unleash their fury with a new album, “Road To Ecstasy”. This sophomore album looks like a well-kept secret, it’s like a hidden treasure in the fields of extreme metal, which features all the virtues of different music styles and nuances of metal. I believe that the basic ingredient of Helestios is their massive and sharp guitar riffs, which accompanied by a galloping, heavy as hell, rhythm section, create an incredible result. And if you add to all these the band’s groove and the dark atmospheres, you get remarkable, classy and irresistible songs, which stick to your mind! My personal favorites are “Sanctuary”, “Fight”, the title track and “Visions”, yet, all the songs of the album are brilliantly interesting! “Road To Ecstasy” takes us on a dreamy heavy metal ride, which proves adventurous and unforgettable. All you have to do is show your trust to the band and let these guys do their fine job. I am absolutely sure you will take this wonderful road, because ecstasy is already on the horizon!
♦ 8/10
Dimitris Zacharopoulos
