by Tasos Bouhoutsos

photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)

The Silent Rage hit the stage first, starting their set a bit late because of some sound/equipment issues, luckily fixed relatively fast. Once they kicked off, they came in strong, with a loud and rich sound and you could tell right away they were tight and ready to go. They played songs from both of their albums and tracks like “Wings of Tragedy”, “Sin of a Pilgrim” and their “old school” fan classic “StormWarrior” set a powerful and bold tone that the crowd responded to immediately and even more as their set progressed. Vocalist Michael Rinakakis and guitarist/mastermind Nikos Siglidis handled the crowd interactions, creating a warm, almost family-like vibe, even by joking around while keeping things deadly serious when it came to the actual performance. Their well-written power metal became more than the perfect warm-up for the night. The song “Leading the Legions” ended their set in the best way, preparing the ground for the next ragers.

Desert Near The End are no strangers to live shows, and it showed from the first notes. The band was tight and confident, though the sound wasn’t doing them any favors — kind of chaotic and narrow for the most of the set, making it a bit harder for their songs to hit the way they deserve. Their music mixes a lot of elements since their beginnings: melodies, heavy and fast riffing, concrete-thick bass, and precise, pounding drums, strongly based in the spirit of classic-era Iced Earth. Alexandros Papandreou delivered an excellent vocal performance, and the band went through material from a now six-album discography, with the latest being 2024’s “Tides of Time”. They kicked off with “Ascension” and followed with tracks like “Rise for Dominion”, “Iron Rain” and “Throne of Martyrdom”, delivering a strong set that hold and earned everyone’s attention and applause. Still, a part of the crowd was clearly already fired up for the headliners as Desert Near The End closed their set, leaving behind a dark, gritty and almost epic atmosphere but also a “promise” for the next time.

Now it was time for Helstar and you could feel the guys knew they were playing “at home”. This was more than obvious when it comes to Rivera and Barragán, while the three younger members, the bassist being an old known gun of the band, seemed genuinely thrilled by the crowd’s loud and instant enthusiasm and on the same time more than willing and capable to take this pleasant “challenge” empowering the band’s onstage storming.

Helstar also had some tech issues — mainly Rivera’s mic and at one point one of the guitars, but none of that fortunately slowed them down. They pushed through with energy, feeding off the crowd and putting on a killer show powered by intense drumming and extremely tight playing as a whole. That said, the sound didn’t really help them either, especially with guitars and vocals. As Rivera shared with us later at the set, he was dealing with a cold but not once did he consider skipping the show and miss the chance to this meeting. You could hear him struggle on some of the lower notes, but then he’d nail the high ones with that chilling, signature tone he’s known for.

Starting their set with the fresh but familiar in sound “The Devil’s Masquerade”, continued without mercy with “Evil Reign” and ‘The King Is Dead” and from this point on the crowd was captured and both “sides” never let go. Once again, they played songs from across their whole catalog, not just older classics, including tracks from their powerful latest album, “The Devil’s Masquerade”. Their relentless setlist had two standout moments as I felt it from the general mood: the newer but already classic “Black Wings of Solitude” and the Greek fan favorite “Winds of War”, which they added specifically for this show, as Rivera happily revealed to us, making the crowd even happier and hyped so to end up explode, singing and moving during the chorus and the unmatched “sweet” epicness of the closing part. The night wrapped up in full celebration mode with “Run with the Pack” and “Burning Star” with Helstar posing for photos in front of a crowd they had become one with during the show.

No doubt about it, this was the payoff to a very promising night for fans of the genre. Judging by the post-show reactions, everyone left happy and satisfied. And despite the sound issues, we got three bands playing their material with power and precision, in a warm and energetic setup. We sang, we headbanged, we let out the bad and kept the good we absorbed that night. That’s how it should be — and that’s exactly how it turned out, with Helstar leading the charge once again. Here’s for them to keep going strong and keep coming back for many years to follow. See you at the next one.

Το άρθρο HELSTAR, DESERT NEAR THE END, THE SILENT RAGE – AN CLUB, ATHENS, GREECE – 30/11/2025 εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

by Dimitris Zacharopoulos

Helstar’s first steps were rooted in classic heavy metal. After recording two demos in 1983, the band signed to Combat Records, joining a roster that included Megadeth and Exodus. Their debut album, “Burning Star” (1984), introduced their fast, melodic and technical style — raw but full of potential. Their follow-up, “Remnants of War” (1985), produced by Randy Burns, sharpened their sound and helped them build a reputation in the underground. The band also landed their first arena gig that year, opening for Stryper at the Sam Houston Coliseum — a big moment for a young Texas metal act. But internal tensions and management issues caused lineup instability, something that would follow Helstar throughout their career.

In 1987 the band briefly relocated to Los Angeles, reconfigured the lineup and signed with Metal Blade Records. This era produced the albums that many fans consider Helstar’s creative peak. “A Distant Thunder” (1988) marked a major leap. Produced by Bill Metoyer, it balanced melodic speed metal with theatrical vocals and sharper songwriting. The album also gave the band opportunities to open for giants like Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, Exodus, Yngwie Malmsteen and more.

For many fans, “Nosferatu” is the best, most essential Helstar album. Loosely inspired by Dracula and including spoken excerpts from the 1979 film, “Nosferatu” showcased the band at their most dramatic, progressive and atmospheric. Rivera’s high-flying vocals and Barragan’s intricate guitar work reached a new level. It remains one of the great U.S. power metal albums of the 80s and a classic of the genre. But shortly after touring in support of this record, momentum faded. Label support wasn’t strong, and members began drifting away. By 1990, the classic lineup dissolved.

The early 90s were difficult. Helstar released several demos that failed to reconnect them with labels. In 1995 they finally issued a new album, “Multiples of Black”, produced by David Ellefson of Megadeth. It leaned toward a heavier, darker direction, but it didn’t revive their career, and the band went on hiatus again.

During the decade of the 00s, Helstar’s members appeared in various projects — Rivera especially. He sang for Seven Witches, Distant Thunder, Chaotic Order, and Destiny’s End. The albums with Seven Witches and Destiny’s End earned strong praise in power metal circles. Yet, James Rivera began organizing reunion shows with various past members. These eventually led to a full reformation in 2006 — the first time in 15 years that Rivera and Barragan officially reunited under the Helstar name.

“The King of Hell” was their first album of new material since 1995 — fast, sharp, full of riffs. Fans welcomed Helstar back with open arms. The glory of Helstar continued with top-class albums: “This Wicked Nest” (2014), one of their heaviest modern albums, “Vampiro” (2016), a spiritual successor to “Nosferatu”, revisiting vampire themes, “Clad in Black” (2021), a compilation with several fierce new tracks (i.e. “Black Wings of Solitude”, a ravishing composition of classic heavy metal beauty!).

In 2025 they finally returned with their first full studio album in nearly a decade, under the title “The Devil’s Masquerade” (2025) – featuring the lineup of James Rivera, Larry Barragan, Michael Lewis, Garrick Smith and new guitarist Alan DeLeon Jr., the album reestablished Helstar as a force in modern traditional metal.

Helstar never became a big name, even in the metal community, keeping a low profile, but their influence on power metal is undeniable. US bands like Iced Earth, Jag Panzer, Cage, etc. and countless European acts owe something to their mixture of speed, drama, emotion and precision. They were also one of the first Texas metal bands to break internationally, helping open the door for later Texas acts. Above all, Helstar have shown remarkable endurance throughout their long career and maintained exceptional quality with every one of their releases. Few bands from their era have aged with this much consistency, and Rivera remains one of the strongest veterans in the genre.

Let’s see the characteristics, which make Helstar a band, which differs from the rest! James Rivera’s soaring, dramatic vocals, Larry Barragan’s technical and massive riffs, their speed/power metal energy mixed with emotion and atmosphere, their dark narratives, a few technical metal touches, shape Helstar’s identity and enchant heavy metal listeners!

In short, Helstar is the living history of US metal. A legendary band, in the intersection of classic metal, power metal and speed/thrash metal, Helstar remains an unstoppable, formidable metal force.

The band’s mini Greek tour (in Thessaloniki, Agrinio and Athens) is not to be missed!

Το άρθρο HELSTAR – REDISCOVERING THE US METAL LEGEND! εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

“The Devil’s Masquerade” marks a powerful return to the band’s roots, bringing back the classic creative chemistry between James Rivera (vocals) and Larry Barragan (guitars). The album was produced and mixed by Barragan at Hombre Malo Studios, and mastered by Robert Colwell at Colwell Mastering.
Lyrically, “The Devil’s Masquerade” dives deep into tales of vampirism, demonic possession, and mankind’s downfall – drawing inspiration from cult horror films and series such as Annabelle, Midnight Mass, The Exorcist: Pope, and even classic Twilight Zone episodes. Each track tells a story, blending myth, horror, and symbolism with Helstar’s trademark power.
The song “I Am the Way” features an all-star guest appearance by iconic Texas metal voices Robert Lowe, Jason McMaster, Travis Willis, George Call, Mike Soliz, Christopher Salinas, Drew Brown, Jeff Vandenburg.
Frontman James Rivera states:
“All I can say is that this album is every Helstar fan’s dream come true. Larry and I went back to the old-school way of working together, and you can hear that energy from the very first track. We’ve taken the bull by the horns, and we can’t wait for everyone to experience the magic we’ve always created.”
From their classic debut “Burning Star” (1984) to milestones like Nosferatu (1989), and more recent releases such as “This Wicked Nest” (2014) and “Vampiro” (2016), HELSTAR have carved a unique and enduring legacy in US heavy metal. With “The Devil’s Masquerade”, the band once again proves their legendary status, delivering a fierce and uncompromising new chapter.

Track listing
1. Avernus
2. The Devil’s Masquerade
3 Stygian Miracles
4. Carcass For A King
5. The Staff Of Truth
6. Seek Out Your Sins
7. The Haunting Mirror
8. The Black Wall
9. Suerte De Muleta
10. I Am The Way

HELSTAR are:
James Rivera – vocals
Larry Barragan – guitars
Mikey Lewis – drums
Garrick Smith – bass
Alan DeLeon JR. – guitars

HELSTAR online:
https://www.facebook.com/Helstar.Metal/

https://www.instagram.com/helstarofficial/

Το άρθρο HELSTAR: UNVEIL NEW SINGLE, ANNOUNCE 2025 TOUR εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.