HELSTAR – Houston’s heavy metal kings HELSTAR are set to blaze a trail east next month on their six-date Summer Of Hate U.S. tour, the newest rash of ongoing performances in support of the band’s seventh studio full-length, Glory Of Chaos. Released onto North America in February via AFM Records, amidst a flood of critical praise of the album’s crushing Speed/Power Metal attack, Glory Of Chaos is a ballsy, blazing, full-length display of pure American Heavy Metal, which elevates the classic HELSTAR sound to aggressive new measures.
HELSTAR Summer Of Hate U.S. Tour:
6/17/2011 The Rail Club – Fort Worth, TX w/ Solitude Aeturnus, Era De Guerra
6/18/2011 Dirty Dog Bar – Austin, TX w/ Ignitor, Dead Earth Politics, Headcrusher
6/22/2011 Manhattan Room – Philadelphia, PA w/ Wastelander, Season of Mourning, Midian, Machine Dog
6/23/2011 Sonar – Baltimore, MD
6/24/2011 Saint Vitus Bar – Brooklyn, NY
6/25/2011 The Blue Room – Secaucus, NJ w/ Armor Column, Bröhammer
(Source: Earsplit PR)
* For more info on HELSTAR, click on the links below:
http://www.facebook.com/Helstar.Metal
LONG LIVE HELSTAR.
Stone.
Judas Priest and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal or (NWOBHM) took me by storm back in the Summer of 1982. Honestly, I was aware of the “British Steel” album from Judas Priest then, yet nowhere near Metal schooled about this band as I should have been. It was in 1982 when I was beginning to delve deeper into the world of Heavy Metal… Judas Priest basically opened the gates of Metal for me to enter… and enter I did. I have never looked back. Of course, after my very first listen to my buddies “Screaming for Vengeance” album, I rushed over to my nearest Caldor department store and bought my own copy. This album then had me salivating for more of “The Priest”. In short time I owned every available album from this mighty band, choosing “Stained Class” to be my favorite all time Judas Priest album – this opinion stands Metal tall to this very day. This “Screaming for Vengeance” album initiated me to own the entire catalog of Judas Priest, it initiated me to seek out and enjoy more Metal bands and their powerful music. Judas Priest was the Metal band, this was the Metal album that had me realize that Metal was to be my life long favorite music genre. Metal case closed.
Without question, as I look back now, “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'” was the break out, commercial success song, that was instrumental in carving Judas Priest into the Metal giant and Rob Halford into the Metal God of today. That is cool with me, this song was necessary for Judas Priest to break into the hum drum FM radio environment, that was existing back in 1982. When I first heard “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'”, it was as if my entire body went on an adrenaline trip that was truly foreign to me. All I can remember is – I never felt such intensity envelope my body and mind like this song did. And to think, if this song riveted me in such a manner, what did listening to the rest of this album do to my senses? It was Heavy Metal euphoria, back in 1982. To be perfectly clear, this album was Heavy Metal 101 for me. Before “Screaming for Vengeance” was discovered by me, Kiss, Cheap Trick, AC/DC and Foreigner were the heaviest bands I ever listened to.
You bet your Metal memory I picked up the new and live double CD “Flight 666” from Iron Maiden, (released June 9, 2009). How could I possibly pass it up? This is Iron Maiden we are talking about… Metal icons… Metal elite. I first saw this new Iron Maiden CD, yesterday, at f.y.e., they were asking $16.99… I knew I could do better than that. So, I went to good ol’ Super Walmart to pick up necessities, like… food, then my body was on automatic pilot and went straight to the CD aisles. Iron Maiden is a necessity in my Metal life, therefore, I purchased “Flight 666” along with various food items from Walmart. I embarked for my car, with my daughters by my side and I am one happy dude. The Walmart price? I paid $13.88 for “Flight 666”, if I continued to search for a cheaper price than that, I would be wasting gas in my tank. Plus, I was able to save $3.23… sounds like chump change, yet it adds up throughout the years when you shop around a tad. I am going to put the DVD version of “Flight 666” on my want list for now… I listen to Metal light years more often than I watch Metal.
Saxon – the words durable, old school, enduring and still excellent at their Metal craft, come to my mind. Let’s be honest, this is not the same Saxon from their “Denim and Leather” days, yet they are Saxon 2009 – that is Metal-good enough for me. Saxon was an essential part of “the new wave of British Heavy Metal”, going back to the late 1970’s into the early 1980’s. When I first heard Saxon back then, I felt like I found a band no one else knew about… I had a cool Metal secret. Well, the secret was already out, as I later found. Saxon was justifiable a favorite of legions of Metalheads, therefore I was not alone with my new found Heavy Metal band after all. 
“into the Labyrinth” is the newest album from Saxon, released on January 13, 2009. “Battalions Of Steel” and “Valley Of The Kings” have an almost majestic Power Metal sound, complete with keyboards and what sounds to me like an enlightened choir. For me, Saxon pulls it off extremely well when they go the Power Metal route. “Live To Rock” is the single being pushed off of this album, it is bona fide Old School Heavy Metal with a cool, vintage, anthemic delivery to it. This is the fist raising – head banging tune that will stir up plenty of 80’s Heavy Metal memories for many. “Slow Lane Blues” is another fine example of how Saxon holds onto the Classic Metal approach, a fun tune that tells the complete story of a dude being pulled over by a cop for speeding. “Crime Of Passion” is heavy, heavy, Metal. Nigel Glockler punishes the drum kit on this song, again, head banging can and may occur when listening to this song too. If there is to be a song on this album that is considered a ballad, well, “Voice” is it. However, this is a heavy ballad – staunch Metalheads need not worry – Saxon does not get sappy here at all. “Hellcat” is my favorite track on this album, it is fast, furious and heavy. The three key Metal music ingredients I always embrace! “Come Rock Of Ages (The Circle Is Complete)” is a Heavy Metal exclamation point for Saxon on this album, man this song is good. “Coming Home (Bottleneck Version)” is a back woods – lets stomp in the swamp – foot stomping tune. It is a cool way to come down after the previous 12 tracks of fired up Heavy Metal.
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
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