Around since 1998 but seemingly cursed by line-up changes, Argentina’s Helker are now on their fourth full length. This time though they are doing their first album in English (though I believe there is still a Spanish language version available) and they are now signed to AFM, which seems a fine home for their brand of heavy, to the point power metal.
It’s about five seconds in that you realise these guys have something. Besides a fine, full on production that keeps the grit but hits like a polished hammer, they have an awesome singer in the shape of Diego Valdez. We are talking more range than a Barrett .50 cal rifle, great Dio style lung-busting singing and emotional content worthy of any classic metal singer. Truly an unexpected sound to drop out of nowhere. Now if the band was just a one trick pony that would be OK, but thankfully they also have Christian Abarca and Hernan Colonel forming a pounding rhythm section for him to feed off. Oh and some superb guitarists in Mariano Rios and Leo Aristu.
Can they write songs though? Oh yes.
Helker have a steel hard sound that has its foundations in classic Dio, the modern hard melodic riffing of Tarot and the huge power metal melody of that awesome and overlooked 2004 Sabbtail album Nightchurch (which coincidentally had a similar jaw dropping vocal performance – go hunt it down). Modern Roman Circus blasts out with some cracking drumming and choppy riffs, those vocals immediately impressing you with their precision and power and flooring you with their expression. A tune that threatens to break full on for Neon Knights territory shifts to a more regretful tone and splashes a little more hard rock melody over the top without losing a gram of power. Neat trick for an opener and all in under four minutes. This much needed dexterity with the concise and lean style of songs then continues into the utterly outstanding, uplifting Just Be Youself.
Shit, I wish I could sing! Bugger it, I’m going to anyway! It’s that kind of feeling this song, this album instils in me so the neighbours can sod off and put up with my tuneless warbling along. It’s one of those chest swelling, emotional moments.
No Chance To Be Reborn is initially pure Dio but slides to a little more melodic touch, through Sabbtail and back but seamlessly. It all fits beautifully frankly. The melodic flourishes and lead lines do sometimes nod towards maybe non symphonic Nightwish or a metal version of Sonata Arctica but don’t run and hide because Helker really can steer it firmly down the metal path rather than dental threatening saccharine.
First ballad hint appears on Begging For Forgiveness but it’s got the kind of stones that Tarot bring to the table so we’re OK. Wake Up, the following song is a bit curious insofar as it flits between delicate quiet, all out Dio style drama and a real drilled down modern shuddering riff but it works. At The End Of The Journey meanwhile amidst the RJD vocal workouts has a great guitar passage as well as a fine gutsy chorus (which is hard when you’re singing about spreading your wings and flying to heaven). And when the brilliant Ghosts Of The Past comes out with a melodic flavour of the finest hard rock meets power metal you can imagine I get the chills and the goosebumps and I know I’m in the presence of great talent. Still Alive is, coming after that, a bit unassuming but still good enough to get the noggin nodding. Still no misstep here.
Flying, is the out and out power ballad, all mobile phones waggling around in the dark. Not usually my cup of sugar but the voice really pulls it off. It is a great stomping cliché of a song, yes, but honestly I am pretty sure they actually pull it off. And off course they counter it next with a crunchy, guitar heavy little number to follow with Inside Of Me. They close with Dreams, opting for a wistful melody riding the riff rather than a huge epic which, honestly, reminds me how grounded this album is and it is another fine song.
Wow. Who’dve thunk it? Eleven songs and under an hour in total; if this album was a person it would be a zero body fat gym bunny showing up the flaccid, posturing power metal guys noodling around it. Helker, unlike this review, keep both the song times and the album length down which is the basic rule most bands in this genre forget. They have the songwriting chops to absolutely nail this album and the musical dexterity too make the most of that songwriting. Nice production too. First album on AFM and first in English surely must open up big opportunities for them. If you have even the faintest liking for power metal, or the more melodic slightly lighter side of Dio then check them out.
Frankly just about the best power metal album I’ve heard in an age. And that includes the last Y&T album. And it’s still growing on me.
(9/10 Gizmo)
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