Performing: Metalsteel, Helstar
Location: Ljubljana / Orto bar / Slovenia
Date: 2/21/2017
It was like going back a good six years, to December 2010, when the legendary Texan speed/thrash metallers Helstar, a “cult” American take on old-school metal, played Ljubljana. That time they shared the bill with Metalsteel from Medvode.
On February 21, 2017, at Orto bar in Ljubljana, the two bands repeated the experience of that show at Gala hala years ago. After all, there’s a lot of friendship between the two outfits, and there’s no need to stress that “James Rivera plus Metalsteel equals Sabbath Judas Sabbath.” The legendary vocalist James Rivera (with a tattoo of the Slovenian coat of arms, and that’s no lie) long ago found his new home in Slovenia, and at this new Ljubljana show he didn’t forget to add: “Slovenia, how are you? You are my family! Great to see you again!”
But let’s take it from the top. The last time Helstar played in Slovenia was a little under three years ago. Back then they were presenting the album “This Wicked Nest” (2014). This time they brought a brand-new, freshly forged studio album called “Vampiro” (2016), which is a kind of link to the most notorious album of Helstar’s career, of course “Nosferatu” (1989). In content, character and the quality of the new songs, it’s without a doubt a more than worthy successor to the band’s cult album, and it proves that Helstar haven’t let up in songwriting power even in their mature years.
The gig kicked off right on the dot. Metalsteel got fifty opening minutes to play ten songs. As always, there’s no need to wonder what kind of show the good folks from Medvode will deliver. The guys and Daša remain the definition of quality and bright stars on the horizon of Slovenian metal, keeping the old-school revival alive. Metalsteel are superbly tight, and lately they’ve also upgraded their backing vocal harmonies, with Rok and Matej working very confidently and actively alongside Beny the whole way through, which gives the songs extra shine and expressive punch. At this gig, too, the band built the setlist so that songs from their current album “This Is Your Revelation” led the way, with the rest spiced up by older classics (Novi svet, and the expected Heavy Metal Is Our Religion in the closing stretch). The peak of the set came at the end, when Metalsteel invited James Rivera up on stage and they played the Black Sabbath classic Heaven And Hell together, briefly reviving the days of the Sabbath Judas Sabbath project. Nothing more needs to be said. Metalsteel are always an attraction when they land a show near your home, and a sure guarantee of a good, cheerful gig atmosphere. Beny remains a confident vocalist, he and Rok keep up superb communication between the two guitars, Matej remains a “miracle” bassist, and last but not least, we have to single out Daša, who once again, with great dedication and care, turned herself for fifty minutes into the mistress and chief guardian of the band’s time on the drums.
Helstar hit the Orto bar stage at half past nine in the evening. With fourteen songs they took us through their discography, with the expected focus on tracks from the new album “Vampiro” and the cult “Nosferatu”. After a short intro, James, who has lately loved dressing up on stage, which goes hand in hand with the themes of the new albums, surprised everyone by transforming into a “bloodsucker,” not forgetting to put in the vampire fangs and throw on a red-and-black cape. His crimson-dark baroque getup, in any case, once again recalled the costume that one of his greatest idols, the late Ronnie James Dio, wore on stage long ago.
Helstar took the stage that night with a freshly refreshed lineup. Rob Trevino is now replaced by guitarist Andrew Atwood, while Garrick Smith handles bass. The latter is “holding down” the spot for original bassist Jerry Abarca, who hasn’t played with the band because of health problems since the end of 2010. Helstar haven’t lost one iota of performance dynamite. The guitars remain sharpened and pointed to the bone. Larry Barragan, besides Rivera the only original member left, has found an exceptional partner in crime in Atwood, and the guitar work remains spotless. The dialogue of guitar skills between the two masters was jaw-dropping once again. Riffs shredded with the hellish speed of the right hand, often palm-muted, cannon-like drums, precise as a Swiss watch, from the untamed Mikey Lewis, and a lively weave of melodic figures on the bass. In short, we got another superb execution from Helstar.
Despite all that, James wasn’t exactly having his best day. He sounded like he had a cold, or, as we’d say in plain speech: James was “in bad voice” that night. That was already hinted at in passing by the aforementioned performance of the Black Sabbath classic Heaven And Hell with Metalsteel, and the show itself confirmed the bad feeling. James mostly skillfully and with a great deal of experience adapted the bulk of the vocal lines. In the highest registers he often just rasped, adding plenty of gruffness to the (expected) clean vocals. He handled the situation deftly and confidently wriggled out of the discomfort. During the set he also talked to the crowd less often than usual, and the audience only really came alive toward the end, when James got it going with the announcement of “Remnants of War” from the classic Evil Reign, which was, as expected, followed by “Burning Star” from the classic Run With The Pack, which Helstar have almost proverbially saved for the closing acts of their shows. The band surprised a bit right at the end by choosing to play the Black Sabbath song N.I.B., which in the chorus once again confirmed James’s weaker vocal form that evening. Too bad Helstar didn’t stick to their own material instead. They’ve never made a bad album, so it would have been nicer to enjoy the last five minutes of the show with another cult Helstar classic from the eighties.
The crowd was made up of the same clientele who gave the band an unforgettable welcome at Helstar’s first show in Slovenia in May 2009 (it was at Bazen in Kranj, which is now programming-wise “kitschy and perfumed”), when the audience tore itself to shreds during the gig. This time the crowd was very calm for at least three quarters of the show, with only sporadic moments of a few hot heads spinning around their own axis. The very same clientele that follows the band has gotten a bit more serious over the past eight years. Reservedness was nowhere to be felt, though, as the live energy flared up at all the right moments of the set (e.g. during the classic Baptised In Blood). Sadly, there weren’t many new faces at this gig, which is worrying, since the Slovenian fans have aged ten years in that time, and there’s unfortunately no young Slovenian metal blood at these kinds of “educational” shows. Anyway, every bit counts! That night, Helstar were greeted at Orto bar once again by all the people whose hearts beat for metal. Decked out in proper metal outfits, with proper metal attitude. That feeling when you walk into a gig and know you’re in the right place at the right time! At a real metal show in Slovenia.
And Helstar? Absolutely, and there’s no debate about it. Hats off and respect. The countdown to the next meeting with the cult legends of “U.S. old school speed metal” has already begun.
Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
HELSTAR:
1. Awaken into Darkness
2. Blood Lust
3. To Sleep, Per Chance to Scream
4. To Their Death Beds They Fell
5. Harker’s Tale (Mass of Death)
6. Black Cathedral
7. Rhapsody in Black
8. Baptized in Blood
9. Fall of Dominion
10. Pandemonium
11. Tormentor
12. The King Is Dead
13. Evil Reign
14. Run with the Pack
—encore—
15. N.I.B.
METALSTEEL:
1. Taboo
2. Trapped
3. White Circle
4. This Is Your Revelation
5. Novi svet
6. Materialist No More
7. Narcissus
8. New Way of Thinking
9. Heaven And Hell (feat. James Rivera)
10. Heavy Metal Is Our Religion
