NWOTHM Full Albums is streaming Chasing The Dragon, the second LP from US traditional/power metal outfit HELMS DEEP, ahead of the record’s release this Friday through Nameless Grave Records.
HELMS DEEP was formed in 2017 by guitarist and vocalist Alex Sciortino with the initial vision of forming a raw 1980s-style speed/power metal band with the ambiguity and atmosphere of prog and fusion. The project had been in the works for around five years before he linked up with drummer Mike Heller (Raven, Malignancy, ex-Fear Factory) and bassist John Gallagher (Raven) and got to work on the first HELMS DEEP album, Treacherous Ways. Following a brief, initial independent release on Bandcamp, the band was quickly discovered by Nameless Grave Records, who signed the band for an official release in 2023.
During the tracking of Treacherous Ways, Sciortino hit a jolt of inspiration and wrote eleven more songs for a follow-up album, which now arrives as the glorious odyssey titled Chasing The Dragon. Though the debut was lauded, and the project gained an international following, its follow-up would be created with a different focus. Sciortino enlisted drummer Hal Aponte (Ice Age) for a more organic and progressive feel and brought in his guitar teacher from his early years, Ray DeTone (Paul Di’Anno’s Killers), on second guitar.
Chasing The Dragon was recorded in 3D, with DeTone on the left channel, and Sciortino on the right, with the massive Aponte and Gallagher rhythm section gluing it all together. Boasting the larger four-piece lineup with this recording setup, the second album presents a much more organic and live sound, which resulted in minimal editing and a focus on and capturing the personality and humanity in each member’s performance. The album also features unorthodox folk instruments, with guests Liang Wu supplying erhu and Cliff Hackford supplying Tabla. Chasing The Dragon demonstrates an explosive and intriguing metamorphosis of HELMS DEEP.
Co-produced by Ray DeTone and Alex Sciortino, re-amped by Lasse Lammert and Detone with DeTone handling the mixing at Dancetone Music Studio, Chasing The Dragon was mastered by Andy Van Dette (Deep Purple, Bruce Dickinson, Fates Warning, Girlschool, Rush, Savatage), and the cover art was handled by nine-time Hugo Award-winning artist Bob Eggleton. The result is an eclectic and raw blend of power and speed metal with elements of prog and fusion fans of Savatage, Raven, Crimson Glory, and Satan will not want to miss.
Sciortino writes about the album, “It’s a new direction for the project with elements of fusion and prog, something that was not present on the first album. My vocal style also took a new direction on this one, a bit more refined. I think I was able to find a cohesive balance between solid vocal cadences, melodies, instrumentation, and overall song composition. Hal’s drums and Ray’s guitars being added were not only what made it possible but pushed it all to the next level and back on track to what my intentions were for the first album. Their contribution mixed with John’s melodic bass lines made everything so interesting. Of course, people will say, ‘This is much different than album #1,’ but this is what I wanted the songs on the first album to sound like. I like this sound so much that I wish we could re-record the first album with this lineup the same way we did Chasing The Dragon.”
Listen to HELMS DEEP’s Chasing The Dragon early at NWOTHM Full Albums RIGHT HERE.
Chasing The Dragon will be released on 2xLP with silkscreened D-side, CD, and digital formats this Friday, June 20th. Find preorders at the Nameless Grave webshop HERE and Bandcamp HERE.
“…a speedy power metal punch, with guitar acrobatics, a punchy chorus and relentless energy.” – Decibel Magazine
“I know I won’t hear a better heavy metal album this year – in fact I can’t imagine hearing a better heavy metal album until the next HELMS DEEP album finds its way into my clutches. This is special stuff, and you need to get it in your collection as soon as you possibly can. Amazing!” – Sentinel Daily
“Chasing The Dragon is straight up riffage and denim and leather metal… The music is great, the vibe and chemistry of the band shines through, and it’s a pure celebration of heavy metal itself.” – New Noise Magazine
“…a triumph of style, substance, and steel. It’s a love letter to heavy metal’s roots, but also a mission statement for its future. Whether you’re a denim-clad veteran of the tape-trading underground or a newcomer discovering true metal through Bandcamp and boutique labels, this album has something for you.” – Jace Media Music
“…check them out immediately, because this is some authentic, masterful, sincere metal carrying the spirit of the golden age. This is the real deal.” – Velvet Thunder
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