Helstar

Biography

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Helstar (1982-present): a Power Metal band from Houston, Texas, USA.

lthough stardom eluded them, Helstar remained a fan favorite throughout their career and rose to become a leader in the American power metal style. Helstar began with a basic heavy metal style in 1983 that evolved into speed metal before changing to power metal. They started with two demos (one live) featuring James Rivera (Distant Thunder; vocals), Larry Barragán (guitars), Tom Rogers (guitars), Paul Medina (bass) and Hector Pavon (drums) which was followed by their first studio album in 1984 in the form of Burning Star on the 'Combat Records' label, making them label mates with the likes of Megadeth and Exodus. Struggles within the band and management issues led to changes in the line-up where René Luna (drums), Jerry Abarca (bass/keyboards/vocals (backing)) and Robert Trevino (guitars) were now joining Rivera and Barragán.

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Helstar played their first arena show in December 1985 opening for Stryper.

After a year Helstar released the follow-up, Remnants of War (1986).

In 1987, they briefly moved to Los Angeles with another line-up change, this time with Trevino departing, and it is believed that the song Abandon Ship, from the 1988 follow-up A Distant Thunder with 'Metal Blade Records', was dedicated to his departure. Along with guitarist André Corbin, Frank Ferreira was an addition to drums. They returned to Houston in 1988 and subsequently toured as openers for acts such as Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer, Exodus and Armored Saint.

In 1989, the band released Nosferatu based on the early Dracula film containing spoken sound bites from the 1979 adaptation. Shortly after a tour for the album, the band recorded a four-song demo which did not gain interest from labels. Corbin, Ferreria and Barragan left the band the next year to pursue other interests, essentially putting the group on hiatus.

That hiatus didn't last very long. Between 1990 and 1993, Helstar released a few demos that failed to receive recognition. In 1995, Helstar returned to release a David Ellefson (of Megadeth) produced studio album, Multiples of Black featuring new members Aaron Garza (guitars), D. Michael Heald (guitars) and Russel DeLeon (drums) along side Rivera and Aaron Garza. The album did not receive acclaim or wide commercial success.

After the live album Twas the Night of a Helish Xmas (2000), Sins of the Past (2007) and The King of Hell (2008) followed. For Glory of Chaos (2010), Mikey Lewis assumed drums.

In 2004, Rivera, in addition to being a member of Seven Witches, would form a new band, Distant Thunder, in reference to the early Helstar album.

Indeed, this period saw the band undergo several reformations, primarily organized by James Rivera and Jerry Abarca. But Abarca was missing for This Wicked Nest (2014), while Andrew Atwood took guitars/vocals (backing) and Garrick Smith (bass) moved in, and Trevino departing. So with the membership of Rivera, Barragán, and Michael Lewis with Andrew Atwood taking guitars and backing vocals, and Garrick Smith on bass they would release Vampiro (2016).