Helstar
Encyclopedia
Helstar is a heavy metal
band from Houston, Texas
, formed in 1982.
for Combat Records
, making them label mates with Megadeth
and Exodus
. Struggles within the band and management issues broke apart the band line-up. After a year they reformed and released the Remnants of War
album, also on Combat, produced by Randy Burns.
In 1987 they moved to Los Angeles with another line up change, with guitarist Rob Trevino departing, and it is believed that the song "Abandon Ship", from the 1988 A Distant Thunder
album, was dedicated to his departure. Along with guitarist Andre' Corbin, Frank Ferreira was an addition to drums. They signed with Metal Blade Records
and recorded the A Distant Thunder album produced by Bill Metoyer. After the departure of Andre' Corbin and Frank Ferreira, Helstar regrouped again and recorded a demo but gained no interest from the labels.
Shortly after, Larry Barragan left the band to pursue other interests. In 1989 the band released Nosferatu
, which many fans consider their greatest album. It was based on the early Dracula film and contained spoken sound bites from the movie. Between 1990 and 1993 Helstar released a few demos that failed to receive great recognition. In 1995 Helstar released a new studio album entitled Multiples of Black, but did not achieve the quality from earlier albums and fans consider it their worst release.
The members of Helstar namely James Rivera
cooperated in other bands between 1993 and 2002, Seven Witches
for a short time in 1993, Distant Thunder in 1995 and Destiny's End. This was a super group put together by James Riviera that released two studio albums, Breathe Deep the Dark in 1998 and Transition in 2002. Helstar went through several reunions starting in 2001. These reunions were primarily organized by James Rivera and longtime bassist Jerry Abarca.
Several live albums came out of this period, but the band was unable to produce any new material. In 2006, for the first time in over 15 years, James Rivera and Larry Barragan reunited and Helstar were officially declared musically active again. Along with Abarca, Rivera and Barragan, also reunited with the Remnants of War album were guitarist Robert Trevino and Eternity Black drummer Russell De'leon. This lineup has since released Sins of the Past, "a greatest hits collection" of re-recorded songs. A new album has been released with the Remnants of War line-up in 2008 titled The King of Hell.
Drums:
Bass:
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, formed in 1982.
History
Helstar began with a basic metal style in 1983 with 2 demos, followed by their first studio album in 1984 titled Burning StarBurning Star (album)
Burning Star is a power metal album by Helstar released by Combat in 1984.-Track listing:# "Burning Star" – 3:50# "Towards the Unknown" – 4:44# "Witch's Eye" – 3:03# "Run with the Pack" – 6:38# "Leather and Lust" – 3:26# "Possession" – 3:28...
for Combat Records
Combat Records
Combat Records was an independent record label from New York City. The label was home to predominantly metal and punk rock acts including Megadeth, Circle Jerks, Nuclear Assault, Death, Dead Brain Cells, Possessed, Crumbsuckers, Agnostic Front, Agent Steel, Dark Angel, Heathen, Zoetrope and...
, making them label mates with Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
and Exodus
Exodus (band)
Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...
. Struggles within the band and management issues broke apart the band line-up. After a year they reformed and released the Remnants of War
Remnants of War (album)
Remnants of War is a power metal album by Helstar released by Combat in 1986.-Track listing:# "Unidos por Tristeza" - 0:48# "Remnants of War" - 3:45# "Conquests" - 3:47# "Evil Reign" - 4:32# "Destroyer" - 5:04# "Suicidal Nightmares" - 5:20...
album, also on Combat, produced by Randy Burns.
In 1987 they moved to Los Angeles with another line up change, with guitarist Rob Trevino departing, and it is believed that the song "Abandon Ship", from the 1988 A Distant Thunder
A Distant Thunder (album)
A Distant Thunder is a technical power/speed metal album by Helstar released by Metal Blade Records in 1988.-Track listing:-Personnel:*James Rivera – Vocals*Larry Barragan – Guitars*Andre' Corbin – Guitars...
album, was dedicated to his departure. Along with guitarist Andre' Corbin, Frank Ferreira was an addition to drums. They signed with Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
and recorded the A Distant Thunder album produced by Bill Metoyer. After the departure of Andre' Corbin and Frank Ferreira, Helstar regrouped again and recorded a demo but gained no interest from the labels.
Shortly after, Larry Barragan left the band to pursue other interests. In 1989 the band released Nosferatu
Nosferatu (Helstar album)
-Track listing:#Rhapsody in Black#Baptized in Blood#To Sleep, Per Chance to Scream#Harker's Tale #Perseverance and Desperation#Curse Has Passed Away#Benediction#Harsh Reality#Swirling Madness#Von Am Lebem Desto Strum#Aieliaria and Everonn...
, which many fans consider their greatest album. It was based on the early Dracula film and contained spoken sound bites from the movie. Between 1990 and 1993 Helstar released a few demos that failed to receive great recognition. In 1995 Helstar released a new studio album entitled Multiples of Black, but did not achieve the quality from earlier albums and fans consider it their worst release.
The members of Helstar namely James Rivera
James Rivera
James Rivera is a heavy metal singer; he was the singer for Seven Witches between 2002 and 2005. As of May 2007, he has been a metal frontman for twenty-four years and has recorded fourteen albums. He sang with Power/Speed Metal act Helstar, a band established in the early 1980s in Houston, Texas...
cooperated in other bands between 1993 and 2002, Seven Witches
Seven Witches
Seven Witches is an American heavy metal band from New Jersey. The band was founded in 1998 by Jack Frost and Bobby Lucas- History :Seven Witches released a Demo-CD in 1998, which gave them a record deal with Massacre Records....
for a short time in 1993, Distant Thunder in 1995 and Destiny's End. This was a super group put together by James Riviera that released two studio albums, Breathe Deep the Dark in 1998 and Transition in 2002. Helstar went through several reunions starting in 2001. These reunions were primarily organized by James Rivera and longtime bassist Jerry Abarca.
Several live albums came out of this period, but the band was unable to produce any new material. In 2006, for the first time in over 15 years, James Rivera and Larry Barragan reunited and Helstar were officially declared musically active again. Along with Abarca, Rivera and Barragan, also reunited with the Remnants of War album were guitarist Robert Trevino and Eternity Black drummer Russell De'leon. This lineup has since released Sins of the Past, "a greatest hits collection" of re-recorded songs. A new album has been released with the Remnants of War line-up in 2008 titled The King of Hell.
Current lineup
- James RiveraJames RiveraJames Rivera is a heavy metal singer; he was the singer for Seven Witches between 2002 and 2005. As of May 2007, he has been a metal frontman for twenty-four years and has recorded fourteen albums. He sang with Power/Speed Metal act Helstar, a band established in the early 1980s in Houston, Texas...
- Vocals (1983–present) - Larry Barragan - Guitars (1981–1995; 2006–present)
- Rob Trevino - Guitars (1985–1987; 2006–present)
- Jerry Abarca - Bass (1985–present)
- Mikey Lewis - Drums (2004–2006; 2010–present)
Former members
Guitars:- Tom RogersTom RogersThomas Andrew Rogers was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1917 to 1921 for the St. Louis Browns, Philadelphia Athletics, and New York Yankees. Nicknamed "Shotgun", Rogers was involved in an incident in 1916 in which he accidentally killed an opposing batter...
(1983–1985) - André CorbinAndré CorbinAndré Corbin is a heavy metal guitarist.-Biography:Corbin joined the metal band Helstar in 1987 and played on their A Distant Thunder and Nosferatu albums...
(1987–1990)
Drums:
- Hector Pavon (1983–1985)
- Rene Luna (1985–1987)
- Frank Ferreira (1987–1990)
- Russel DeLeon (1990–2004; 2006–2010)
Bass:
- Paul Medina (1983–1985)
Discography
- Burning StarBurning Star (album)Burning Star is a power metal album by Helstar released by Combat in 1984.-Track listing:# "Burning Star" – 3:50# "Towards the Unknown" – 4:44# "Witch's Eye" – 3:03# "Run with the Pack" – 6:38# "Leather and Lust" – 3:26# "Possession" – 3:28...
(Combat RecordsCombat RecordsCombat Records was an independent record label from New York City. The label was home to predominantly metal and punk rock acts including Megadeth, Circle Jerks, Nuclear Assault, Death, Dead Brain Cells, Possessed, Crumbsuckers, Agnostic Front, Agent Steel, Dark Angel, Heathen, Zoetrope and...
1984) - Remnants of WarRemnants of War (album)Remnants of War is a power metal album by Helstar released by Combat in 1986.-Track listing:# "Unidos por Tristeza" - 0:48# "Remnants of War" - 3:45# "Conquests" - 3:47# "Evil Reign" - 4:32# "Destroyer" - 5:04# "Suicidal Nightmares" - 5:20...
(Combat RecordsCombat RecordsCombat Records was an independent record label from New York City. The label was home to predominantly metal and punk rock acts including Megadeth, Circle Jerks, Nuclear Assault, Death, Dead Brain Cells, Possessed, Crumbsuckers, Agnostic Front, Agent Steel, Dark Angel, Heathen, Zoetrope and...
1986) - A Distant ThunderA Distant Thunder (album)A Distant Thunder is a technical power/speed metal album by Helstar released by Metal Blade Records in 1988.-Track listing:-Personnel:*James Rivera – Vocals*Larry Barragan – Guitars*Andre' Corbin – Guitars...
(Metal Blade RecordsMetal Blade RecordsMetal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
1988) - NosferatuNosferatu (Helstar album)-Track listing:#Rhapsody in Black#Baptized in Blood#To Sleep, Per Chance to Scream#Harker's Tale #Perseverance and Desperation#Curse Has Passed Away#Benediction#Harsh Reality#Swirling Madness#Von Am Lebem Desto Strum#Aieliaria and Everonn...
(Metal Blade RecordsMetal Blade RecordsMetal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
1989) - Multiples of Black (Massacre 1995)
- Twas The Night of a Helish Xmas (Metal Blade RecordsMetal Blade RecordsMetal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
2000) (live album) - The James Rivera Legacy (Iron Glory 2001) (compilation)
- Sins of the Past (AFM RecordsAFM RecordsAFM-Records GmbH is a music label based in Schwalmstadt, Germany. They focus on the heavy metal musical genre, signing bands such as U.D.O., Doro, Kotipelto, Masterplan, Nostradameus, and Annihilator....
2007) (compilation) - The King of Hell (AFM RecordsAFM RecordsAFM-Records GmbH is a music label based in Schwalmstadt, Germany. They focus on the heavy metal musical genre, signing bands such as U.D.O., Doro, Kotipelto, Masterplan, Nostradameus, and Annihilator....
2008) - Rising from the Grave (AFM RecordsAFM RecordsAFM-Records GmbH is a music label based in Schwalmstadt, Germany. They focus on the heavy metal musical genre, signing bands such as U.D.O., Doro, Kotipelto, Masterplan, Nostradameus, and Annihilator....
2010) (boxed set) - Glory Of Chaos (AFM RecordsAFM RecordsAFM-Records GmbH is a music label based in Schwalmstadt, Germany. They focus on the heavy metal musical genre, signing bands such as U.D.O., Doro, Kotipelto, Masterplan, Nostradameus, and Annihilator....
2010)
External links
- Official Website
- Official Forum - Hosted at Antenna Magazine
- History of Helstar w/ Larry Barragan
- http://www.redstream.org/Helstar-Nosferatu_RD7155.php
- http://picasaweb.google.com/trc122797/HelstarFeaturingGuitaristAndreCorbinTheNosferatuLineUp1989/photo#5109918898881441570