New Music Review : Helker - Firesoul : CD Album Music Review : Dangerdog Music Reviews

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Helker: Firesoul

Melodic/Heavy/Power Metal

4.0/5.0

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AFM Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 27.04.2017

Recognized as one of South America's most popular metal bands, Argentina's Helker returns with their fifth album, and second English language album, Firesoul. No worries, Helker will also release a Spanish version, Alma de Fuego, at the same time, but only in a digital format (for now). Once more the album was produced Matt Sinner for AFM Records.

Helker

Perhaps we should start with the last song first and so dispense with elephant in the room. It's a bonus track and a cover of DIO's Neon Knights, and a pretty good one at that. But this only reminds us that Diego Valdez sounds a lot like the late great heavy metal hero Ronnie James Dio. In turn, this makes Helker sound, at times, a lot like Eighties DIO, more like a power metal one.

And musically, there's a lot of fierce and fast melodic power metal to be found within Firesoul. You get it straight out of the gate, after the intro, with Fight and For All The Eternity, then later with songs such as Firesoul, Stay Away, and Break Your Chains. Yet those two latter songs also display how well Helker can put some true rock groove into their metal, and also catchy hooks in the riffs and refrains. But the better example is probably The One which sounds like a heavy metal AOR arena anthem. It's got great groove, exceptional harmonious twin guitar riffage, sweet vocal harmonies, and a killer memorable chorus. It also may be the song where Valdez sounds the least like Ronnie James. Some what unexpected among the mix is Empty Room. Stuck right in the middle of the album, it's metal ballad begun with voice and piano, then rises in the second half with strong riffs, some symphonic touches, and a soaring solo. And that's another element to mention. The guitar solos are abundant and killer throughout this album.

With Firesoul, Helker remains similar to past albums and consistent in delivering more of their energetic and engaging melodic power metal. Recommended.

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