What could possibly go wrong with an ironclad, rocket-fueled golden dragon storming our planet?
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
Because this is the very dragon we all chase, we who crave pure, unfiltered, relentless USPM—and finally, HELMS DEEP have caught it and brought it to us!
This Florida-based band unleashed their stunning debut, “Treacherous Ways”, in 2023—one of my top metal albums of the year. The sound they gifted us with—stripped-down, honest, direct, aggressive yet melodic— was an oasis in the barren desert of soulless, formulaic releases that ape the traditional American metal style and fail miserably.
But with HELMS DEEP, there was no failure, no misfire! They delivered a KILLER album that left no room for misinterpretation: we were dealing with musicians forged in the fire; driven by unwavering devotion to the dream of true heavy metal!
Formed in 2017 by guitarist and vocalist Alex Sciortino, with a vision to create a band in the vein of the great ’80s speed/power acts—drawing influence from RIOT, IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, and other iconic names of the era—HELMS DEEP soon wove in prog elements that added atmosphere and uniqueness, touching on the textures of CRIMSON GLORY and early SAVATAGE.
Sciortino’s songwriting draws from even earlier wells—’70s rock grandeur, classic rock flourishes, and strange, fusion and prog sounds that shaped his foundation as a guitarist.
HELMS DEEP remained nearly a solo project for five years, until drummer Mike Heller (RAVEN, MALIGNANCY, ex-FEAR FACTORY) and bassist John Gallagher (RAVEN) joined forces with Sciortino. One year later, they released “Treacherous Ways”—initially as an independent digital album, which soon caught the attention of Nameless Grave Records, who granted it a proper physical release.
Ray DeTone (PAUL DI’ANNO’s KILLERS) made a brief guest appearance, contributing a solo on the track “Mountains of the Scorpio”. But as HELMS DEEP pressed on with new material for their upcoming second album, with Sciortino expanding the band’s stylistic palette and demanding broader expressiveness in the songs, DeTone officially joined as second guitarist, alongside drummer Hal Aponte (ICE AGE), aiming for a more organic, progressive tone.
“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.
Now tighter than ever, HELMS DEEP return with an album that surpasses even their undeniably impressive debut!
Liang Wu’s erhu opens with the unexpected, exotic intro “Wing Chun”, before “Black Serifot” bursts out in a storm of guitars and tension-building melodies. Next comes the title track, “Chasing The Dragon”, with such speed, force, and relentless riffing that I was already convinced—HELMS DEEP have delivered ANOTHER ALBUM OF THE YEAR!
Anyway, the full album is already out there, and there’s little point in dissecting it here. But I will say this: tracks like the dark and menacing “Cursed”, the fast and raw “Flight Of The Harpy”, the intricate “Frozen Solid”, and the instrumental “Shiva’s Wrath” create a tracklist that’s sturdy, full of character and weight that doesn’t fade over time. And then there are songs like the “Craze of the Vampire”, “Necessary Evil”, and “Red Planet”—they make the REAL difference.
The kind of difference that elevates an album above the rest. That draws the line between a good follow-up and a next-level evolution. The difference that raises “Chasing The Dragon” one level above “Treacherous Ways” and also raises the bar we now hold for HELMS DEEP themselves: truly high-caliber USPM!
I must also say there’s a subtle KING DIAMOND-esque aesthetic coursing throughout the tracklist, and flashes of SATAN and RIOT kept coming to mind as I listened.
This is an album of a distinctly different mindset from the debut. It demands careful listening to unlock all its secrets—but even on a quick spin, anyone can tell they’re facing something unforgettable.
“Chasing The Dragon” will be officially released on June 20th by Nameless Grave Records on both CD and LP.
Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
You can pre order both the CD and the LP here.
