As soon as they’d realized their vision for a first album United States-based heavy metal quartet HELMS DEEP had bigger plans, a more ambitious second go of it, in mind and here just a couple of years later they’ve realized a bigger and arguably better sophomore full-length album. There is no great struggle here, no story to pull from the experience and I’m not sure there is a coherent theme to glean here as ‘Chasing the Dragon‘ really is just a fine heavy metal record which once again ventures into power-thrashing speed metal heat and bolsters their efforts with some light interest in progressive metal. All of their work here is indefatigably centered around an authentic 80’s heavy metal muse, an intense study of the craft which utilizes those ancient tools of the trade to link serious fandom and a growing knack for memorable songcraft.

Helms Deep formed around 2017 by way of guitarist/vocalist Alex Sciortino aiming to channel his love of 80’s heavy metal into his own work, eventually linking up with drummer Mike Heller (Raven, Malignancy, ex-Fear Factory) and thee legendary John Gallagher of Raven after a gig in Colorado and getting them on board via a scratch demo of the first album. It sounds like their debut full-length ‘Treacherous Ways‘ (2023) was an extended learning experience and one eventually shaped profoundly by the folks involved, as Sciortino suggests the original idea was maybe more in the circa ’83 NWOBHM headspace but ultimately rocketed closer to speed/power metal especially with Heller‘s skills in mind. I’d missed the original release of the album but gave a brief review recommending it in an “albums you missed” column later that year, suggesting the album was “Undeniably good but still [has] some room to improve, explore tempo and melody in a way which delivers more than a slammed-through debut.” and of course that isn’t the most outrageous suggestion, they’ve certainly improved upon their debut herein.

‘Chasing the Dragon‘ appears to hit the nearer the bullseye in terms of the artist’s intent, with the reconfigured band building on the long development process of the first and showing up readied to double their efforts, and their guitar parts. This made for some line-up changes with drummer Hal Aponte‘s (Ice Age) style having a different easier-going range and second guitarist Ray DeTone (Paul Di’Anno) matching Sciortino‘s energy over on the left channel. These end up as key additions in terms of building something a bit more Fates Warning-esque as a whole, a well-rounded and adventurous record with many faces to reveal throughout; Some of the observations of the past still stand, though, as any fan of the mid-80’s heavy metal canon ah via Metal Blade‘s (also: Shrapnel, Mercenery, Combat, Par, et al.) USPM glom, Judas Priest inspired power/speed metal of the mid-to-late 80’s and the NWOBHM darlings who could hang with explosion of speed/metal beyond ’84. There is yet a lot to like in the realm of Helms Deep if you have an inkling of the era and the craft, it should be a complete sensory overload if you’re a trad metal obsessive.

Across the board ‘Chasing the Dragon‘ benefits from much improved vocal performances from Sciortino, I cannot overstate the boon that arrives alongside his increasingly ambitious (yet classicist) focus on harmony, melody, and the impressive exploration of range which occurs here. He’s the right sensibility in terms of going for it with an idea but not aiming for over-worked perfectionism, a balance where the best and most interesting heavy metal performances lie. This naturally lends far-broadened variety -and- catchier pieces in general, songs which make much better use of the kicking energy supplied by organic production values and wizened folks supporting the cause. Consider the experience a refinement of Helms Deep‘s sound to the cusp of an ideal in excess, a big hourlong feat that still feels niche-obsessed but feels more free to experiment with some late 70’s action here and there, too.

The work that Helms Deep put into the first ~minute of opener “Black Sefirot” is more potently heavy metal in its course than many “new wave of whatever” nowadays records manage in their entirety and they go on flexing for the entirety of the song, too. From the outset Gallagher‘s bass guitar tone is rounded, bopping through reeling tangents that’re presented without a ton of gravel under the strings, and despite the pyrotechnics that eventually fling this’d been one of my favorite aspects of this record in terms of both the bass guitar/drum interplay and the way his tone rests like a heartbeat within their machine. It is very much an anthemic power metal piece at heart, a maybe early Agent Steel worthy charger in terms of the chorus but when the riffs start to hit and the leads begin to trade and harmonize we’re in an almost prog-speed metal arena where things are flowing but satisfyingly busied in all hands. There are no duds on this album but the roll through the first ~4-5 songs is the most densely packed with ideas and big, chorus-wailing and shredding pieces.

The title track (“Chasing the Dragon”) is arguably one of the more Satan-coded pieces on this album to my ear and gloriously so with consideration for its major riffs (esp. ~39 seconds in), its inspired lead guitar runs and sweeter vocal inflections. Sure “Black Sefirot” and its choruses are probably still fresh in mind but we get gang-hustled whoa-oh backing vocals and a big power metal stride when the chorus of this title track hits as Helms Deep‘ve shown up with some kind of brain melting catchiness in reprisal. There’re quickly too many fine details, too many ear-bending riffs etc. to praise here at this point and we’re just two songs in. I’d found it difficult to edit my notes down to a reasonable review here, so, I’ll try and stick to the most impactful moments and some surprising developments here.

“Craze of the Vampire” might be one of the most crucial pieces on the full listen in terms of the band’s continual melodic expansion, giving us a familiar but infectious chorus and a stomping set of verses. The vocals are of course a big part of this as Sciortino‘s higher register here is almost reaching for circa ’87 Eric Wagner levels of spoken-to-shrill climb and the layered pre-chorus has this sinister walk-up to it that’d stuck in my head for days. Overall I’d say this is the song that I think will win folks over easiest alongside the opener, not only as longer and more thoroughly developed pieces but for the immersive quality they bring to the full listen; The spiteful groove and wail of standout “Cursed”, the kinda rocking Riot inspired ride of “Necessary Evil” and “Flight of the Harpy”, and such all help build consistent interest throughout the middle portion of ‘Chasing the Dragon‘ though I’d often find myself taking a five minute break, around “Frozen Solid” as the hourlong stretch feels far more relentless and engaging than the at-times easier flowing rush of ‘Treacherous Ways‘.

“Red Planet” is probably the most interesting encounter in terms of those first few spins through this album and though this might sound like a strange observation there is a sort of Geddy Lee-worthy bass presence woven into parts of this adventurous, swinging piece which is soon overtaken by its kinda chill dueling guitar leads. Though I wasn’t sure this piece (as well as closing instrumental “Shiva’s Wrath”) necessarily fit with the intensity of the album as a whole they do ultimately pull it all together; Though I’m not sure every song on here was necessary in terms of extending ‘Chasing the Dragon‘ into a three-sided double LP there is a certain charm which comes with ambition that is willing to sprawl. Would I prefer a ~40 minute album from these folks for the sake of an exacting, coherent set? Yes, but I am not one to bray about an overflowing plate if every piece is well-prepared.

Imposing as the full listen was to start I’d found it brilliant how well Sciortino and crew created a more ambitious and varietally strewn experience in response to the singularly focused, driven charge of ‘Treacherous Ways‘. This ultimately finds ‘Chasing the Dragon‘ expressing more of Helms Deep‘s influences in brighter light, reveling in the bigger moments they’re able to create and in the process of running the gamut they’ve come across as a righteously inspired band. Though I wouldn’t accuse this record of wild originality they’ve done well to develop some additional interest beyond pure tropes which helps set these songs in both catchier and exaggerative tangents that’ve proven consistently entertaining upon return. A high recommendation.

---