HELL'S HEROES 2025

I can’t believe it has been a year since the last incarnation of Hell’s Heroes.  That time has gone by so quickly but once the line-up was announced, it seemed like forever for the festival to finally arrive.  This year was a little different for me as I decided to attend the pre-party on the Wednesday before.  Quite frankly, there were so many bands that I wanted to see (and many new groups to research and catch live) that there was no way I was going to miss any of the days.  Hell’s Heroes is the premier metal festival in the United States and each year they seem to out-do themselves by bringing a great mix of artists.  Not only do you get to see many of your favorites but you also get exposed to some of great new bands that may be flying under your radar.  So without further ado, here is my recap of the four day event.

PRE-PARTY

Last year, I missed the pre-party but this year I was determined to catch the whole event and boy am I glad.  Things started off great with a new band for me but one that has been releasing music for a decade.  Canada’s ICE WAR was the first band to kick things off and if you are into traditional metal, then you are in for a treat.  In the studio, this is a one man show with Jo Steel handling all the instruments so for concerts, he has assembled a cranking band who reproduce the music perfectly.  Even though it was a short set, they managed to touch upon many of their releases with “Falling Out” and “Feel the Steel” standing out.  They even pulled out “Arrowhead” off a single which was a nice addition.  Again, if you are into New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal (NWOTHM), then I suggest you check out Jo Steel and company.

As I head upstairs to the smaller stage, I somewhat recall a band called NEMESIS and that I had seen them recently.  Sure enough, this is the same band I saw open for ARMORED SAINT last year.  I’m not familiar with their music but I remember being impressed.  Houston natives NEMESIS don’t hold back and play like they are headlining an arena.  Although I wasn’t able to catch all the song titles, they did perform “Governed with Fear” and “Slave of Mistakes”.  Seeing them again this time reaffirmed my initial view of the band as these guys fill their set with some of the tightest and precise riffing since early MEGADETH.  As far as I can tell, they have only one full length release called "False Reality" but they perform like a seasoned thrash band far into their career.  This band is definitely one to watch out for.

Back on the bigger stage, new band SENTRY unleash their brand of metal upon the Houston crowd.  I have not heard of them before but they are also a part of this new breed that play old-school metal that is a combination of SABBAATH riffing with MAIDEN galloping rhythms.  Since they just came on the scene with a self-titled release, they stuck to that record with “Valkyries (Raise the Hammers)” and “Black Candles” being the prominent tracks.  They even added a great cover version of MANILLA ROAD’s “The Ninth Wave” as a bonus and as far as I’m concerned, any band that pulls out a great song like that deserves much respect. (SENTRY is pretty much MANILLA ROAD without Mark Shelton.--Dr. M)

MYTH CARVER was the next band on the smaller upstairs stage and like SENTRY, they are a newer band hailing from the great state of Texas.  Having released only one E.P. and a couple of singles, it was safe to say that their short set was going to consist of their whole catalogue.  While they may not have many songs out there, the ones that they have released are classic metal that are even better live.  Songs like “Iron Helm” and “Thunderkill” exude more raw power on stage.  Daniel Schmuck has a great voice that fits perfectly with the riffing from Tom Reyes and Jayson Braffett.  There is a lot to like on the "Twist of Fate" E.P. but catch them in concert if you want to truly experience this band.  

After seeing two sets from HELSTAR at last year’s version of Hell’s Heroes, I was really looking forward to their concert this year.  They always deliver a stellar show and this pre-party set was no different except they upped the ante by showcasing their new record before its release.  The new record is called "The Devil’s Masquerade" and James Rivera and company performed the first side of the album.  While playing unfamiliar material to a festival crowd may seem like suicide, the crowd embraced this new material like it was part of their back catalogue.  The title track, along with “Carcass for a King” and newest single “Seek Out Your Sins” were enthusiastically greeted by this hometown mass.  Of course we were going to get some older classics as the band performed “Baptized in Blood” and “Run with the Pack” from their older albums.  If the performance of their new record is any indication, we are in for quite the treat with their latest "The Devil’s Masquerade".

The pre-party continued with more Texas metal with MEAN MISTREATER gracing the upstairs stage.  This female fronted outfit is a cross between traditional metal with MOTORHEAD attitude mixed in for good measure.  They have a couple of records out and their show consisted with four songs from each one.  Starting off with “Let ‘em Roll” off the "Razor Wire" record was the perfect intro to the uninitiated among the crowd (myself included). Vocalist Janiece Gonzalez commands the stage with a killer voice and a “take no prisoners” attitude.  Other tunes that stood out were “Killer Red”, “Walk with Fire”, and “Do or Die”.  MEAN MISTREATER definitely made the most of their half hour timeslot and the packed room ate is all up.

One of the bands that was previously on the bill couldn’t make it so SATAN stepped up and saved the day.  I can’t remember the band that cancelled but I was more than happy to get another show from SATAN.  Since they already were planning to perform a "Court in the Act" set later, they treated us to a set filled with material from their more recent albums.  Songs like “Sacramental Rites” and “Turn the Tide” were lifted from their most recent record "Songs in Crimson".  They fit nicely alongside older tracks like “Testimony” and “Twenty Twenty Five”.  This fill-in concert by SATAN showed them to be not only true professionals but also caring about the fans.  They could have performed similar sets both days but they knew the crowd would have wanted two different shows since most in attendance would be there for both performances.  SATAN showed themselves to be a class act who put on two killer (and totally different) sets.

After a great set by those metal legends, it was time for another newer band.  DARK MEDITATION hail from Seattle but they are far removed from the “Seattle sound”.  This group of metalers have more of a JUDAS PRIEST vibe than the grunge movement that made Seattle popular.  The show consisted of material from their one record and the "When the Darkness Bleeds" E.P.  Opening tunes “Babalon.Money.Magick” and “Strange Caress (Of The Night)” won over the crowd right away.  They wasted little time launching into a few tunes from the E.P. with “Call of the Beast” being the standout.  To finish their performance, they went back to the record and played “Haunt of Fear” and the title track.  I didn’t know much about this group beforehand but afterwards, they won me (and I’m sure others) over with their no frills metal songs.

One band from the 80s that I never got to see in concert was LIEGE LORD so I was so psyched to finally get to see them on stage.  Their "Freedom’s Call" record was one of those releases that played a special part in my life at the time and I still play it to this day.  The band did play a couple of tunes from that release but they focused on their last full length record "Master Control".  It’s hard to believe that that album is thirty seven years old yet still sounds fresh.  Tracks like “Fallout”, “Eye of the Storm”, and “Fear Itself” still resonate today without sounding dated or retro.  Even their RAINBOW cover of “Kill the King” was able to match the ferocity of their own material.  Of all the bands at the pre-party, LIEGE LORD whipped up the crowd the most and even the two unreleased tunes “Hypocrisy” and “Unfazed” went down a storm.  The latter has special significance as it is the last song written by Matt Vinci who sadly we lost in 2023.  I waited a long time to see LIEGE LORD in concert and they did not disappoint.  I just hope I get a chance to see them again soon.

As I drag my metal weary bones back up the stairs one last time, I am greeted by the black metal of SPITER.  Coming to us from the east coast, this vampire themed three piece unleashed the sounds of hell on the packed room.  I did acquaint myself with their material before the show but witnessing them on stage is whole different monster.  The unholy wall of sound emanating from their speakers drove the metal hordes in the room to create a mini moshpit.  I couldn’t tell you which songs they played but guitarist/vocalist Richard Spider spit out the lyrics like he meant every word.  Truth be told, I left this one a little early because the crowd was getting a little crazier that my old body could take.  Plus, I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss one note of RIOT V.

I have not seen RIOT since the "Thundersteel" tour so it was long overdue that I catch these guys while they are still out there making music and playing shows.  Now they are called RIOT V after the death of founder Mark Reale in 2012.  Name change aside, the band played a nice selection of songs from all the eras of the band.  We got “Warrior” and “Road Racin’” from the first two albums along with a few tracks from "Fire Down Under" representing the Guy Speranza era.  They also paid homage to the bluesy Rhett Forrester timeframe with the title track from "Restless Breed".  The record that received the most stage time was "Thundersteel" which showcased the Tony Moore lineup.  They performed six tracks off that record which included "Fight or Fall", "Flight of the Warrior", and "Johnny's Back" among others.  They also gave us some new tunes off of last year’s record “Mean Streets” fulfilling the Todd Michael Hall era of this setlist.  Tracks like “Hail to the Warriors” and “Feel the Fire” fit perfectly alongside the older classics.  And speaking of Todd Michael Hall, he is the secret weapon of this lineup.  He is able to handle all the different vocal styles of previous singers all the while making it look effortless.  He has a tremendous voice and RIOT V are lucky to have him fronting the band.  As the final notes of their set faded, I thought to myself, Mark Reale would be proud that his musical legacy still lives on and the latest group of guys do it justice.

DAY ONE

Now that the ringing in my ears has subsided, I was ready for Hell’s Heroes proper.  Opening the first day is a three piece from New York called SANHEDRIN.  This three piece reminds me of a bit of MOTORHEAD, GIRLSCHOOL, and NWOTHM mixed together to form a cool sound that is slightly unique.  Fronted by bassist/vocalist Erica Stoltz, they ran through a number of songs from their last three disks.  Their newest "Heat Lightning" bookended the rest of the material.  Opener “Blind Wolf” and closer “Let’s Spill Some Blood” were separated by a few tracks off "Light On" with “Correction” showcasing their sound best.  I was told by a friend that I need to catch this band so I was glad I made it to the venue early and saw their whole performance.

Texas metal bands are definitely a common theme so far and San Antonio’s BLACK JACKAL graced the indoor stage to a great reaction from the Houston crowd.  The lead singer, who had a skull for a codpiece, commanded the stage as the band created a mix of thrash and speed metal bordering on death metal.  “Strike of the Whip”, “Extermination Front” and the title track from "Forever War" were all played with all the raw power you would expect from this type of band.  They are not the type of band I normally listen to but catching them in concert really brought out the small part of me that gets into the more extreme metal.

As mentioned previously, SATAN were going to play two concerts on two different days.  This performance was the originally scheduled one for them and they gave us a special set.  They played the entire "Court in the Act" album in order and it was glorious.  Not many bands can claim to have the same five members that recorded that album back in 1983 but here we are.  It was all there, from the fierce “Blades of Steel” to the proto speed metal of “Break Free” and majestic “Alone in the Dark”.  "Court in the Act" was another album that made up the soundtrack to my younger metalhead life so it was magical for me to see this record played from start to finish.  For that forty-five minute set, I was transported back in time and felt young again.  That alone was worth the price of admission. Oh, and by the way, I wasn’t the only one who ate it all up.  The Houston crowd was into it from the first note to the last and many younger fans who weren’t even born when the music was released were enjoying the hell out of the performance.

After reading the review of their new disk on this very site, I was going to make every effort to catch CHAMBER MAGE.  This NWOTHM band out of Colorado has all the elements to make them a staple on the metal scene for years to come.  Avery Berg’s vocals ride over the galloping rhythm of the music to create a cinematic metal experience.  All of the track performed were from the “By the Light of Emerald Gods” disk and each one was a mini-epic.  Starting their set with the frantic “The Length of the Chain” got the audience going but for my money, “Blades on the Rampart” was where the band really shined.  CHAMBER MAGE is a band that I will be following from now on and this performance was so good that I have been spinning their disk ever since.

CHAMBER MAGE was going to be a tough act to follow but FIFTH ANGEL surely gave them a run for their money.  This was a band that I read about in Kerrang! and Metal Hammer but I never thought I would get a chance to see them on stage.  The band entered the stage with a backdrop of “The Third Secret” behind them which was odd since they didn’t perform any tracks off that disk.  No matter, they put on a flawless set that focused on their first two releases.  I was a little disappointed that they only played “When Angels Kill” off their 2023 record since it was in my top 10 of that year but I can’t fault their choices.  All of the material performed showcased their melodic metal style with “Midnight Love” and “Cry Out the Fools” capturing their sound best.  The guitar work on the latter was some of the best of the day.  I wished that they would have had more time but other bands were waiting in the wings so off I went to the indoor stage to see the next act.

Theatrics are in full force as SAVAGE MASTER take the stage.   Frontwoman Stacey Savage emerges out on stage in a black coffin with an upside cross on the front.  From there, there is some blood drinking and whipping but ultimately, it’s the music that has captured this audience.  “Hunt at Night” has all the classic styling of NWOBHM but with a little extra flair thrown in for good measure.  I mentioned whips before and they made their way onto the stage where Stacey Savage whipped her band during the track “With Whips and Chains”.  Speaking of the band, they were all masked in the same style as MIDNIGHT which gave the band an additional theatrical element.  Taking a page out of HELSTAR’s book, SAVAGE MASTER gave a preview of a record that was one week away from release.  “Devil Rock” is another slice of pure heavy metal that has a surprising catchy chorus.  This was my first exposure to SAVAGE MASTER and I was really impressed with not only the theatrics but also the quality metal music they were delivering.

Sweden’s ENFORCER was next on the outdoor stage but unfortunately, their set was short due to some technical issues.  They did manage to soldier through a number of tracks with “Destroyer”, “Unshackle Me”, and “Live for the Night” managing to make it sound good.  Another band, ONSLAUGHT, had to cancel so as luck would have it, ENFORCER were able to stay another day and perform a full show.

Back on the inside stage I was greeted with another very theatrical band.  When I first read the name CASTLE RAT, it elicited a small chuckle and I thought they were going to be a joke.  Well, once they hit the stage, that smirk and all negative thoughts disappeared quickly.  Opening with “Dagger Dragger”, vocalist The Rat Queen commanded her band through songs all from debut record “Into the Realm”.  They managed to get through almost the whole disk with only a couple of tracks being left off the set list. Joining her at the front of the stage were vampire guitarist The Count and bassist The Plague Doctor who wore this bizarre beaked leather mask.  CASTLE RAT definitely brought out the theatrics throughout their show that included blood drinking and an additional character, The Rat Reaperess.  She showed up a few times during the set wielding her scythe and fighting The Rat Queen during “Nightblood”.  If you are into doom metal with a fun, theatrical show included, definitely check out CASTLE RAT.  They definitely converted me to a fan.

HIRAX is one of those bands from the 80s that never got their just deserts.   Katon de Pena has been at this for a long time and he lives and breathes metal so I was really pleased that HIRAX was on this year’s Hell’s Heroes bill.  Katon is the only original member but no matter as he is the heart and soul of the band.  That being said, this version of the band is quite lethal and they burned through a great mix of old and new material.  It’s hard to pick out any standouts as the whole set was one ferocious song after another.  HIRAX just doesn’t let up!  Tracks like “Blind Faith”, “Drowned Bodies”, and “Broken Neck” go for the throat and prove why HIRAX are one of the great thrash bands.  The crowd thanked the band by not only giving them a heroes welcome but they also crowd-surfed throughout the whole set.

Like the previous band, ATTACKER is another band that started in the 80s but released records in that decade and again in the 2000s.  I did not really remember them from back in the day but I was introduced to them by a friend about a decade ago.  They are a good straight ahead metal band that dabble a little into power metal.  Their set was well rounded and consisted of material from almost all of their releases.  Songs like “The Hermit” and “The End” fit nicely alongside newer material like “World in Flames” and “The Mighty Have Fallen” off of 2024’s “The God Particle”.  There may not have been much of a “show” with ATTACKER but their musical performance stood on its own.  

I’m gonna be completely honest with you, I never got into Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, also known as D.R.I.  I tried to get into their punk/metal mash-up but for whatever reason, it didn’t resonate with me.  I watched them plow through an eighteen song set at this year’s Hell’s Heroes and my opinion hasn’t changed.  The crowd loved them and I was definitely in the minority as people moshed and body-surfed their way to the front.  One thing I will say, this festival has a wide array of metal bands so there is something for everyone but you can’t like all of ‘em.

Three piece BEWITCHER was more to my liking as this Portland speed metal band skirts the black metal genre slightly.  Their guitarist/vocalist doesn’t go full on cookie-monster vocals which suits me just fine.  They did a good job of touching on all of their full length records with each record getting two songs except their sophomore release “Under the Witching Cross” which only had “Too Fast for the Flame” to represent that record.  I was a little disappointed I had to cut out early to catch the next band because my favorite by them, their namesake song off the first album, was the last song of the set and it was one that I missed.

OMEN return again this year and they not only played one show but they returned the next day to perform a whole different set (more on that later).  This day’s show was the special “Battle Cry” set where they showcased their debut opus.  Almost all of the tracks on that record were performed except “Prince of Darkness” and “Bring Out the Beast” (at least that is what I remember).  “Death Rider” and “Die By the Blade” were tracks that had a long history with my youth so it was great that they played them just like the studio version; which can be challenging when the songs are four decades old.  They rounded out their timeslot with a few other numbers “Road Warrior”, “The Curse” and “Teeth of the Hydra”.  The set was a classic 80s set and their records from that timeframe hold a special place in my record collection.

It has been a while since I have seen RAVEN in concert so it was fortuitous that they were part of this festival representing the old guard.  The Gallagher brothers have been slogging it out since the start of the NWOBHM and they have never once disappointed either on stage or in the studio.  And yes, I even liked “Stay Hard” and “The Pack is Back” although the latter is probably my least favorite.  Anyway, RAVEN launched right into “Destroy All Monsters” from their excellent “ExtermiNation” disk and continued their brand of NWOBHM inspired speed metal.  Even though I wouldn’t consider them to still be touring for the “All Hell’s Breaking Loose” album, they still featured a few tracks off that release with “Surf the Tsunami”, “Turn of the Screw”, and the title track all going over well with the energetic audience.  As much as I still find their disks to be worthy of my hard earned dollars, I still will always gravitate to their early material and the band don’t disappoint.  They whipped out chestnuts like “Hell Patrol”, “Chain Saw”, “Rock Until You Drop” and their ultimate classic “Faster Than the Speed of Light”.  A couple of those I missed because of overlapping set time but the half hour that I witnessed was pure RAVEN magic.  

The headliner for the first day was none other than ABBATH.  Total transparency here, I never really listened to the extreme black metal bands and I viewed IMMORTAL as one of those groups.  So imagine my surprise when I completely enjoyed ABBATH’s whole set.  For over an hour, he relentlessly battered our eardrums with the IMMORTAL catalogue and it was a sight to be seen.  For those of you who don’t know, ABBATH was a founding member of IMMORTAL so that would explain the special set list of all IIMMORTALtracks.  As the band entered the stage, the roar of the audience grew until it was drowned out by the black metal of “Withstand the Fall of Time”.  The record that was featured the most during the concert was “Sons of Northern Darkness” which had four tracks performed.  “In My Kingdom Cold” and “Tyrants” are a stark example of the spectrum of songs performed.  The former is a blur of pure black metal with a hint of melody while the latter is a lumbering, heavy tune that even has some proggy moments.  The razor sharp riffing of “Damned in Black” also stood out and even though I’m not a fan of that vocal style, it all seems to fit together.  To add additional visuals to the proceedings, ABBATH donned a horned headdress for “Mighty Ravendark” which gave him an extra evil look.  All in all, I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy the ABBATH set but I walked away liking it.  The crowd on the other hand was anticipating this performance and they relished every second.  

DAY TWO

After a trip home and a good night’s sleep, I was ready for another day of metal mayhem.  West coast outfit SOLICITÖR opened up day two of Hell’s Heroes on the outdoor stage.  This female fronted band ran through a six song set that showed off their speed metal chops.  Tracks like “Grip of the Fist”, “Speed Tyrant”, and “Betrayer” roared through the speakers displaying the precision riffing from the exceptionally tight guitar duo.   Frontwoman Amy Lee Carlson commanded the stage and whipped up the early afternoon crowd who responded enthusiastically.  This was my first time hearing and seeing SOLICITÖR and hopefully it won’t be the last.  They put on a great powerful set and it was a great way to open up the second day.

On the inside stage was another new band (for me at least) called KNIGHT & GALLOW.  These guys are part of the great NWOTHM that is getting really popular.  I love this sound and these young upstarts managed to make quite the impression on me.  Pulling much of their show from their one and only full length disk, tracks like “Men of the West”, “Stormbringer’s Call”, and “Black Swordsman” sounded familiar and fresh at the same time.  Lead singer Nick Chambers even wielded a sword during the performance and I don’t care what anyone says, it was cool and brought back that old-school feel to the concert.  They are another band that needs more exposure and I’m glad I did a little research on them beforehand.  It made their show much more enjoyable knowing some of the material.

I have a soft spot for NASTY SAVAGE.  I remember purchasing their first self-titled record back in the day and wearing out the grooves.  Nasty Ronnie was always a character and he made sure that you got a show along with their thrashy speed metal.  I loved that they opened with “Gladiator” off that first disk; complete with Nasty Ronnie wearing a gladiator wrestling helmet.  I was happy that they also focused on their earlier material as those songs are the ones I know best.  “The Morgue”, “XXX”, and “Metal Knights” went down a storm with the crowd lapping it all up.  To repay them, Nasty Ronnie threw out patches into the crowd.  And no NASTY SAVAGE show would complete without torturing an old T.V. set.  Ronnie dragged it around during the show until finally sacrificing it during “You Snooze, You Lose”.  It’s always great to see the old metal guard still treading the boards and NASTY SAVAGE still showed that they still have gas in the tank.

Another band that I was told to make sure to catch was HITTEN and I am so glad I got to see their full set.  The band is from Spain but have a west coast Sunset Strip sound only heavier.  They have all the chugging riffs of a MOTLEY CRUE but with the vocal melodies of TNT.  Their set focused on their newest record at the beginning but the ending material featured songs from "Twist of Fate".  Newer material like “While Passion Lasts”, Mr. Know it All”, and “Hold Up the Night” flowed seamlessly alongside older tunes like “Twist of Fate’, and “Built to Rock”.  Alex Panza has the perfect voice for this type of sound and he, along with the whole band, put on an energetic performance.  So far, each band was a winner and they had me racing from stage to stage to make sure I didn’t miss a single note.

Back outside, ENFORCER were able to redeem themselves (although the technical difficulties were not their fault) with a full set on this second day.  They were filling in for another band that couldn’t make it and I was glad they got the chance to show us exactly what they can deliver.  Although they did get two different slots, some of the songs were repeats.  Their first four tunes were played again but quite honestly, material like “Destroyer”, “Undying Evil”, and “Unshackle Me” deserve multiple plays.  This additional slot gave them the chance to add “Midnight Vice”, “Running in Menace”, and a great cover of BLACK SABBATH’s “Die Young”.  Although their whole show was great, the inclusion of that SABBATH track made the performance for me.  They do a really good job paying homage to the metal masters and they stick close to the original version. 

Once in a while a band comes around that checks all the boxes when it comes to quality heavy metal.  For me, that band is HAUNT and I am so glad they were added to the bill for this year’s Hell’s Heroes.  I have been listening to them for a number of years but this is the first time I was lucky enough to catch them in concert.  And they were worth the wait!  They fall squarely into just the heavy metal category without ruining their sound with some of the other metal sub-genres.   They kicked things off with “Steel Mountains” off their 2024 disk "Dreamers" but then they went old school on us and pulled out three tracks off of "Burst Into Flame".  “Reflectors”, “Frozen in Time” and the title track sounded much better than their studio counterparts which says a lot since the recorded version are awesome.  I hope I get the chance to see these guys soon and preferably headlining so I can see a full set.  Six songs was just not enough.

Like D.R.I. from the day before, GAMMACIDE are not my cup of tea but the Hell’s Heroes crowd loved every second.  They really go the mosh pit and body surfing going as they plowed through most of their one and only record "Victims of Science".  They did bring in a bit of a stage show with 55-gallon drums flanking the stage that spewed some smoke (which smelled awful).  They even had someone in a hazmat suit come on the stage at one point to sell the point even further.  While I may not have been into the material, everyone around me loved “Shock Treatment”, “Chemical Imbalance”, and “Gutter Rats”.  Although not one of “my” bands, the festival definitely catered to a wide variety of metal and for that alone, GAMMACIDE fit the bill perfectly.

I did not know what to expect from SABIRE as I wasn’t able to do much studying on them but one things is clear, if you were looking for a band that embodied the Sunset Strip, then look no further.  Scarlett Monastyrski is the guitarist/vocalist and the embodiment of a modern day Nikki Sixx.  The band ripped through songs like “Call Me Bastard”, “Rise to the Top” (I think that is the title), and “Black Widow”.  The last one of those songs had the honor of having some very scantily clad females come up on stage to add more to the hedonistic element of the Sunset Strip sound.  They even got the crowd going with a nice rendition of “Blind in Texas” from W.A.S.P.  Obviously a fan favorite in the Houston area.  I may not have known much about SABIRE but they put on one hell of show.

Since I was having so much fun at the SABIRE show, I missed the very beginning of the ABSU performance.  Their show was being billed as a "The Sun of Tiphareth" set and that is exactly what they gave us.  They played that death metal record from start to finish in order and ended their slot with “Never Blow out the Eastern Candle” which I missed due to overlapping set times.  I knew a little about this group but have never gotten a full introduction to their whole experience.  Needless to say, they are a force to be reckoned with and Proscriptor bellowed out his hellish vocals to the delight of everyone. 

I was willing to miss a little bit of ABSU’s set just to make sure that I would catch HIGH SPIRITS.  Chris Black was at last year’s festival with his other band DAWNBRINGER so it was great that he was here again with his other outfit HIGH SPIRITS.  They are a melodic hard rock/metal band that is the vision of Chris Black.  Just like his other outfits, he is a one man show but when performing live, he brings along a great band to represent his material.  For HIGH SPIRITS, he focused on just vocals giving the rest of the band space to shine.  I reviewed their last record "Safe on the Other Side" for this very webzine and I was surprised that they only played one song “In the Moonlight” from that disk.  But given the fact they only had forty minutes to present their material, they probably wanted to showcase other albums.  "Motivator" and "Another Night" got two songs each with “Flying High”, “This is the Night”, “Full Power” and “Another Night in the City” respectively. As I was running to the outside stage, they launched into their last song “High Spirits”.  There is not one of Chris Black’s projects that I don’t like but I think HIGH SPIRITS is his best.

OMEN stepped up and saved the day for an open slot and they made the most of it.  The previous day, they performed a "Batte Cry" set and on the second day, they performed almost all of their second record "Warning of Danger".  I have to give it up to OMEN for giving us old school fans a great couple of concerts.  Songs like “Termination”, “Make Me Your King”, “Don’t Fear the Night” and “March On” were performed with the same energy that recorded those tracks almost four decades ago.  If you were unable to see their show the previous day, they did play “Battle Cry”, “In the Arena” and “Teeth of the Hydra” again but those of us who witnessed both performances didn’t mind one bit.  Chalk this up as another great show by OMEN.

Death metal is the name of the game for SADISTIC INTENT.  These guys have been around since the late 80s/early 90s.  From what I can gather, they mainly put out a number E.P.s along with a live album.  “Lurking Terror” and “Impending Doom” started off their show and right away the crowd greeted them like heroes.  Their speedy death metal kept the mosh pit going throughout the whole set which also included “Ancient Black Earth”, “Funerals Obscure” and “Asphyxiation”.  Quite literally, their show was a blur as each track seemed faster than the previous one.  Even at that break neck speed, their tunes still contained a musical undertow throughout their short set.

The name CAVALERA needs no introduction.  Max, along with his brother Igor, created a unique new sound with their band SEPULTURA.  For this tour Max Cavalera and company decided to revisit the SEPULTURA catalogue and present a show dedicated to their old school fans.  The start of their show featured the triple threat of “From the Past Come the Storm”, “To the Wall”, and “Escape to the Void” all off the "Schizophrenia" record.   As much as the new line-up of SEPULTURA has its place, these songs need Max Cavalera’s touch when performed live.  There were other tracks from that same record that were bookended by “Morbid Visions” and “Bestial Devastation”.  As the show progressed, the latter part was a number of medleys where a good portion of the song was played but mixed in with others.  For example, “Refuse/Resist”, “Propaganda”, “Territory” and “Biotech Is Godzilla” were mashed up onto one super cool medley.  They even snuck in a bit of SLAYER’s “Black Magic” into the last group of songs which capped off their set.  If you are a fan of early SEPULTURA, then make sure you catch this year’s CAVALERA tour as this is the “must see” set list.

Black metal group DEPARTURE CHANDELIER was playing their first concert in the United States (at least that was what I was told) and Hell’s Heroes was able to snatch them up for this one-time performance.  I don’t know much about this band other than they are a great mix of black metal with some plodding doom thrown in for good measure.  There is this hypnotic element to some of the droning parts of their songs that really resonated with me.  I am still not a fan of the cookie monster vocal but that type of vocal fits perfectly with the raw energy of the music.  Thankfully I got a glimpse of their set list because I had no clue what songs were played.  According to that set lists, some of the songs performed were “Forever Faithful to the Emperor”, “Hard as a Coffin Nail” and “Life Escaping Through the Candle's Smoke”.  With the dark lighting and just silhouettes of the band members, the whole presentation had a dark mystique about it that worked extremely well.  I don’t know if they will ever return with a tour or another concert but they are worth checking out if you get the chance.

Day two’s headliner was mighty CRIMSON GLORY.  I missed my one and only chance to see this bunch back in the late 80s when they played the Thirsty Whale in River Grove Illinois.  I have been kicking myself ever since as their first two records are some of the best metal to come out of Florida.  Now obviously, it is not the same band as it was back then with only Ben Jackson, Dana Burnell, and Jeff Lords remaining.  Unfortunately, vocalist Midnight passed away back in 2009 but current singer Travis Wills does a great job.  Close your eyes and you might not be able to tell the difference.  The band didn’t mess around in picking a set list as the die-hard fans like me wanted the early material.  The whole show was culled from those first two records and once they kicked off with “Valhalla”, it was like the last few decades never happened.  “Dragon Lady”, “Red Sharks”, and “Queen of the Masquerade” sounded just as good as the record and each tune was a mini epic.  Their hit single “Lonely” came late in the set but for my money, the best song was “Azreal”.  CRIMSON GLORY has done some rebuilding of the brand lately and I hope they capitalize on the momentum of shows like this.  After another day of brutal metal, I drove myself home to catch a bit of sleep before subjecting (voluntary of course) my weary body to another day’s festivities with the metal hordes of Houston.

DAY THREE

The last day was bittersweet.  On the one hand, my body (and ears) were saying “enough already” but my metal heart (ACCEPT pun intended) wanted the fest to continue.  Anyway, local boys NIGHT COBRA started off on the outside stage with a great set of traditional heavy metal.  They played material off both their releases, one an E.P. and the other a full length effort called “Dawn of the Serpent”.  “The Serpent’s Kiss” and “For Those Who Walk the Night” stood out as hard charging metal gems but quite frankly, their whole set was one great tune after another.  If you remember last year’s review of Hell’s Heroes, frontman Christian Larson performed with his other band NECROFIER  and this band is a more straight ahead metal outfit while his other one is this cool melodic black metal group.  Since this festival is his baby, it’s great that he does the honor of playing as well.  If you haven’t heard of NIGHT COBRA, I suggest grabbing a listen and catching them live as they are another great band.

I was looking forward to WHITE MAGICIAN as I did some research and they are right up my alley.  They are a 70s sounding hard rock band that has a little bit of a BLUE OYSTER CULT in ‘em.  Their opening track “In Memoriam: Love and Magic (Magic and Love)” has an amazing B.O.C. vibe and they even throw a little bit of prog into the mix to make it extra unique.  Their half hour set only included four songs with each one clocking in around eight minutes except “Mad Magic II: In the Absence of Gods (Bad Magic)” which only lasted a little over five minutes.  They ended their show with the galloping “Power of the Stone” but I walked away wanting more.  Not that they were bad, on the contrary, they were so good that I wanted them to play more songs off their “Dealers of Divinity” record.

Racing back to the outside stage, I wanted to catch all of HELLRIPPER’s set.  The word on the street was this was their North American debut (which was later confirmed on stage by James McBain) and since this might be my one and only chance to see this band, I wanted to make sure I was there for every second.  This is another band like HIGH SPIRITS and ICE WAR where the band is basically one member, in this case James McBain, but for live performances he gathers a band to present his musical vision.  I was glad that I caught HELLRIPPER’s whole set and it was some of the best thrash with black metal vocals that I have heard in ages. Songs like “Necroslut”, “From Hell” and “The Hanging Tree” were mini black metal epic that not only got me energized but had the whole crowd mosh pitting and body surfing.  This band was kind of new to me but it seemed like most of the audience was well aware of who HELLRIPPER was and were anticipating the performance.  They certainly did not disappoint and hopefully they will make it back to the states soon.

New York’s OVERDOSE took the stage right after HELLRIPPER and they continued the metal assault.  If you were looking for the second coming of MOTORHEAD, then look no further as OVERDOSE fill that void perfectly.  They are newer to the scene with only one album and a couple of singles but I hope they continue to bring us more music.  Most of their set was culled from their "Two Wheels and Gone" record with the speedy “Chasing the Dark”, the thumping hard rock of “Further Down the Road”, and “On the Run” really showcasing their ability to deliver a MOTORHEAD inspired show.  Sadly, Lemmy is no longer with us but he would be happy that a band like OVERDOSE has taken up the mantle and keeping that style of hard rock alive for another generation.

When the line-up was released for this year’s festival, I went through the list of bands and PRIMORDIAL was a name that didn’t stand out, especially since I saw somewhere that they were listed as black metal.  While I like some bands in that genre, it’s not my go-to when I want to hear some metal. (The genre is far more diverse than many give it credit for.--Dr. M) Well, long story short, I misjudged this band completely.  Seeing the frontman done up in corpse paint and a noose around his neck made me think this was another black metal outfit that was going to be forgettable.  Instead, they surprised me with their brand of Celtic metal and the visual didn’t match the music (at least in my mind).  Most of their songs are longer so the forty-five minute timeslot was taken up by only six tracks.  Each song performed was epic sounding and vocally, Nemtheanga has a powerful voice that stays away from the cookie monster style that most black metal incorporates.  The songs that really stuck out to me were the mesmerizing “Victory Has 1000 Fathers, Defeat Is an Orphan” and the haunting “The Coffin Ships”.  The crowd loved these Irish metalers and I walked away a new fan who will be checking out their catalogue in the coming weeks.

Keeping with the international theme of bands, Greece is represented with another one man show band called ZEMIAL.  While Archon Vorskaath keeps things very much in the black metal world, he adds some prog elements to keep things interesting.  For this performance, he had ABSU vocalist Proscriptor sing the last half of the set.  While I enjoyed the opening numbers, I have to say that the addition of Proscriptor on vocals really elevated tracks like “Full Moon Necrophilia”, “Under Scythian Command”, and “Sleeping Under Tartarus”.  As mentioned earlier, I like ZEMIAL due to the prog elements and that was on full display within the tunes they presented.

On the big stage was no other than New Orleans’ GOATWHORE.  For this special occasion, they performed a special set that featured almost all of the tracks from “The Eclipse of Ages into Black”.  Following the running order of that record, they started with “Nocturnal Holocaust” and ended with “Graveyards and Dead Angels”.  Omitting just a few tracks did nothing to quell the brutality of their show.  They furiously ran through the songs at breakneck speed and although that album is twenty-five years old, it still sounds as brutal today as it did back in then.  Plus, all these years have not smoothed out the edges on these guys because their set was fierce and they showed no signs of slowing down.

THE NIGHT ETERNAL  is another band that I didn’t get to do any research before Hell’s Heroes and I wish I had because they were great.  These guys are relatively new with only two records from the last few years.  That being said, they put on an energetic show and although I didn’t know the material, their performance kept me captivated.  Their brand of traditional metal was exactly what the crowd wanted and Houston gave them a great Texas welcome.  Lead singer Ricardo Baum headbanged so hard that I thought he would get whiplash and the rest of the band made use of every inch of the stage.  I only wished I had checked out their music beforehand so I could have enjoyed their set even more.  Definitely a great band that I hope to see and hear more of.

Due to a little set time overlap, I had to cut out early from THE NIGHT ETERNAL (too bad because they were really good) and catch reformed S.A. SLAYER.  Hell’s Heroes was lucky to grab one of these reunion shows because I believe they are only doing two, this one in the states and then one in Germany for the Keep It True festival.  I remember when “Prepare to Die” came out and thinking that cover was so evil.  I was a fan ever since and I didn’t think that decades later I would be lucky enough to catch them on stage.  This is a true reunion of the “Go for the Throat” lineup except for singer Steve Cooper who sadly passed away in 2006.  Taking his place is none other than vocal powerhouse Jason McMaster.  They gloriously ripped through all the best material from their only two releases.  Some of the highlights were “Unholy Book”, “Final Holocaust” and “Prepare to Die” but truth be told, the whole show was fantastic from start to finish.  Even a little amplifier issue was not going to put a damper on their return.  I hope that with Jason McMaster they are able to continue and put out some new material.  

There has not been a lot of doom metal at the festival this year but LAS CRUCES was going to fix that post haste.  These local guys (San Antonio is only three hours away so I call them local) have been around for almost three decades but only released four albums.  Unfortunately, I have not been exposed to them previously so they had to win me over with their live show….and that they did.  The heavy doom of “Wizard From the North” and “Ringmaster” is as good as any other doom metal tunes I have heard in the last ten years.  Each of the tracks they performed were heavy but had this great groove to each one that reminded me of early BLACK SABBATH.  Again, since doom metal was in shorter supply this year, LAS CRUCES was a great addition to the lineup.

CORONER was a band I never got to see live but my friends and I really dug their style of thrash.  The precision in their playing struck a chord with us so I was happy to finally catch a live show.  They were great throughout the show and even treated us to sneak peek from their upcoming record.  The new track “Sacrificial Lamb” fit like a glove with their older material.  “Masked Jackal” seemed to get the best response but “Rebirth Through Hate” was the tune that really shined from their set.  Opening tunes “Internal Conflicts” and “Grin (Nails Hurt)” off their latest disk were powerful but I always tend to gravitate to the songs that got me into the band so “Rebirth Through Hate” will always have a special place in my heart when it comes to CORONER.  That aside, the band put on a great show and I hope to catch them again real soon.

Not many people will recognize the name JOHN CHRIST but if you are an old-school DANZIG fan, then you know that he was instrumental in creating those classic songs for the first four records.  Now that he is out on his own and DANZIG is not really touring much, he is bringing those tunes to the masses.  For this show he focused on only the first two DANZIG records which was just fine with the crowd.  There were already a lot of people at the stage when I rushed over to the indoor venue to catch his set so there was definitely a buzz about him being at Hell’s Heroes.  Starting things off with “Twist of Cain”, JOHN CHRIST and company tore through the first half of the self-titled record.  They were going in order until they skipped over “Soul on Fire” and continued with “Am I Demon”.  They naturally left “Mother” to close the show and I have to admit, the singer (whose name I don’t know) did a damn good job on the vocals.  Rounding out the set, they played “Snakes of Christ”, “Devil's Plaything”, and “Long Way Back from Hell” from the second album.  It’s been a while since I heard them and I forgot just how good those songs sound.  JOHN CHRIST has put together quite the band and he is doing justice to that material.

For those looking for some industrial tinged black metal, SAMAEL filled that void.  As the sun started to set, the lights on the outdoor stage started to come alive and add some color to the music.  For an hour, SAMAEL mesmerized the Houston crowd with their unique sound and they got one of the best receptions of the day, probably because they don’t come to the states that often.  “Son of Earth” and “Mask of the Red Death” were both heavy and hypnotic and were a good example of basically the whole set.  I didn’t know much of the material but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the whole show.  These festivals are a great way for me to connect or reconnect with a lot of bands and SAMAEL is one that I will enjoy perusing their back catalogue.

SPECTRAL WOUND were next up on the inside stage and they are just straight up black metal.  Their hellish performance whipped the crowd into a frenzy culminating in moshing and body surfing.  The packed venue ate up every second as they plowed through “Fevers and Suffering” and “Less and Less Human, O Savage Spirit” from their latest disk “Songs of Blood and Mire”.  There is not much I can say about these guys other than if you like your metal like you like your coffee, black, then check these Canadians out.  I, for one, thought they were good but didn’t have those extra elements that can make black metal special for me.

Well, here we are, last band to headline the final day.  The old guard is being represented by none other than SAXON and they just rocked the place.  I was surprised at the reception this NWOBHM outfit received because it seemed like the festival crowd was more of a black metal type of audience.  The Houston horde came alive as the band launched into “Hell, Fire and Damnation” and didn’t let up until the final drones of the truncated “Princess of the Night”.  Aside from the first song, only “1066” was trotted out from recent years.  Everything else was classic 80s SAXON with one nod to their first record by way of “Backs to the Wall”.  Although this was billed as a “The Eagle Has Landed” set, only six of the tracks off their first live release made it onto the stage at Hell’s Heroes.  Songs like “Motorcycle Man”, “Heavy Metal Thunder” and “Strong Arm of the Law” still manage to get the crowd going and it was great to see younger fans into the show.  Quite frankly, this was a greatest hits show with one hit after another.  The only surprise was the inclusion of the cover “Ride Like the Wind” from their “Destiny” record.  That one shocked me because I have seen SAXON probably fifteen times and I have never seen them play that song.  Sadly, due to time constraints, the band couldn’t play longer but they did put on one hell of a show.

And there you have it, my metal compadres.  Fours day of metal mayhem with a wide variety of bands that touched upon the whole spectrum of the metal genre.  Like last year, Hell’s Heroes ran like a German train schedule with each band starting and finishing on time (which is not the case with most metal shows).  As I drove home to rest my weary body (with my ears still ringing), I felt that I was a part of something special these last four days.  Such is the power of music and metal comradery.  Hell’s Heroes once again proved why they are the premier metal festival in the US and I can’t wait for next year’s event.