Helstar The Devil's Masquerade Review
Helstar
The Devil's Masquerade
Massacre Records
2025
I might be late to the party, but I’ve finally made it to what I’d call the comeback album of the year. The legendary Texas Thrashers Helstar have returned, and “The Devil’s Masquerade” (via Massacre Records) is everything I hoped for, a fiery, riff-slinging reminder that the old Gods of Metal still walk among us.
Most diehard metalheads have at least one Helstar record tucked away in their collection, maybe “Burning Star”, “Remnants of War”, or the immortal “Nosferatu”, but there’s still a surprising number of people who have no clue who they are. To those folks: Helstar helped pave the way for the more technical, progressive end of Thrash Metal. Without them, there’s a good chance bands like Sanctuary (and later Nevermore) wouldn’t have hit quite the same way. Sure, Helstar’s lineup has shifted over the decades, and they’ve split and reformed a few times, but that core spirit still burns wildly.
“The Devil’s Masquerade” feels like a spiritual successor to “Nosferatu”, it's loaded with Horror-soaked atmosphere/lyrical content, scorching lead breaks, and enough riffs to make your neck hurt for weeks on end. James Rivera remains an absolute beast behind the mic. The man must be a vampire; there’s no other explanation. Decades later, his voice hasn’t lost a shred of its power, those glass-shattering falsettos still send chills down the spine.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Helstar, but this album turned that fondness into full-blown obsession. I’ve spun this thing repeatedly, and every time it ends, I’m ready to start it again. I even preordered the vinyl, because hell, this band and I go way back. It feels damn good to be an aging Rock Warrior and still have a band like Helstar putting out music that hits just as hard now as it did when I was a kid. If you haven’t picked this one up yet, don’t wait until it’s too late. Grab it right fucking now and join “The Devil’s Masquerade”, we’re waiting for you…
Standouts: “The Devil’s Masquerade”, “The Haunting Mirror”, “Carcass for a King” and “I am The Way”.