HELSTAR's JAMES RIVERA Guests On 'The Classic Metal Show' (Audio)

Vocalist James Rivera of Texas-based metal veterans HELSTAR was interviewed on the latest edition of "The Classic Metal Show", which is heard live on Saturdays from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. EST at TheClassicMetalShow.com. You can now listen to the chat using the Spreaker widget below.

HELSTAR released its new studio album, "This Wicked Nest", on April 25 via AFM Records. It was made available on CD and vinyl.

In a recent interview with HardrockHaven.net, Rivera stated about "This Wicked Nest": "We definitely brought back a lot more influences from the '80s traditional style, so to speak. It was done unintentionally, but at the same time intentionally. We thought that is what we wanted to do with this record. We wanted to create the record that was going to embrace all of the HELSTAR fans, whether they were old or new."

He added: "We think we have reached our plateau of being as heavy and aggressive as we could be with 'Glory Of Chaos'. We thought, we don’t want to take it any heavier or faster than that. Then we are going to start messing up of the elements of what HELSTAR should sound like. We do have a certain identity that is us. That is part of the reason that we wanted to elaborate more on our writing style we had back in those days."

Regarding the new album title, Rivera said: "I was reading somewhere about there is always turmoil going on every day. I watch CNN Headline News every day. When isn't something going on in that part of the world? This reporter said you just couldn't escape from this nest of wickedness. So when he said that. I thought that sounds like a great title. So I told it to the rest of the guys when it was time to come up with the title. I said I got one. 'This Nest Of Wickedness'. Larry [Barragan, guitar] said we always have an album with 'of.' He wanted to get rid of the 'of.' So he said how about 'This Wicked Nest'? I said it means the same thing. This is fine. That is how we came up with the title."

"This Wicked Nest" track listing:

01. Fall Of Dominion
02. Eternal Black
03. This Wicked Nest
04. Souls Cry
05. Isla De Las Munecas
06. Cursed
07. It Has Risen
08. Defy The Swarm
09. Magormissabib

Bassist Jerry Abarca is taking an extended break from the HELSTAR for health reasons and was temporarily replaced for some of the band's recent shows by Mike LePond of SYMPHONY X.

Formed in Houston in the early '80s, HELSTAR cut its teeth playing backyard parties and small club gigs. It soon became apparent that HELSTAR had much more to offer then its contemporaries. Combat Records snapped up the band and released HELSTAR's debut, "Burning Star", in 1984. Next came "Remnants of War", followed by HELSTAR's breakthrough album, "A Distant Thunder", in 1988. The success of "A Distant Thunder" ultimately set up HELSTAR's most critically acclaimed album, 1989's "Nosferatu".