Helix Still Want You To Give Them An "R"!
Sampson Simpson | Canada | 08/02/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This album was a long time coming. The last true Helix studio album was the excellent It's A Business Doing Pleasure, 12 years previous to this one. A lot happened in those twelve years, including members changes, record company changes, and solo albums. That Helix came out with an album as good as this was surprising.
Almost every song here is excellent, with only the instrumental opener "Space Junk" and the jokey closer "Sunny Summer Daze" not fitting in with the serious rocking going on here. A couple of these songs had previously appeared on Vollmer's solo record, but this is clearly a Helix album. The title track features a killer chorus (reminded me of "Rock You" a bit) with those recognizable Helix backing vocals. It's also the most "party" of all the new songs, some of them being a little darker.
"Six Feet Underground" has some nice acoustic work, and is extremely catchy. "Panic" has some irresistable vocals. "It's Hard To Feel The Sunshine..." might have an overly long title, but the song is amazing, as heard live many times. "Ballad Of Sam & Mary" is a jokey song as Helix have done before, but with some serious rock behind it. It's only when you get to the closer with its Hawiian guitar that you feel like the album just hit a speedbump. The final track's saving grace is a guest appearance by former member "Doctor" Doerner on guitar.
This album represents an extremely strong comeback for Helix, but beware longtime fans, this is not party music. The changes in heavy metal over the previous 12 years are audible here, the guitars are chunkier and dirtier, and no song has a party-hardy chorus like the days of old. Helix could have gone that route for this album if they so chose, but why? Really, they abandoned that style a long time ago, around the time of "The Storm".
Fear not Helix fans. Brian Vollmer and his gang of little-known but excellent players did not dissapoint when they finally decided to release a new album under the Helix Band banner. Aside from the first and last tracks, this is one you'll be playing all the way through.
And heck, you get used to the the first and last tracks after a while."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1