HELSTAR – A Devilish Masquerade

Jan 30, 2026   »   interview   »   U2602

text: Schmidt Péter

Texan Helstar is a true cult underground power metal legend, which returned after a nine-year long break with a brand new full-length album, The Devil’s Masquerade. We were lucky to talk with Larry Barragán, the founder guitarist of the 45-year old band. You recently finished a short European tour promoting the new album. What about the attendance and the audience reactions during this trip? “To be honest it was one of the best tours we’ve done. We kept waiting for that one show that was, you know, not that great attendance wise but it never happened. All the shows were rocking! For the most part I think everyone liked the set we played. There are always the hardcore fans that want deep cuts but that would mean cutting out the songs that are mandatory to play.” Your previous full-length album, Vampiro, was released nine years before the new one, which is quite a long time even considering Covid. What were the main reasons for this long gap between these two albums? “We were ready to record but there were issues happening with the label that were out of our control. So everything kept getting pushed back. At this point we’re not really a band that’s going to put out albums one after the other. But at the same time you’re right. It was quite a long gap.” In 2021, you released an EP called Clad In Black, which contained three original songs and three cover versions, and the full Vampiro album was added as second bonus disc. I think this may have been a record label decision. “It was a bit of both. We wanted to put something out because as you stated it had been a while. Vampiro didn’t really get the attention and distribution it deservered so the Masacre picked it up and decided to add it to the EP.” The current lineup has been relatively stable for a long time, the only change was in the position of the other guitarist, Alan DeLeon Jr., who arrived in 2024. How did you get in touch with him, and what can we know about the reasons for the departure of his predecessor, Andrew Atwood? “Unfortunately in life things change and Andrew just wasn’t happy anymore. He wasn’t getting along with James and that was one of the main reasons for his departure. We love Andrew and it hurt to see him leave after 10 years of being in the band but it was for the best interest of the band and as well for Andrew. Change is always difficult. As far as Alan, we have known him for a very long time. We’ve been friends with his dad, Alan Sr, for years. When the position opened up he spoke to James about auditioning and we hit it off from the very start.” As a relatively late arrival, was Alan involved in songwriting and developing guitar themes? “No he joined after all the songs had been basically recorded. He came in a recorded solos. That will obviously change when we start writing for the next album.” When did you start writing the songs for the new album, and how much time did the writing process take? “We had been writing songs, I guess since Clad In Black was released. We don’t put time limits on when we should be done writing. We write until we feel we have an album. I will say when Andrew left the band he left during the writing of the album and he had a few songs written that we didn’t use since they were his and he was no longer in the band. It just wouldn’t be right to have kept playing songs that belonged to him and maybe he had other plans for. As it turned out I had written enough to complete the album.” Most of the recording works took place again at Hombre Malo Studio in Texas, where you have worked several times before. Is this the band's own studio? “It’s my studio. I run it out of my house. I’ve recorded and mixed a few band here. I’m quite comfortable working out of my studio.” Listening to the new songs, I feel like you've gone back a bit to the more melodic method of the classic era, with less extreme/thrashy elements than on some of your previous albums. In fact, the album itself is shorter and more compact with its 38 minutes long playing time. Was this your original intention when you started the songwriting, or did it just happen spontaneously? “I wish I could say it was our plan all along but truth be told we don’t sit down and discuss how we’re going to approach writing the album. We write and let the chips fall where they may. So, yeah, very spontaneous.” One of my favorites from the album is Carcass For A King, which I really like for its eerie, suffocating atmosphere, and for James’ vocal lines, which are sounding deeper and darker than he usually sings… “That has become a fan favorite! The music was written by Garrick, our bassist, and the lyrics were written by Andrew. He was gracious enough to let us use them.” I don't know what you think about it, but when I heard the instrumental Suerte De Muleta, I first thought of Iron Maiden's 1984 song Losfer Words, somehow I felt a kind of affinity with it in its tempo and mood. “I was actually inspired but the Picasso painting by that name. I tried to write what the painting made me feel.” Perhaps Helstar's most grandiose song to date is the album-closing “I Am The Way,“ which is almost a mini horror-metal musical, featuring guest vocalists like Rob Lowe and Jason McMaster. Whose idea was it to invite guests for this song? Was it easy to convince them to take part in this cooperation? “James, came up with the idea to have different singers on each verse. The only caveot was that he only wanted singers from Texas on the song. We really didn’t have to convince anyone to take part. All these guys are our friends. Some of them since the 80s! I’m extremely proud of how that song came together.” Are there any plans to release a new live album or a live DVD/Blu-ray in the near future? “At this time, no. If we did I would definitely want it to be recorded somewhere in Europe.” The only Helstar album you didn't play on was 1995's Multiples Of Black - unfortunately the sound of that was also quite weak. Are you planning to release a re-recorded version of it at some point? I think the music itself would deserve another chance… “Not something I have thought about honestly. I guess never say never but it’s not something I personaly am interested in.” During Helstar's inactive years, in the late 90s and early 2000s, James recorded three albums with two other bands – Distant Thunder and Destiny's End –, where he more or less continued the musical heritage of classic early Helstar. Have you ever heard those albums? “Yeah, of course. I love the Destiny’s End stuff. I was able to see Distant Thunder live way back when. James has done a lot of great albums. Vicous Rumors, Seven Witches, all that stuff is phenomenal.” You and James have an interesting side project together, James Rivera's Metal Wave, with which you play covers of classic pop and dark wave/new wave artists. Have you ever written any own songs in this different style? “That came about during covid. It was fun to do but it just kind of died. Everyone got busy doing other projects and it just didn’t go anywhere after that but it was fun. We did play a few shows.” In addition to Helstar and Metal Wave, you are also a member of a formation called Santa Oscuridad, with which you play metal songs in Spanish language. What is worth to know about this band, its formation and releases? “Santa Oscuridad is very much something I would love to get off the ground. It’s very straight ahead metal, hard rock. It’s very different from Helstar which is very important to me for it to have its own identity. We’ve self released 3 EPs. I would love to get the band signed and do some touring in the near future. Especially in Spain and South America.” You founded Helstar in 1981, and James joined you a year later, with whom you are still the driving force of the band to this day. How did you meet him and how were you able to convince him that it would be worth making music together? “I saw James sing with a couple of bands before asking him to join Helstar. I always loved his voice and stage presence. He has exactly what any band needs and that’s a voice that is unique and can identify the band. There are a lot of great vocalist out there but let’s face it, they sound like someone else. James sounds like James. He has traces of his influences but he sounds unique and that’s the most important thing.” James has been writing occult, fantasy and horror-oriented lyrics since the earliest days of Helstar. I know I should ask him, but what do you know, where his attraction to these obscure themes comes from? “James and I have always loved horror movies. As a matter of fact there was an old movie theater that we swear we must have both been at when we were kids but we didn’t know each other. We used to go there to watch the old horror movies.” For my part, I think that if there was justice on Earth, Helstar should be much more popular than really is. The reason for that this happened differently, is maybe timing, similar to the case of Vicious Rumors or Metal Church. When Helstar formed and appeared on the scene, you were too hard-sounding compared to the established, popular bands of the USA, while too melodic compared to the representatives of the newly emerging thrash metal wave – so you ended up remaining an underground formation. What do you think about it? “Well, thank you for the kind words. I think you’re right to an extent. People want to put you in a box and I’ve always refused to do that. We have our sound and I’m proud to say that each album we have released is unique. We don’t rehash what we have already done. As for not being as big as other bands, that’s timing and luck. We just weren’t in the right place at the right time.” As a teenager guitarist, who were your biggest influences, and who are the current, younger players you think are really deserving attention? “It’s the usual suspects, Iommi, Lifeson, Blackmore, Rhoads, Schenker. I love Thin Lizzy. I love all the Bay Area guys. Gary and Exodus, Alex and Testament. As for the younger players, there are a lot of guys out there but I really love Ritchie Faulkner. I don’t know if you he counts as a young guy though.” Because of the sounding of your family name, I think you may have some Irish ancestors, at least on your father's side. Am I right, or am I totally wrong? “The origins are from Spain. My great grandfather migrated to Mexico from Spain. I’m not sure what part of Spain he was actually from. My grandfather was raise in Veracruz, Mexico. The name is actually spelled Barragán.”

views     »     helstar, Larry Barragán, underworld international, underworld in english