https://metalonmetalrecords.com

NEW ALBUM:

"DYNASTIES OF DECAY"

Only a year after their debut, the three Portuguese veteran musicians return with the sophomore effort. Their uncompromised music, free from market impositions, will take you straight to the metal bravery of the past. HELLSPIKE's melodic approach dives deep into the NWOBHM sound, merging it with the direct relentless approach of the German speed and thrash bands from mid '80s like IRON ANGEL, SODOM, ANGEL DUST, MINOTAUR, VIOLENT FORCE, NECRONOMICON, WARRANT (Ger.), LIVING DEATH, DESTRUCTION and heavy metal bands like early GRAVE DIGGER and RUNNING WILD, JUDAS PRIEST and M.A.R.S. The songs are full of melody, expressive guitar harmonies, creative arrangements, inspired solos and choruses that will easily stay in your head. The album exudes a pleasantly nostalgic flair with its rather vintage and organic feel. In an age in which the world slowly disintegrates before our eyes, HELLSPIKE write the chronicle of the coming end of our days. Delivering old school metal both furious and classic, they watch the struggle of a failing society. The fall of empires has not ended.

RELEASE DATE:
November 2021

BIOGRAPHY:
The idea of having a band like HELLSPIKE is something that goes back to the times the guitarist Zellpike aka Zé RockHard and vocalist/bassist Rick Metal aka Rick Thor (and Helregni) used to storm their neighbourhood in search of beer at local bars where they could endlessly talk about '80s bands, especially the more obscure ones. This goes back to 2007 when only Rick had the ability to play an instrument (he has played bass in FILII NIGRANTIUM INFERNALIUM since 1992 and played in IRONSWORD from 2004 to 2008). The next decade would see a rise in the Portuguese traditional metal scene with bands like the infamous speed metal act INQUISITOR (Zellpike's first band), Midnight Priest, The Unholy, LEATHER SYNN (in which Zellpike played for a year) and later epic metal RAVENSIRE where Zellpike and Rick would play together for the first time. They both agreed that Running Wild's "Gods of Iron" from "Branded and Exiled" was such a dark and powerful composition that made them even more aware of the necessity to worship the Teutonic Gods of Iron like Iron Angel, Violent Force, Grave Digger, Necronomicon or Kreator. During those times, Rick was also playing and singing in the savage thrash metal outfit PERPETRATÖR.

However, it wasn't until 2016 that both Zellpike and Rick agreed to form an '80s-forged speed metal band that could reach for the same level of the old German classics, but still incorporate some arrangements and new elements that could fit and brew well in the band as a reflection of what has happened in underground metal throughout these last 35 years, since the great classics were unleashed.

During 2019, the band arranged the compositions for the debut album and in 2020, the year of the plague, went into the studio with old friend and producer extraordinaire Paulão Vieira and session drummer Skullthrasher to lay them down.

After the search for a true heavy metal label, the album landed in the hands of Metal on Metal Records who released "Lords of War" on October 31st 2020.

After watching in dismay the events of 2020 and the first signs of a failing society that keeps suffocating in its own problems, HELLSPIKE decided to carry on doing what they like the most: composing and recording. This challenging time certainly provided a lot of inspiration and also the focus they needed to bring you 8 brand new songs from the age of the plague to an age of awareness. In times of scarcity, namely concerts, HELLSPIKE's second album "Dynasties of Decay" was released on November 19th, 2021. Prepare to go back to 1988 where they live... Their quest has just began!