The Black Map #260: Helestios from Basingstoke!

“It’s the return of the… “Ah, wait, no way, you’re kidding. They didn’t just say what I think they did, did they?”” yeah we did. Almost a calendar month after our last entry in the black book of the United Kingdom Underground Metal scene that we call The Black Map, we return to the long running light reading feature designed for hangovers. Yes we’re in need of a coffee so strong that it will awake our ancestors. Fortunately there is Death Wish Coffee to counteract the forces of Brewdog and none of that name placement is sponsored. Anyway… To the main event!

They may hail from the United Kingdom now but Helestios are a truly international one with members who originate from Latvia, Greece and Poland as well as this green and pleasant land. Formed in early 2020 by vocalist and guitarist Henrijs Leja and guitarist Stelios Aggelis, the quartet play with fire and blend elements from Thrash, Melodic Death Metal as well as the Progressive World together to create their signature formula, citing influences from seminal acts like Amon Amarth and Opeth in the process. The first evidence they submitted to the court was in December 2020 when album “Your Pain Tastes Good” appeared, clocking up the better part of 40k of Spotify streams alone and earning them listeners as far a field as Mexico, Helsinki, Oslo and Riga. Inspired and having clocked up a number of intimate shows with which to hone their craft, they returned to the studio. The title of choice for the sophomore album was “Road To Ecstasy” which appeared in May for your listening pleasure and having dropped “In Cage” and “Fight” in the build up the hype was huge. The strength of that offering as has seemingly given the band a new found confidence and power because their live show has also evolved into a thing of dark beauty…