HOUSTON — Another Hell’s Heroes is in the books after last week’s eighth installment at White Oak Music Hall downtown. And the necks, backs and ears of thousands may now just be recovering.
Thanks to the efforts of Christian Larson (guitarist/singer of black metal band Necrofier and vocalist of hard rock/metallers Night Cobra), the three-day gathering was another success.
Bands and merch were aplenty, some musicians could be seen walking around the masses when they weren’t performing, and the rain stayed away as temperatures ranged from as high as 90 to as low as the mid-50s.
Day 1 headliner Doro (coverage here) capped off a festive beginning to Hell’s Heroes VIII that included inside stage headliner and original W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes plus Jag Panzer and Houston’s own (yet San Antonio favorites) Helstar.
Not to be outdone were Swedish black metallers Hellbutcher, Labyrinth, Leather and 3 Inches Of Blood.
Hellbutcher is a new eponymous band that made Hell’s Heroes its first performance in the United States after the former vocalist of Nifelheim formed his own unit and brought along that group’s former drummer who goes by Devastator.
The tandem joined guitarists Necrophiliac and Iron Beast plus bassist Eld in playing their self-titled 2024 eight-song debut album in its entirety, and you can watch ATM’s footage below of “Death’s Rider” and “Possessed by the Devil’s Flames.”
Then the vocalist told the moshing masses the band was going to launch into “some real metal.” It felt as if Hellbutcher was putting down his band’s intense brand of black metal, but in fact, he was merely paving the way for one of his beloved influences, shocking the crowd by allowing his mates to take over with their impressive version of Iron Maiden instrumental “Losfer Words (Big ‘Orra).” For good measure, Hellbutcher came back to end the set with a vicious rendition of Venom’s “Black Metal” before declaring, “We will return!”
Holmes, meanwhile, satisfied the packed lower and upper levels of the inside stage with songs from the first three W.A.S.P. albums plus “Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)” before ending with a cover of “Rocking in the Free World” (setlist in 105-photo gallery). Watch ATM footage below of “I Wanna Be Somebody” and “9.5.-N.A.S.T.Y.”
Holmes definitely should not have been relegated to the dingy inside stage, both from a fan’s and photojournalist’s perspective. Photographers of all skill levels can only take so much of the incessant horrific red lighting that comprises 99 percent of all sets of bands performing on that stage all three days plus the pre-party. It’s as if the lighting man only has one choice of colored lighting, and red has always been the thorn in photographers’ eyes and sides. Patrons also need to step outside after a few songs to let their eyes recover in the daylight, particularly if they have checked out multiple bands in a row that were subjected to the poorly lit room.
3 Inches of Blood also used Hell’s Heroes to mark a momentous show, performing in Texas for the first time in a decade after being dormant from 2015-23. Vocalist Cam Pipes and his Canadian brethren tore through a set of classics that included “Destroy the Orcs” and “Night Marauders” (ATM footage of both below) plus their mainstay tune “Deadly Sinners.”
Leather followed Helstar’s 1:45 p.m. set with a 40-minute slot that vocalist Leather Leone dedicated to Ronnie James Dio and dominated with songs from the band Chastain she fronted in the ‘80s with guitarist David Chastain. Watch “I’ve Seen Tomorrow” below.
For more of Alamo True Metal’s Hell’s Heroes coverage, click the ‘Views page on this site (then click “View Post” under the cover photo). You can also visit Alamo True Metal on Facebook and subscribe to YouTube channel Hawkeyedude93. Stay tuned for coverage from Day 2.
