Helstar – Burning Star - 1984 - Rock Style: Speed Metal, Heavy Metal (Vinyl) NMint

Helstar began with a basic heavy metal style in 1983 with two demos, followed by their first studio album in 1984 titled Burning Star for Combat Records,^[1] making them label mates with Megadeth and Exodus. Struggles within the band and management issues led to changes in the band's line-up.^[1] After a year they released the Remnants of War album, also on Combat,^[1] produced by Randy Burns. The band played their first arena show in December 1985 opening for Stryper at the Sam Houston Coliseum.

Metal Blade-era (1987–1989)

In 1987, they briefly moved to Los Angeles with another line-up change, with guitarist Rob Trevino departing, and it is believed that the song "Abandon Ship", from the 1988 album A Distant Thunder, was dedicated to his departure. Along with guitarist André Corbin, Frank Ferreira was an addition to drums. They returned to Houston in 1988, signed with Metal Blade Records and recorded the A Distant Thunder album produced by Bill Metoyer.^[1] The band subsequently toured as openers for acts such as Yngwie Malmsteen, Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer, Exodus, and Armored Saint.

In 1989, the band released Nosferatu, which many fans^[who?] consider their greatest album. It was based on the early Dracula film and contained spoken sound bites from the 1979 adaptation.^[1] Shortly after a tour of the album, the band recorded a four-song demo which did not gain interest from labels. André Corbin, Frank Ferreria, and Larry Barragan left the band in 1990 to pursue other interests, essentially ending the group for the time being.