One of the most popular Argentinian metal bands of the early aughts, Buenos Aires' Helker employ a lethal blend of melodic hard rock and muscular NWOBHM-style power metal. Since their inception in 1998, the band have toured alongside notable contemporaries like Primal Fear, Hammerfall, Stratovarius, Gamma Ray, and Masterplan, and have released a slew of acclaimed albums, both in Spanish and English, that incorporate enormous riffs, engaging melodies, and fist-pumping choruses. Founded by guitar player Mariano Ríos and bassist Christian Abarca, the group stormed onto the South American scene in 2001 with their Spanish-language debut album Legado Secreto. Subsequent efforts Resistir (2008) and A.D.N. (2010) were also recorded in the group's native language. In 2013 they inked a deal with AFM Records and released Somewhere in the Circle. Produced by Primal Fear's Mat Sinner, it was their first outing in English and helped to broaden their fan base. Sinner was brought back on board for the group's fifth studio long player, Firesoul, which was released in both English and Spanish versions, and featured a lineup consisting of Rios, Abarca, guitar player Leo Aristu, drummer Hernán Coronel, and powerhouse vocalist Diego Valdez. ~ James Christopher Monger