Canadian hard rock veterans HELIX will release "Scrap Metal," their 14th album on Perris Records, on January 23. The record features five previously unreleased tracks retaining the classic 1980s HELIX sound — the kind of high-energy, hook-laden hard rock that made them arena favorites alongside contemporaries like RATT, DOKKEN, and QUIET RIOT during the genre's commercial peak. Five additional tracks from earlier limited releases round out the tracklist, giving fans a comprehensive collection of material that spans several decades of the band's creative output.
Lead single "Stuck In The 80s" features guest guitarist Sean Kelly, known for his work with CONEY HATCH and Lee Aaron, two cornerstones of the Canadian hard rock scene. Kelly's guest appearance adds a layer of nostalgia and camaraderie that reflects the tight-knit nature of Canada's rock community, where musicians who came up together in the 1980s Toronto and Hamilton club circuits have maintained lifelong friendships and professional relationships.
Frontman Brian Vollmer, who has led HELIX since their formation in 1974, described the album as starting "as an afterthought and morphing into a full-fledged album," built around very good songs written during the 1980s that were never released but deserved to be heard by fans. This approach gives "Scrap Metal" a unique character — it functions simultaneously as a new release and a time capsule, capturing the band at the height of their songwriting powers during the decade that defined their sound. For fans of the 1980s Canadian hard rock scene that also produced TRIUMPH, APRIL WINE, and RUSH, "Scrap Metal" represents a welcome addition to a rich musical legacy.