Over 60 Minutes With Helix (©1989 Capitol)

the songs: No Rest for the Wicked / Check Out the Love / Dirty Dog / Give It To You / Young & Wreckless / Deep Cuts the Knife / Animal House / You Keep Me Rockin' / Never Wanna Lose You / Does a Fool Ever Learn / Jaws of the Tiger / White Lace & Black Leather / Long Way to Heaven / Without You (Jasmine's Song) / Everybody Pays the Price / Heavy Metal Love / Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' / When the Hammer Falls / The Kids Are All Shakin' / (Make Me Do) Anything You Want / Rock You

Another one of Capitol records Over 60 Minutes with collections, and Helix fans are served up a wicked selection of Canada's premier rock monsters finest cuts.

These guys are the metal equivalent of the Ramones. They don't write very many long songs, in fact none of the 21 songs on this CD are over four minutes. The boys don't waste any time getting to business. Brian Vollmer and company were (are - they ain't dead) among the best of their ilk, and this album is a lot of cheesy fun. Some of the stuff almost borders on Twister Sister (ack!), but thankfully never crosses that line. Their biggest song Rock You, has always annoyed me, and in my opinion doesn't truly showcase the band. Tunes like Does a Fool Ever Learn, the brilliant Deep Cuts the Knife, and Heavy Metal Love are where the band truly excels.

Oh yeah, they also wore really bad clothes in the 80's. Didn't we all?

Reviewed August 27, 2001

Back For Another Taste (©1990 Capitol)

the songs: The Storm / Running Wild In The 21st Century / That's Life / Breakdown / Heavy Metal Cowboys / Back For Another Taste / Rockin' Roller Coaster / Midnight Express / Good To The Last Drop / Give It To You / Wheels Of Thunder

The last metal album by Canadian rockers Helix, Back For Another Taste serves up a solid helping of no frills rock and roll. For those of you who love big vocals, in your face guitars, and booming drums this is a great album to crank up on a hot summer day (kind of like today - Breakdown is blaring through the speakers at the moment).

This album features what is probably the perfect rock song in Good To The Last Drop. "When I'm feeling empty won't ya fill me up, make it good to the last drop." The boys aren't exactly lyrical geniuses, but they're having fun. The Tasters Choice folks dropped the ball on this one. Helix should have made a bazillion dollars selling coffee.

Reviewed August 11, 2001

It's a Business Doing Pleasure (©1993 Aquarius)

the songs: That Day Is Gonna Come / Tug O' War / Wrong Side Of Bed / Can't Even Afford To Die / Misery Loves Company / Look Me Straight In The Heart / Trust The Feeling / Love Is A Crazy Game / Sleepin' In The Dog House Again / Mad Mad World

Time hasn't been kind to the hard rock acts of the 80's. Helix was one of the biggest rock acts in Canada at one time, and as the 90's rolled around the boys made an attempt to roll with the times. I like this album, it keeps enough of the hair sound, and embraces a more straight ahead rock sound. I don't think a lot of people jumped on the bandwagon though. Brian Vollmer has a great set of pipes, and is obviously having a great time. It's a shame they have been relegated to the "whatever happened to..." bin.

Reviewed August 11, 2001