I don't know a lot about this band, except that they're from Texas.

"Burning Star/Remnants of War"

1. "Burning Star" (3:50)
2. "Towards the Unknown" (4:44)
3. "Witch's Eye" (3:03)
4. "Run with the Pack" (6:38)
5. "Leather and Lust" (3:26)
6. "Possession" (3:28)
7. "Shadows of Iga" (4:59)
8. "Dracula's Castle" (4:51)
9. "Unidos Por Tristeza"--instrumental (0:47)
10. "Remnants of War" (3:46)
11. "Conquest" (3:48)
12. "Evil Reign" (4:34)
13. "Destroyer" (5:03)
14. "Suicidal Nightmare" (5:20)
15. "Dark Queen" (4:01)
16. "Face the Wicked One" (5:16)
17. "Angel of Death" (6:16)

Whiny vocals, sloppy instrumentation...but don't all early 80's metal bands sound like this? It all comes together on "Angel of Death", fearing an amazing synthesizer/choral progression at the end. I'd never heard anything from Burning Star (tracks 1-8) before purchasing this, but it sounds very similar to the Remnants of War tracks, even though the band lineup was COMPLETELY different at the time!

Oh yeah, right after ordering this bootleg, I found out that Century Media had purchased the entire Combat back catalog and was planning to rerelease everything, including these two albums, but what you gonna do...

"A Distant Thunder"

1. "The King is Dead" (3:59)
2. "Bitter End" (4:16)
3. "Abandon Ship" (6:50)
4. "Tyrannicide" (5:31)
5. "Scorcher" (5:42)
6. "Genius of Insanity" (4:56)
7. "(The) Whore of Babylon" (2:29)
8. "Winds of War" (6:04)
9. "He's a Woman, She's a Man" (2:51)

This isn't a great album, I only bought it because it was $5.99 and replaced a crappy vinyl copy I owned. Also the Scorpions cover ("He's a Woman...") is kinda neat.

"Nosferatu"

1. "Rhapsody in Black"--instrumental (0:58)
2. "Baptized in Blood" (4:24)
3. "To Sleep, Perchance to Scream" (4:36)
4. "Harker's Tale (Mass of Death)" (4:25)
5. "Perseverance and Desperation"--instrumental (4:16)
6. "The Curse Has Passed Away" (5:08)
7. "Benediction" (5:57)
8. "Harsh Reality" (3:14)
9. "Swirling Madness" (4:04)
10. "Von Am Lebem Desto Strum"--instrumental (1:57)
11. "Aieliaria and Everonn" (3:46)

I actually got an email from the WIFE of lead singer James Rivera, telling me that this was Helstar's best release and that I really should track it down (hmm, don't think I've ever been contacted by the spouse of a band member before! Unfortunately, I lost the email long ago...) Whaddaya know, she was right!! The band finally comes into its own on this album, with tight, cohesive riffs and even a hint of progressive-ness. The vampire theme also helps, of course. :) (It's something of a concept.) Too bad it was their final album...Rivera now sings for the band Destiny's End.

"Multiples of Black"

1. "No Second Chance (in the Angry City)" (3:10)
2. "Will I Catch it Again" (3:04)
3. "Lost to be Found, Found to be Lost" (4:20)
4. "When We Only Bleed" (3:08)
5. "Reality" (1:38)
6. "Good Day to Die" (3:37)
7. "Beyond the Realms of Death" (5:39)
8. "Save Time" (4:36)
9. "Black Silhouette Skies" (4:33)
10. "The Last Serenade"--instrumental (1:09)

Okay, this really is a follow-up album to Nosferatu, but it really does sound like a bunch of outtakes thrown together -- all the songs are at different mixing levels, which gives it quite a cheap, bootleggy quality. (Not to mention that it's woefully out of print, too -- I had to settle for a CDR at first, after watching eBay religiously for six months, and NO copies ever showed up for sale!! Finally ran across a real copy, though...) My favorite songs here are "Good Day to Die", "Reality", "Black Silhouette Skies", and the Judas Priest song, "Beyond the Realms of Death".

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