So, the news is trickling out that Helms Alee is the new band by Ben Verellen, (Harkonen, Roy, These Arms Are Snakes), which is great news as he makes some ugly (in an awesome way) music, and they are doing a full-length and EP with Hydra Head (where Harkonen released several records). But before those releases actually see the light of day, Helms Alee is their first release by way of the small labels Rome Plow Records and Broken Press. This self-titled release is a four-song effort on a one-sided LP (more on that later) and CD that definitely shows the kinship of Helms Alee to Harkonen. Besides the fact that Verellen is joined by two new compatriots (Dana James and Hozoji Margullis), this three piece eerily is reminiscent of Verellen's former group while still offering quite a bit new. In any case there is some excitement around this band, hopefully more people can get a hold of this lesser known offering.
At times, Helms Alee provides some rather delicate melodies like what is heard during the beginning of "A Weirding Way" and again interspersed throughout the song while at other times there is a good use of crunch and dissonant clean tones (like the guitars in "Borrowed Wind"). Overall the guitar tone on the record is fitting for the compositions and their arrangements. The vocal performances contain much more variety (when compared to the straight bellowing that Verellen did with Harkonen and perhaps that owes to his time with the much more melodic Roy) as harmonies, which are present in "Rogue's Yarn", and melodies (check out the lead vocals on "Paraphrase") with the bassist's feminine voice making for some surprising moments and counterpoint. All of these sounds and noises occur while Helms Alee always supplies the groove, the slow plodding but insistent type that is more subtle than if the band went for the obvious giant hook type groove; listen to any of the four tracks, and the groove is there where sometimes it is more subtle and in others it is much more pronounced.
This sucker is real sharp looking on both LP and CD. On LP there are two different silk screened covers depending on and corresponding with the color of vinyl that one purchases (black cover with black vinyl and white cover with white vinyl), and the one sided LP is blessed with a nice looking etching on the b-side (the black vinyl is a bit easier to see the etching than the white vinyl). The packaging for the CD version of Helms Alee is hand assembled to the point where one can most assuredly tell that it was done so with loving care which makes it all the more special to own. Both labels must truly care about this release because the overall presentation and limited nature of both versions completely bear that out as evidence.
Helms Alee offer an excellent first release and one hell of a teaser for future releases on the horizon; this record leaves listeners wanting more for sure, and if this is an indication of what to expect from those records coming up relatively soon, then there should be plenty of quality coming from the band. Just about everything about Helms Alee is impressive from the songwriting to the performance to the packaging, so it is well worth tracking down and getting. Good show to all that claim involvement in its release.
