There’s a line in the new Helix song “Stuck in the 80’s” that hits harder than any memory trip ever could: “Maybe you just weren’t there.” That one sentence sums up Scrap Metal better than any hype ever could. This record is written for the people who lived this music, still live this music, and never really left it behind.
Scrap Metal is classic Helix in the most honest sense. Big riffs. Straight-ahead hooks. Songs about life, excess, fun, regret, and survival — the same fuel Helix has always run on. And judging by the reaction to “Stuck in the 80’s,” they’re not alone. The comments tell the story: Gen X lifers, old-school metalheads, people who saw Helix in the clubs, arenas, and opening slots back when this stuff felt dangerous and alive. This album speaks directly to them.
Opening track “Stuck in the 80’s” sets the tone right out of the gate. It’s not subtle, and it’s not trying to be. Co-written with Sean Kelly, the song wears its heart on its sleeve — MTV, loud guitars, bad fashion, great times. Musically, it fits perfectly alongside Helix’s classic catalog. It sounds like it belongs, not like a band pretending to be something they’re not. It’s an anthem for anyone who still cranks records, remembers why Heavy Metal Love mattered, and doesn’t apologize for it.
“Fast & Furious” follows and kicks things into higher gear. It’s the heaviest and fastest track on the record, built on twin-guitar firepower and a snarling vocal from Brian Vollmer, who sounds anything but tired. This is Helix doing what they do best — no filler, no fluff, just pure hard rock muscle.
Tracks like “Pretty Poison” and “Hot Heavy & Wild” feel ripped straight out of the mid-to-late 80s Helix playbook. Big riffs, strong choruses, and that familiar swing that made the band impossible to ignore back in the day. “Money (Goes with Everything)” is a clear high point among the unreleased material, driven by sharp guitar work and a theme that fits the album’s lived-in feel.
The back half of Scrap Metal digs into Helix’s deeper vault, pulling together tracks from Half-Alive, B-Sides, and Old School. What makes this work is how natural it all feels. These songs span decades, but they sit comfortably next to the newer material. “Jaws of the Tiger” finally gets its moment to breathe, while “Coming Back With Bigger Guns” and “Tie Me Down” remind you why Helix’s songwriting has always held up beyond radio cycles.
“Danger Zone” carries extra weight, being the last song Brian Vollmer wrote with guitarist Paul Hackman. Knowing that history adds gravity, but even without it, the track stands tall on its own. “The Same Room” and “The Pusher” round things out with mood, grit, and respect for rock’s roots, closing the album on a note that feels reflective without sounding old.
What Scrap Metal really captures is something the comment sections keep circling back to: connection. These songs mean something to people because they’re tied to memories — first shows, first cars, long nights, loud stereos, and a time when rock felt like freedom. Helix isn’t stuck in the 80s because they can’t move forward. They’re there because that’s where the spark still lives.
In the end, if this music was part of your life, this record feels like running into an old friend who hasn’t changed in the ways that matter. And if you weren’t around for it… well, that’s a different story.
I’m Drew, the founder and editor of Front of the Stage. I have a strong love for music and photography, which started at a very young age. There’s just something I love about experiencing live music and capturing memories that will last a lifetime, and that’s how Front of the Stage came to be.
