Tuesday, January 11, 2011

BROCAS HELM - INTO BATTLE (1984)


What a shame that I've gone so long without posting about San Francisco's native sons, the medieval wizard-warriors known collectively as BROCAS HELM. Sure, I posted their low-budget masterpiece Black Death all the way back in December of '08, but C'MON! TWO FULL YEARS WITHOUT BROCAS HELM? How have I managed to be SO LAME for SO LONG?
Into Battle was the Helm's debut album, and due to conflicts with their record label regarding cover art (see examples, above and below) had trouble finding the light of day. As with Black Death, Into Battle's engineering and production are highly questionable. But the songs contained herein are quite simply beyond criticism, much less human analysis. Let it just be said that Brocas Helm built the castle that the mighty Slough Feg later inherited--a dank, stony place full of elves and the odd goblin, a place of black magic and sorcery, a place built of only the hardest and most solid ROCK beknownst to man--nay, to the very GODS.
Unsheath your broadsword, Commoner, and march forth into battle with the tempered steel of a Bay Area legend. Our banner is tattered and stained with the blood of the fallen, but the banner must be held aloft nonetheless. Join us or be slain.


Download HERE
Purchase HERE
Metallum/Last.FM

Q: Who looks cooler than BROCAS FUCKING HELM?






A: NO ONE, that's who.
(Except for maybe BLACK DEATH, ironically enough.)

THE 'STACHE JUDGES YOU


PS Anyone else notice how things have slowed down quite a bit here at IC in the last week? There's a good reason for that. And while we're on the subject of Bay Area Metal, I don't mind revealing that said "good reason" involves METAL and the BAY AREA. Keep your earballs peeled for a big announcement from IllCon soon in regards to these topics...

6 comments:

Helm said...

Helm loves Brocas Helm.

Shelby Cobras said...

I just had a brief vision of Helm Helm-ing it up inside Helm's brain a la John Malkovich in Being John Malkovich.

abdul alhazred said...

I too love Brocas Helm. Thanks Cobras, I think I needed to listen to this today.

Nekromantis said...

One of my all time favourite bands and I am so fucking thrilled I'm going to catch these guys live at the end of this month!

Blackness is my music
Dark silver my guitar
Starlight feeds my power..
of FLASHING METAL!

Shelby Cobras said...

I saw that they had some European dates coming up... I wish they'd fucking PLAY THEIR HOMETOWN!

Helm said...

Did I tell you about the time their drummer approached me after Wraithblade finished their opening set at a festival? Didn't recognize him at first, we talked about the greatness of Wraithblade, he didn't say anything about being in Brocas Helm. Such a soft spoken person, very kind and I'm glad to met him in person.

Nekromantis, word of advice: earplugs.