Helvetets Port  Warlords CD (Slipcase, 2024, High Roller Records)

Warlords is the third full-length studio album from Swedish New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal torchbearers Helvetets Port, and it marks a decisive step forward for one of the genre’s most uncompromising modern bands. Released by High Roller Records, this edition comes housed in a premium slipcase and includes a 16-page booklet, making it an essential item for collectors of authentic NWOTHM releases.

Helvetets Port were one of the first NWOTHM to the scene emerging from Gothenburg in 2009 with their debut album Exodus To Hell, followed a year later by the Man With The Chains EP. Their second album, From Life To Death, arrived in 2019, only to be immediately overshadowed by the global pandemic. With touring plans cut short, the band turned their focus inward, gradually shaping what would become Warlords. While the wait between albums was longer than intended, the result is a more confident, refined and fully realised statement of Helvetets Port’s identity.

According to vocalist Witchfinder, Warlords represents a fresh chapter. Unlike the previous album, which drew heavily on older material, every song on Warlords was written specifically for this release. True to the band’s philosophy, Helvetets Port refuse to chase modern trends. Their sound remains firmly rooted in the core principles of traditional heavy metal, aiming for a timeless feel rather than contemporary relevance. The result is music that feels authentically old-school without sounding derivative.

Stylistically, Warlords leans closer to the mid-1980s than the early NWOBHM era, with a tougher, more direct approach and a post-apocalyptic lyrical theme. Tracks such as “Mutant March,” “2049,” and “Legions Running Wild” deliver powerful, structured songwriting, while the standout “Golden Axe” channels the spirit of classic Heavy Load and Omen, reaffirming the band’s deep connection to traditional metal heritage.

Warlords is a must-have for fans of NWOTHM, classic heavy metal, and High Roller Records’ premium collector releases.

Recommended if you like: Heavy Load, Enforcer, Wolf, RAM, Torch, Ambush, Portrait, Amulet, Witch Blade, Gotham City, Witch Blade, Century, Midnight Force and other New Wave Of Traditional heavy Metal Bands (NWOTHM)  

Artist: Helvetets Port
Title:  Warlords
Label: High Roller Records
Catalogue Number: HRR952CD
UPC: 4251267717477
Release Year: 2024
Duration: Album
Format: CD
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
Condition: New & Factory Sealed
Special attributes: Slipcase

Tracklist:
1. Black Knight
2. Wasteland Warriors
3. Mutant March
4. Hårdför Överman
5. Tyrants In Tokyo
6. Legions Running Wild
7. Cry Of The Night
8. Helvete På Larvfötter
9. Key To The Future
10. Golden Axe
11. 2049