Canadian hard rock veterans Helix are roaring back into the spotlight with the release of their new single "Fast & Furious," accompanied by a striking lyric video that dropped on January 14, 2026. The track is a preview of their much-anticipated full-length album, Scrap Metal, set to hit shelves and streaming services on January 23 via Perris Records. For fans of classic 80s rock, the news is electrifying: Helix are not just rehashing old hits, but actively building on their storied legacy with fresh material and a reinvigorated sound.
According to BraveWords and Sleaze Roxx, Scrap Metal is a unique blend of the old and the new. The album features five previously unreleased tracks that retain Helix’s signature 80s sound, alongside a selection of classic songs from earlier releases such as Old School, Half-Alive, and B-Sides. The band’s commitment to constantly creating new music, rather than simply touring on their back catalog, sets them apart from many of their peers. As frontman Brian Vollmer put it, "Most iconic 80’s bands only tour on their back catalog, not Helix – they continually record new music staying true to their 80s rock roots and maintaining a legendary status."
Vollmer offered insight into the album’s genesis, telling BraveWords, "Scrap Metal started out as an afterthought and morphed into a full-fledged album. During the 80’s, Helix had written several very good songs that were never ever released. I decided to finish them, and also add a song I had written with Sean Kelly entitled ‘Stuck In The 80s’, which ironically, seemed to sum up the project." The result is a collection that feels both nostalgic and fresh, capturing the spirit of the band’s heyday while pushing forward with new energy.
The production of Scrap Metal was a collaborative affair, with Aaron Murray and Helix bassist Daryl Gray taking the lead on several tracks at Aaron’s Place in London, Ontario. Other sessions took place at River Studios in Fort Erie, The Dawghouse Studios in St. Catherines, and under the guidance of producer Danny Broadbeck. The album was mastered by Harry Hess, ensuring a polished final product that stands up to modern standards while honoring the analog warmth of the 80s.
The band’s lineup for the album is a testament to both continuity and evolution. Brian Vollmer’s powerful vocals are front and center, supported by Aaron Murray’s programmed drums, Greg "Fritz" Hinz and Earl Constant on drums, and a formidable roster of guitarists: Kaleb Duck, Paul Hackman, Brent Doerner, Sean Kelly, Christopher Julke, Mark Chichkan, and Daryl Gray. This blend of longstanding members and newer collaborators gives the album a dynamic, multifaceted sound.
The tracklist for Scrap Metal reads like a greatest-hits compilation with a twist. It opens with "Stuck In The 80’s" (3:33), co-written by Kelly and Vollmer, and includes the high-octane "Fast & Furious" (3:40), "Pretty Poison" (3:55), and the anthemic "Hot Heavy & Wild" (3:50). Other notable tracks include "Money (Goes With Everything)", "Jaws Of The Tiger", and "Coming Back With Bigger Guns". The album closes with two bonus tracks, "The Same Room" and "The Pusher", which are exclusive to the CD edition.
Fans got their first taste of the new material with the lyric video for "Fast & Furious," which premiered on Sleaze Roxx. The video, produced by Jay Panaseiko at Studio73 Digital Media, captures the song’s relentless energy and pays homage to the band’s roots. Vollmer explained the inspiration behind the track: "The song was written after playing several Motörhead tours during the ’80s. The first was in 1983 when we toured from Hartford, Connecticut to Prince’s 1st Avenue Club in Minneapolis. The second was in Europe where Mercyful Fate and Girlschool opened the show. That one was in 1984 and called The Christmas Metal Meeting. The influence of Lemmy rubbed off on us big time. I’m still a big Motörhead fan, and ironically Chris [Julke] plays in a Motörhead clone band when he isn’t playing with Helix."
This connection to the wider rock and metal community is a recurring theme in Helix’s career. Their willingness to draw from their experiences touring with legends like Motörhead, and to incorporate those influences into their own music, has kept their sound both authentic and vital. Vollmer’s anecdotes about the band’s history add a layer of depth to the new material, bridging the gap between past and present.
Helix’s approach to album-making in recent years has been notably adaptive. As Vollmer told Sleaze Roxx, the band’s last three releases — Eat Sleep Rock (2020), Helix 50 – The Best Of (2025), and Scrap Metal (2026) — have all featured a mix of new songs and older, sometimes re-recorded tracks. This strategy, partly born out of necessity due to changes in the music industry and rights issues with former labels, has allowed the band to showcase both their enduring classics and their ongoing creativity. "The reason these albums were more or less a scatter shot approach was because the whole industry had changed and we were looking for the best way to release our music. We wondered, ‘Should we release a full album?’" Vollmer mused.
For Scrap Metal, the process involved sifting through a treasure trove of unreleased demos and unfinished songs from the mid to late 1980s. Sean Kelly, a frequent collaborator, played a pivotal role in selecting tracks like "Fast and Furious" and "Pretty Poison" from the band’s archives. "Sean and I had a brand new song called ‘Stuck In The 80’s’ which seemed to sum up the tracks we were considering. Daryl Gray and Aaron Murray were very important to the overall completed disc. They did some re-arrangements on the old demos and added some ‘snay’ and ‘snaw’ to take it over the top. I did a re-write on the lyrics for most of the songs on Side One. All of these tracks hold a little place in my heart as a result. Ditto for Side Two and the bonus tracks. Once the songs for Side One were decided upon, I plucked three songs from Old School — ‘Coming Back With Bigger Guns’, ‘Tie Me Down’ and ‘Closer’ — because that album had never really been worked, so except for our most die-hard fans, no one had heard them. The other two songs, ‘Jaws of The Tiger’ and ‘Danger Zone’, were from B-Sides, another album that had sold nominally. The two bonus tracks, ‘Same Room’ and ‘The Pusher’ were taken from the Half-Alive album and only appear on the CD, not the vinyl. The whole album was a labor of love."
It’s clear that Scrap Metal is more than just a collection of songs; it’s a testament to Helix’s enduring passion for their craft and their fans. With its official release imminent, the album promises to deliver a potent mix of nostalgia and novelty, ensuring that Helix’s place in the pantheon of rock remains as strong as ever.
For those eager to experience the band’s latest chapter, Scrap Metal is available for pre-order through Perris Records, Amazon, and other worldwide CD stores. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer to their electrifying sound, Helix’s new album is a reminder that true rock and roll never fades — it just gets louder.
