Named following the classic album by American indie steel institution Helstar, Distant Thunder is really a supergroup began by none apart from Helstar vocalist Adam Rivera. Desperate to carry on pursuing his previous band’s demise, he drew jointly guitarists Gregg Gill and Eric Halpern (also of Destiny’s End), bassist Mike LePond (of Symphony X), and drummer Rick Ward to documented 2004’s Welcome the finish — featuring every one of the classic American steel hallmarks his supporters would expect.