Hellripper – Coronach Review

To this day, because of the Murderer’s Row of ’80s Bay Area thrash masterpieces, someone, somewhere, is plugging a cheap guitar into an old amplifier for the first time. And someone, somewhere, is cutting the sleeves off their favorite denim jacket. And someone, somewhere, is cutting their hair in the style of James Hetfield’s classic silhouette.

A continent away, Newcastle’s Venom was making waves in their own regard. Welcome to Hell and Black Metal procured an equally fast yet darker rendition of thrash and speed metal that paved the way for one of the scene’s most sinister and notorious subgenres – you know which one.

Then, there’s, well…Motörhead. And they play rock ‘n’ roll, as you know.

The latter was by far his best effort, both in performance and in theme. McBain is talented. There’s no denying that. And again, the albums are a blast. And as much as I enjoy Hellripper and preach the good word, I can understand why some folks may see the blackened thrash tag and bounce. It’s been done before, time and time again. For that simple reason, I cannot fault them. But shouldn’t we want more bands to crack beer cans over our heads to? Shouldn’t we be rooting for the next Midnight to listen to while breaking the speed limit in our ’86 IROC-Zs? After all, there’s something to be said about keeping tradition alive and well. McBain does just that – and more – on Coronach, his first release since leaving the legendary Peaceville Records for metal juggernaut Century Media.

In its own weird way, Coronach is just as dark as it is triumphant. “Hunderprest” fires away almost immediately. Based on the legend of the vampire of Melrose Abbey, the opener is a mashup of everything from Rotting Christ to more d-beat influences. McBain even adds some cool synths in the vein of something off Tribulation’s The Horror. Speaking of which, you can hear a lot of Johannes Andersson in the vocal shrieks, but you probably already knew that if you’re familiar with Hellripper. If not, enjoy! While north of five minutes, McBain conjured up a track for those of us with a case of ADHD. Chaotic, sure, but weirdly organized in how it bounces around. And, of course, it wouldn’t be Hellripper without a sweet solo to round it out. Then, “Kinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite)” opens with a riff that would have fit perfectly on Midnight’s Satanic Royalty. In other words, cue up the kegstands. McBain does a nice job adding layers to break up the black ‘n’ roll with some acoustic instrumentation, too. They add more pizzazz to the second half of the track, which eventually becomes the most anthemic song on the record.

“The Art of Resurrection” bestows what really separates Coronach from its predecessors. Over the years, McBain has continued to chisel away at pacing and sonic storytelling. The third offering starts softly, following the party-thrasher before it, featuring keys that build up to a hellish scream and a Kreator-ridden riff. Some splashes of color fall into the hands of beautiful arpeggios that you’ll really appreciate with a nice set of headphones. In its own regard – and a bit shorter – it reminds me of the escalation from Agent Steel’s “Chosen to Stay”. Moreover, at the album’s halfway point, “Baobhan Sith (Waltz of the Damned)” sticks out like a necrotic thumb. Not just because it’s arguably the most obliterating track for the majority, but there’s a ’70s-style guitar solo/transition in its final minutes that almost sounds like something Kansas would’ve conjured up on Point of Know Return. It’s such an epic, proggy conclusion to the A-side. What’s more – selfishly – it proves my earlier point that McBain continues to scale as a songwriter. Clearly, he wanted to throw some more ideas into the mix this time around, and, man, they work flawlessly.

From the debut to now, there’s a substantial difference. It’s almost like someone else is behind the fretboard. That said, the crust-punkish “Motorcheyn” throws nods to bands like Skitsystem, with brushes of Watain.

While there are new ideas thrown in there, old Hellripper fans will find songs like Slayer’s “The Antichrist”-inspired “Sculptor’s Cave” or the Motörhead-esque “Blakk Satanik…” much to their liking.

Coronach concludes with the title track. Much slower in BPM than the prior seven songs, there’s a more dreary vibe. The harmonized leads, the deep growls, and power metal-like epic passages all combine for McBain’s greatest feat yet. He may have learned a thing or two from those Maiden guys and saving the best for last and whatnot *insert face with monocle emoji*.

Before Coronach, I may have recommended Hellripper solely for fans of the blackened thrash niche. But now, it seems – to me at least – that if McBain continues progressing at this pace, Hellripper has all the makings of a metal powerhouse. He still fits within his respective subgenre, of course, but songwriters like him eventually tend to thrive outside of their realm.

This is a phenomenal release, and as you might have guessed, the project’s best yet. No longer just a band for fans of blackened thrash, Hellripper is for those of you caught in the sounds of yesteryear, but also for those seeking stellar contemporary metal. Years down the road, I expect this one to be the album folks look back on, pinpointing it as the moment the Hellripper name really started making waves. That first U.S. tour – whenever it may be – won’t hurt either. But, for now, do yourself a favor and bask in one hell of an album in Coronach.

Posted by Blizzard of Jozzsh

Taller than Glenn Danzig, but shorter than a funeral doom LP. Lover of riffs and cheesy horror films. Hot wing connoisseur. Follow on X if you want: @blzzrdofjozzsh

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