It’s pretty incredible when you stumble upon a one-piece black metal band, especially one who is recording exclusively in their home studio. The brainchild of Scottish-based guitarist James McBain, Hellripper was recommended to me by a new friend who loves speed metal– I immediately loved it for some obvious reasons (Hellripper sounds like the combination of Iron Maiden, 80’s Metallica, Motörhead, and In Flames if they each cranked up the pace by about 40 BPM’s). And the more I dug in and realized that his recording set up is pretty much the exact same to my first album Yesterday & Forever Ago and also a self-taught guitarist, I gained an even deeper appreciation for his sound. Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags is an absolute scorcher of an album with some totally filthy guitar riffs (see “Goat Vomit Nightmare”) that immediately put you on the edge of your seat the moment they come on, and with lyrical content that focuses on the dark side of Scottish folklore, it’s hard to miss.
Standout Songs: “The Nuckelavee”, “Goat Vomit Nightmare”, “The Hissing Marshes”
