Hellripper

Hellripper is a one-man black/speed metal band formed in 2014. All music is written and performed in studio by James McBain. Their cited musical influences include black metal bands such as Venom, and Darkthrone, thrash metal bands Megadeth, Metallica and Sabbat (JP), as well as a punk influence through bands like Motörhead and Anti-Cimex. Lyrically, Hellripper focuses on witchcraft, Occult, and Satanic themes, sometimes drawing from historical events such as the possession of Annelise Michel in the song Annelise, or the Affair of the Poisons in the song The Affair of the Poisons.
Career.
2014–2015: Formation, "The Manifestation of Evil", and splits.
Hellripper was formed by McBain in 2014 and released the extended play "The Manifestation of Evil" shortly afterwards. They released a 16-minute split album with Philadelphia artist Batsheva in 2015.
2017: "Coagulating Darkness".
In 2017, they released the full-length album "Coagulating Darkness" through Witches Brew. According to McBain, it was recorded at his house, and his parents were among the guest vocalists on the album. In an interview, he stated that he "focused on incorporating a lot more of a speed/thrash sound into the mix." It was promoted primarily on social media platforms. "Metal Hammer" praised the album, labeling Hellripper as "Scotland's king of the arcane mosh" and writing that the songs "stab and slash like newly minted classics beamed in from the mid-80s underground, but laden with contemporary oomph". Kim Kelly, writing for "Vice", wrote that "Coagulating Darkness" "feels as much a homage as it does an original creation", and called it "bloody good black/speed metal".
2018–2019: Splits and "Black Arts & Alchemy".
2018 saw several releases alongside other artists including Barbatos, Nightrider, and Dulvel. They also appeared on the "Worldwide Organization of Metalheads Against Nazis II" compilation, alongside other metal bands such as Ghoul, Jucifer, and Immortal Bird.
The extended play "Black Arts & Alchemy" was released on April 5, 2019. McBain stated in an interview that the album's four songs were "more punk-influenced" compared to "Coagulating Darkness", and that Joel Grind of Toxic Holocaust helped with the mastering. In a review for the heavy metal magazine "Decibel", Vince Bellino wrote that the extended play contained "some of Hellripper"s best songs yet".
2020: "The Affair of the Poisons".
Hellripper's second full-length album, "The Affair of the Poisons", was released on October 9, 2020, through Peaceville Records. The album was inspired by the identically titled Affair of the Poisons, a murder scandal in France during the reign of Louis XIV that involved allegations of poisoning and witchcraft. In an interview, McBain described his intention behind the album: "For this album, the primary goal was just to write eight good songs. I wanted fast songs with good riffs, catchy choruses, and plenty of guitar solos."
"The Affair of the Poisons" was well-received by critics. Nick Russell, writing for "Kerrang!", gave the album 4 out of 5 stars and praised the energetic tempo of the songs, calling it "a speedy, Satanic delight that exhumes the corpse of early-'80s thrash and black metal". Dean Brown of The Quietus similarly said that the album was "all about manic energy and forbidden enticement", and Dom Lawson of "Louder Sound" called it "one of the most unrelentingly balls-out metal albums of the year". "Indie88" named it to a list of the best metal albums of 2020, writing that it was "an unrelenting, heart-palpitating experience from front to back".
Live performances.
Hellripper began performing live shows in 2016, has done several European tours, and performed at music festivals such as Metaldays and Roadburn Festival. When performing live, Hellripper performs with additional musicians.