Location:  Scotland

Genre: Black/Speed Metal

Years Active:  2014 - Present

Current Record Label: Peaceville Records

​

Hellripper is a one-man black/speed metal band formed by James McBain and based in the Scottish highlands. Formed at the end of 2014 and with the release of the debut EP 'The Manifestation of Evil' at the start of 2015, the band have made their statement clear... Total fucking mayhem!

​

2015 and 2016 saw the release of an EP and a couple of split EPs to positive reviews in the underground as well as the assembly of a live line-up. The band's debut album 'Coagulating Darkness' was released in April 2017, resulting in Metal Hammer crowning Hellripper “Scotland's King of the arcane mosh”.

 

2018 saw the band sign to US-based 'Reaper Metal Productions' - a division of 'Hells Headbangers Records' and the release of a 4-track EP in April 2019.

​

At the end of 2019, the band signed a deal with 'Peaceville Records' for the release of their second album 'The Affair of the Poisons' in 2020, which again, was also released to great reviews and led to the band's first appearance on the US Billboard Charts.

The band supported the release with a number of European and UK dates throughout 2021 and 2022.

​

The band's third full-length album, 'Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags', a record centred around Scotland and its folklore and history was released on February 17th 2023 to wide acclaim, with live dates to follow throughout the rest of year and into 2024.

​

​

Hellripper is:
James McBain - All instruments & Vocals

​

Press:

"You will bang your head, you will slop beer everywhere, you will thrash like a maniac - Hellripper fucking rule. - Kerrang!

​

"Scotland's King of the Arcane Mosh" - Metal Hammer

​

"[Coagulating Darkness] feels as much a homage as it does an original creation... which, given the backwards-facing tendencies of black, speed, and thrash metal, means he's nailed it." - Noisey

​

"McBain's musicianship is ragged and brilliant." - The WIRE

​