Photo by: MM Photography
Official press release:
The brainchild of guitarist/vocalist/solitary force, James McBain, Hellripper has been running like a denim-vested, backpatch-encrusted William Wallace, brave-hearting his way through metal’s bloodiest battlefields since first coagulating his personal darkness in 2014. Taking armaments from Kill ‘Em All era Hetfield and Welcome to Hell era Mantas, McBain has immersed his fascination with darkness and speed with Scottish history and come with bloody masterpieces like 2023’s’ Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags that Metal Injection stated, “Bursts with growth and a mature exploration of darkness and eeriness while maintaining that original high-octane burning.” McBain comments:
“I’m very pleased to announce that Hellripper is now working with Century Media Records! It’s a label that I’ve followed for a long time now and am honoured to become a part of such a great legacy. We share a common vision for the future of the band, and together, we vow to spread the word of the Goat Kvlt! I’m excited to embark on this new chapter of the band’s journey and I can’t wait to share it with you all! All Hail the Goat!”
McBain is presently sharpening his blades and casting new spells that will transmogrify into HELLRIPPER‘s Century Media debut, due around the vernal equinox of 2026. In the meantime, McBain and his trusted roundtable of sonic knights have taken to battle on European soil, leaving the likes of Norway’s Beyond the Gates, Czech’s Brutal Assault, and Germany’s Summer Breeze bloodied and staggering in their wake. In March 2025, HELLRIPPER played their first U.S. show at Houston’s Hell’s Heroes festival to a similarly stunned crowd of fans who were left beaten, bruised and beer-soaked by a crowd-swimming McBain by the set’s epic conclusion. Century Media, Vice President of A&R, Mike Gitter states:
“Hellripper is the high-bar for thrash. Like an angry billy goat, with his beard washed in blood, James McBain is a feral force that brings together the best elements of metal, black metal, crusty, d-beat punk and speed metal. James’ sonic evil knows no boundaries and isn’t afraid to push the extremes of earslaughtering noise or unexpected guitar melodies. Century Media is proud to be a refuge for the Goat Horde!”
Enter the GOAT KVLT and check out a glimpse of what’s to come here.
8/16 Essen, DE – Turock Sommerfest
8/17 Eindhoven, NL – Dynamo Metal Fest
8/23 Sheffield, UK – Cosmic Vibration Fest
9/05 Huttikon, CH – Meh Suff! Metal Festival
9/19 Villingen-Schwenningen, DE – Black Forest Festival
9/20 Schrobenhausen, DE – Metal im Woid Festival
10/11 Leiden, NL – Metal Experience Festival
11/09 Manchester, UK – Damnation Festival
12/06 Wolverhampton, UK – Bloodstock Winter Gathering
3/21 Aalst, BE – Oilsjt Omploft Fest
3/28 Bern, CH – emMetal Rocks
