Scottish black/speed metal project, Hellripper, have been booked for the top slot of their home country mini-fest, Hordes X this year. The September 30th all-dayer is the latest addition to their list of 2023 festival and headlining dates across Europe and the UK, in support of their latest album, Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags (Peaceville Records, read our review here). Read the article below for more.
Hellripper creator, James McBain comments:
“We all know the Scottish metal scene is in a good place right now with so many bands doing great things. Having released our latest album back in February alongside a wild sold-out show in Glasgow, we are excited to make our first appearance in Dundee for Hordes X! We’ll have just returned from our European Summer tour and we look forward to seeing the Scottish Goat Kvlt out in full force once again!“
Crowned “Scotland’s King of the arcane mosh” by Metal Hammer magazine, Hellripper aims to invoke the quintessential “black ‘n’ roll” sound, mixing influences from classic 80’s black metal records with a more modern edge.
Heavily inspired by witchcraft and the supernatural, Hellripper is also deeply rooted in its Scottish origins, using the landscape and historical events as a backdrop for its lyrics and imagery. Hellripper is fast, loud and uncompromising.
Organised by Slow Dragon Music, Hordes X (formerly known as Hordes Of Belial) is a two stage, yearly showcase of all things heavy. Described by Zero Tolerance Magazine as “more metal than you can shake a haggis at“, the event has played a part in the early careers of acts such as King Witch, Party Cannon, and De Profundis, with headliners the likes of Acid Reign, Saor, Man Must Die, The Rotted, and more.
12 more bands join Hellripper on this year’s bill; Dog Tired, Hellfekted, Catalysis, Iron Altar, War Grave, Nassau, Haint, Medusa Touch, Bastyon, Necrocracy, Hyperstasis, and Sol Noctis. The feast of death, black, thrash, prog, and heavy metal takes place at Beat Generator Live, Dundee, Scotland, September 30th.
For more information, visit the Slow Dragon Music website, here.
Get tickets for Hordes X 2023.
Hellripper live:
2023:
July 11: Schwarzer Keiler – Stuttgart, DE
July 12: Bastard Club – Osnabrück, DE*
July 13: Pumpehuset – Copenhagen, DK*
July 25: Live Music Hall – Weiher, DE**
July 26: Kulturzentrum Klosterhof – Villingen, DE**
July 27: Goldgrube – Kassel, DE
July 28-29: Burning Q – Osterholz-Scharmbeck, DE
July 30: Junkyard – Dortmund, DE***
August 04: Ziggy – Torino, IT
August 05:Alchemica – Bologna, IT
August 07: Instant – Budapest, HU*
August 08: MKNŽ – Ilirska Bistrica, SI*
August 09: Rockhouse – Salzburg, AT*
September 02: Roosendaal Open Air – Roosendaal, NL
September 30: Hordes X – Dundee, UK
October 07: Night Fest – Arlon, BE
October 13: Iron Force Speed Fest – Luzern, CH
October 20: The Black Heart – London, UK
October 21: Derby Alt Fest 2023 – Derby, UK
November 11: Byker Grave – Newcastle, UK
November 25: Legends – Edinburgh, UK
2024:
June 07-09: Into the Grave – Leeuwarden, NL
*w/ Midnight
**w/ Riot City
***w/ Jag Panzer & Riot City
More about Hellripper:
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
Hellripper online:
Hordes X online:
Slow Dragon Music online: