Hellripper – Coronach

I have been a fan of this band the moment i came across them and that love for their music hasnt diminished in the slightest. I was super excited when the promo arrived here at Harsh Vocals and after a solid month of living with this album I think I can confidently say this is hands down Hellrippers best and most complete album from start to finish.

On Coronach, Hellripper once again proves that raw speed and old-school attitude don’t have to come at the expense of songwriting. The project—fronted by founder and main man, James McBain—has always lived somewhere between black metal ferocity and speed metal aggression, but this record feels tighter and more focused than past efforts. The riffs still rip forward with that familiar Motörhead-meets-early-black-metal breakneck speed, but there’s a stronger sense of structure this time around with songs that actually expand and develop rather than simply sprint from one riff to the next.

What stands out most across the album is how confidently McBain expands the formula without losing what made this band so great in the first place. The core of the sound is still built on razor-edged riffing, killer drums, and the vocal style we prefer here at Harsh Vocals, but Coronach adds a darker, more atmospheric layer to the attack. There are subtle melodic flourishes and even a few unexpected instrumental moments that give certain sections a more epic or ominous feel, solidifying the album’s themes in Scottish folklore and historical imagery. None of it softens the impact though, the songs still hit with the same aggressive energy that’s defined Hellripper since the very beginning.

My takeaway is, Coronach feels like the sound of Hellripper fully locking in on what the project does best: savage blackened speed metal with just enough atmosphere and melody to keep that head banging. The riffs are aggressive, the pacing rarely lets up, and the whole thing carries that underground spirit that makes this genre of metal so addictive in the first place. It’s not about reinventing the genre, it’s about making a statement and on this album Hellripper show EXACTLY why they are one of the leaders of this genre. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.