Hellripper â Coronach Review
By Grin Reaper
Tired? Irritable? Prone to bouts of melancholy that leave you feeling listless and unfocused, particularly as the weather changes? It could be seasonal affective disorder, but these symptoms can also typify a diet deficient in vitamin R(iff). If itâs the latter, Hellripperâs Coronach practically hemorrhages the cure for what ails you, parading pulse-pounding riffs, blistering solos, and enthralling grooves with palliative nonchalance. Unleashing Hellripperâs fourth album in under a decade, architect and sole member James McBain maintains a tried-and-true release schedule and, more importantly, a steady evolution of sophisticated songwriting thatâs as compelling as it is emboldening. I wonât mince wordsâCoronach is an undeniable corker and succeeds as Hellripperâs greatest triumph to date. So run down to your local or digital dealer and grab some Coronach posthaste!
Expanding on the achievements of Hellripperâs previous albums, Coronach harnesses the charm of earlier releases and injects them with a lethal dose of vitality. Back in 2017, debut Coagulating Darkness bled its influences on its sleeve, from riffs dripping with warp-speed Venom to the guitar lead from âBastard of Hadesâ pulled straight from Metallicaâs âHit the Lights.â The Affair of the Poisons shaped Hellripperâs identity with flurries of licks that, while still laced with influences, exuded a welcome dimension of originality. Three years ago, Warlocks Grim & Withered Hagsâ introduced knotted, longer-form compositions that pushed out the runtime while augmenting Hellripperâs arsenal of aural ammunition. With Coronach, Hellripper strikes a balance between the lengthier arrangements of Warlocks and the breakneck blackened bangers of yore, amplified by stellar performances throughout.
ï»żCoronach (24-bit HD audio) by Hellripper
Coronach overflows with electrifying instrumentation, and while McBain supplies most of Hellripperâs sonic ingredients, a few guests further enrich its proceedings. Searing leads and scorching solos set Coronachâs eight tracks aflame, boasting some of the hookiest guitar-playing Iâve heard this year. âHunderprestâ and âBlakk Satanik Fvkkstormâ crackle with flashy fretwork, buoyed by longtime six-string contributor Joseph Quinlan (Desert Heretic). Similarly, âKinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite)â rumbles with snappy Motörheadstrong riffs before an acoustic guitar cuts in to transition the song into slinky grooves and heavy half-times. After some interplay, the pace ramps back up to close out on the intro riff. Hellripper has never lacked for earworms, yet Coronach unveils a mature understanding of dynamic songwriting that endows depth and complexity while never sounding forced or unnatural. Besides Quinlan, Jess Townsend contributes violin on âBaobhan Sith (Waltz of the Damned),â while singer Marianne returns to lend her vocals on a few tracks and Antonio Rodriguez reprises the bagpipes on closer âCoronach.â Vacuousâs Max Southall even bestows some percussive flair on âMortercheyn.â Between himself and the talented musicians heâs assembled, itâs clear that while McBain is comfortable with his supporting cast, heâs determined not to put out the same album twice.
What impresses me most with Coronach is that McBain manages to broaden Hellripperâs auditory palette without ever losing the bandâs core identity. âHunderprestâ and âCoronachâ brim with the bandâs trademark rippinâ riffs, yet the solos recall southern rock shredding Ă la Lynyrd Skynyrd or The Outlaws played at one-and-a-half speed. âSculptorâs Cave,â meanwhile, channels what El Cuervo affectionately dubbed âMotörhead on cocaineâ energy during its âRock ânâ Rollâ-informed solo. A pervasive punk attitude also shimmers beneath the surface of Coronach, where the unadorned guitar refrains from âKinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite),â âSculptorâs Cave,â and âMortercheynâ evoke more technical versions of Bad Religion and The Offspring. Tying it all together and allowing the myriad influences to coalesce, the mix ensures this is the best Hellripper has sounded, retaining their raw edge while dialing back the âeverything louder than everything elseâ approach that afflicted past albumsâThe Affair of the Poisons in particular.
Doubtlessly, Hellripper has dropped their finest release so far with Coronach, though a few small adjustments could have boosted it to undisputed excellence. âBaobhan Sith (Waltz of the Damned)â runs a tad too long, and although I like âMortercheyn,â it doesnât quite live up to the heights of the other tracks. Even so, I unapologetically return to Coronach again and again with no signs of slowing down. Just rememberâCoronach must be taken while driving or operating heavy machinery. If lethargy creeps in or your mouth runs dry from a chronic deficit of Vitamin R, just take one to two doses of Coronach (by ear) and wait for Hellripperâs restorative fix to kick in.1
Rating: Great!!
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Century Media Records
Websites: Website | Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: March 27th, 2026
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