Review: Hellripper – Coronach

Review by Transmontanus

Hellripper – Coronach

Record Label: Century Media Records

Year: 2026

Rating: 7/10

There is something inherently feral about Hellripper, a project that has always thrived on velocity, irreverence, and a deep-rooted love for the primordial DNA of Black, Speed, and Thrash Metal. Yet with “Coronach”, James McBain does something subtly radical: he refines the chaos without neutering it. Released on 27 March 2026 via Century Media Records, “Coronach” is the fourth full-length assault from the Scottish one-man force, and arguably his most complete artistic statement to date.

From the outset, “Hunderprest” erupts in a blaze of serrated riffing and breakneck percussion, reaffirming Hellripper’s commitment to speed as both weapon and identity. But what becomes immediately apparent is the control, the sense that McBain is no longer merely channelling influence but commanding it. The album balances the unhinged immediacy of earlier material with a more considered, dynamic approach to songwriting, weaving together shorter bursts of violence with more expansive, narrative-driven compositions.

Hellripper

Where previous records revelled in their rawness, “Coronach” feels deliberately sculpted. Tracks like “Kinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite)” pivot unexpectedly between Motörhead-esque propulsion and moodier, almost cinematic passages, while “Sculptor’s Cave” and “Blakk Satanik Fvkkstorm” deliver the kind of razor-edged riff cascades that have become McBain’s signature.

Yet it is in its atmospheric ambition that “Coronach” distinguishes itself. Subtle embellishments, violin, piano textures, even bagpipes, expand the sonic palette without tipping into excess, grounding the album firmly in Scottish cultural identity and folklore. The title track, stretching close to nine minutes, is the clearest manifestation of this evolution: a slow-burning, almost elegiac piece that trades sheer speed for drama and weight, culminating in a finale that feels both triumphant and mournful.

Crucially, none of this experimentation dilutes the core appeal. Hellripper still operates at full throttle, delivering “pulse-pounding riffs” and “blistering solos” with a confidence that suggests a project reaching its creative peak. There is a palpable sense of joy in the execution, music that is as exhilarating as it is meticulously constructed.

If “Coronach” falters, it does so only slightly. Certain tracks linger perhaps a touch too long, and not every compositional risk lands with equal force. But these are minor blemishes on an otherwise formidable record, one that embraces growth without abandoning identity.

In a genre often paralysed by nostalgia, “Coronach” stands as a reminder that evolution need not come at the expense of intensity. Hellripper has not softened; it has sharpened. What emerges is an album that feels both rooted and restless, steeped in tradition, yet driven by an unmistakable forward momentum. In short, “Coronach” is not merely another entry in Hellripper’s catalogue. It is a statement of intent, fierce, expansive, and utterly alive.