HELLRIPPER — the one-man blackened speed metal project of Scottish musician James McBain — has released his fourth studio album, 'Coronach', via Century Media Records. Eight tracks, 44 minutes, and his most ambitious work to date.
A coronach is a traditional Highland funeral lament — a fitting title for an album that functions simultaneously as a dirge, a war cry, and a celebration of Scottish identity. The record draws on Pictish mysteries, Victorian Gothic literature, classic Scottish poetry, and modern urban folklore, weaving these themes into a sonic assault that spans blistering speed metal to moments of genuine atmospheric dread.
McBain has subtly expanded his sonic palette here, incorporating additional instruments and more layered songwriting without ever compromising HELLRIPPER's ferocious core identity. The album peaks with 'Baobhan Sith (Waltz of the Damned)' — widely considered the standout track and the most inventive piece McBain has written, showcasing real compositional growth.
Critical reception has been overwhelmingly positive. Reviewers have praised the balance between HELLRIPPER's characteristic speed-black fury and the new depth of atmosphere and arrangement — a blend of blistering speed, crushing weight, and touches of prog, gothic, and symphonic metal, all while remaining unmistakably raw and fierce at its core.
'Coronach' is out now via Century Media Records on CD, vinyl, and digital.