Hellripper will release their third album, Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags, on 17 February 2023 through Peaceville Records. This new album is set to raise the bar further from The Affair Of The Poisons, as can be seen in the first single, The Nuckelavee.
James McBain will bring his style of high octane Melodic Black/Speed Metal combined with sprawling, folklore-infused epics in his most personal and diverse work to date. The album features an expanded scope to the tracks, incorporating more epic and melodic blackened anthems alongside the high-speed Metal attack and blistering solos.
With Hellripper, McBain explores the darker side of Scottish history and folklore, inspired by the landscapes and legends of the Scottish Highlands. The album title is taken from a line in the Robert Burns poem, Address To The Deil. He includes references to clan culture, including his own, throughout the album.
“I wanted The Nuckelavee to be the first track released,” McBain says, “as it’s not only the album opener, but it is the song that I think best represents the overall sound and vibe of the record. It’s Speed Metal at its core but with a few twists. Lyrically, The Nuckelavee is based on the Orcadian tale of the eponymous creature – a grotesque and skinless horse-like demon that brings plague and death wherever it travels.”
The Nuckelavee is accompanied by a lyric video created by Matthew Vickerstaff.
Pre-orders are available from https://hellripper.lnk.to/WarlocksGrim.
