Scotland’s blackened thrash firebrand HELLRIPPER has announced his fourth studio album, Coronach, due out March 27, 2026 via Century Media Records, marking a major label debut for the project. To accompany the announcement, mastermind James McBain has unveiled a blistering new single, “Hunderprest”, alongside a raw performance video filmed at Damnation Festival 2025.
Opening Coronach with immediate violence, “Hunderprest” wastes no time, erupting in a chaotic fusion of razor-edged thrash and venomous black metal. The track draws inspiration from the Scottish legend of the “dog priest”, a vampiric figure said to have haunted Melrose Abbey, blending folklore with relentless speed and dissonance. Musically, the song channels the ferocity of Kreator, Merciless, and early Metallica, filtered through the dark atmosphere of Watain, Rotting Christ, and Tribulation, with subtle d-beat textures adding depth and tension.
Described by McBain as a deeply personal work, Coronach explores Scottish culture through history, myth, literature, and tradition, from ancient Pictish mysteries to Gothic lore and modern urban legends. Named after the traditional Highland funeral lament, the album embodies Hellripper’s core ethos: merging old and new, speed and atmosphere, storytelling and savagery. Recorded and mixed by McBain in his home studio and mastered by Damian Herring (Subterranean Watchtower Studios), the album features striking artwork by Adam Burke (Nightjar Illustration).
Coronach’ Tracklisting:
- Hunderprest (05:49)
- Kinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite) (04:33)
- The Art of Resurrection (05:44)
- Baobhan Sith (Waltz of the Damned) (06:24)
- Blakk Satanik Fvkkstorm (03:53)
- Sculptor’s Cave (04:35)
- Mortercheyn (04:18)
- Coronach (08:48)
Full Running Time: 00:44:09
With Coronach, HELLRIPPER sharpens his blades once again, delivering a fierce, experimental, and culturally rooted black thrash assault that stands as his most ambitious statement to date.
Coronach arrives March 27, 2026 via Century Media Records.
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