The Affair of the Poisons

Album review

Hellripper are one of those bands that sound like their name. The one-man project of Scotland's James McBain is a flaming tornado of absolutely ferocious blackened thrash metal that's equal parts evil and epic—the only type of music that's worthy of a ridiculously awesome moniker like Hellripper. Since 2015, he's been unloading obsidian speed metal that would fit well on a bill alongside Goatwhore, Skeletonwitch, and fellow one-man act Toxic Holocaust, and his Peaceville Records (My Dying Bride, Darkthrone, Autopsy) debut The Affair of the Poisons keeps the streak alive.

The titles of Hellripper's previous projects, the EP compilation Complete and Total Fucking Mayhem and 2017’s LP Coagulating Darkness, read more like giddy fan descriptions of their sound than narrative proclamations. But The Affair of the Poisons, bolstered by its quintessentially metal cover art, has a more clear-cut concept: witches. The lyrics of this album are descriptive tales of evil spells and satanic rituals, but you don't have to pay attention to any of that if you just want to rock out to Hellripper's sonic savagery. The album begins with a false flag chugging riff, but once it twirls up to speed it practically never slows down again until it's over.

McBain's style is relatively straightforward: fast riffs, ugly black metal vocals, and gangly solos. It's a formula that's been done before, but Hellripper are so unrelenting, tight, and downright fun that each song has that new car smell. The thick riff in the middle of "Spectres of the Blood Moon Sabbath'' is bludgeoning, and the gnarly shredding on "Beyond The Covenant Walls" and "Hexennacht" are technical yet tasteful. However, there are other moments like the dollop of reverse reverb in the middle of "Savage Blasphemy" and the tinge of chorus effect in the center of the title track that add a slightly gothic element, which is a nice touch that also drives home the witchy theme of the record. Outside of closer "The Hanging Tree," The Affair of the Poisons is more thrash than black metal, but it's perfect for those who want their music fast and dark as hell. © Eli Enis/Qobuz