Hellripper signs with Century Media – new album expected next year

Scottish one-man blackened thrash project Hellripper, helmed by James McBain, has officially signed with Century Media Records. The announcement confirms new music is expected next year, with the label debut likely due around spring 2026.

McBain’s latest full-length, “Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags”, released in 2023, earned high praise for weaving Scottish folklore into a feral, thrash-tinged black metal style. Last year’s two-track EP “Fork-Tongued Messiah/Punk Rock Classic” further underscored his relentless black-thrash attack.

Century Media has welcomed Hellripper with enthusiasm, praising McBain as a feral force and a high-bar for thrash, citing his blend of metal, punk, and speed metal elements with no boundaries.

This year, Hellripper expanded its live presence with appearances at major festivals including Beyond the Gates in Norway, Brutal Assault in the Czech Republic, and Summer Breeze in Germany, plus a dynamic U.S. debut at Hell’s Heroes in Texas this past spring.

Looking ahead, Hellripper has a series of European gigs lined up through the end of 2025 and into 2026, including shows at Dynamo Metal Fest in Eindhoven, Damnation Festival in Manchester, and Bloodstock Winter Gathering in Wolverhampton.

Hellripper Tour Dates 2025/2026:

August 16, 2025 – Turock Sommerfest, Essen, Germany
August 17, 2025 – Dynamo Metal Fest, Eindhoven, Netherlands
August 23, 2025 – Cosmic Vibration Fest, Sheffield, United Kingdom
September 5, 2025 – Meh Suff! Metal Festival, Hüttikon, Switzerland
September 19, 2025 – Black Forest Festival, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany
September 20, 2025 – Metal im Woid Festival, Schrobenhausen, Germany
October 11, 2025 – Metal Experience Festival, Leiden, Netherlands
November 9, 2025 – Damnation Festival, Manchester, United Kingdom
December 6, 2025 – Bloodstock Winter Gathering, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
March 21, 2026 – Oilsjt Omploft Fest, Aalst, Belgium
March 28, 2026 – emMetal Rocks, Bern, Switzerland