Hellpass is a Heavy Metal band based in Thessaloniki, Greece. Founded by its original members (Vasilis on vocals, Aggelos on guitar & Alexander on drums) Hellpass’ sound consists by a variety of the members’ heavy metal, doomy, as well as thrashy influences. Some melodies of the band’s vocals root back to the glorious Viking folk genre.
The band members have a decade of experience on stage, most of them being involved in many other bands and music styles in the past such as Snakebones, Checkmate, Blue Gin, Blue Mist, Pandora’s Prophecy, Broken Roles, The RnR Project Vienna.
Hellpass released it under the name ‘Gates of War 2023’ on the 15th of February 2023, referring to the worldwide crisis and events of this eventuous year. The album was recorded and produced by Render Productions and the sound engineer Ilias Palapelas. Their Music Videos are produced by the companies Ichochroma Productions in Association with Television Productions, and ImageNation Studios.
In the album is included the homonymous single “Gates of War”.
END – guitarist Will Putney, vocalist Brendan Murphy, guitarist Gregory Thomas, bassist Jay Pepito, and drummer Matt Guglielmo – will release their second album The Sin of Human Frailty on 27th October via Closed Casket Activities.
Today they release new single ‘Thaw’, featuring guest vocals from Debbie Gough of Heriot. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/2DnEOg7MaC0
The band comment: “Thaw’ is a thematically more bizarre exploration into electronics for END. It’s a very boundary-less song and one of the more self-fulfilling moments found in the writing process. As a musician it’s important to express the purest intent of your thoughts, and sometimes that requires reaching beyond the normal instrumentation one is accustomed to. The result is something new for us, but also a part of us. Thank you to Debbie Gough of Heriot for lending her voice to the track. And thank you for giving this new creative passage a listen.“
Formed in 2017, END‘s From the Unforgiving Arms of God EP spawned the fan-favourite ‘Necessary Death,’ and led to them signing with label Closed Casket Activities. Highlighted by ‘Covet Not’ and ‘Absence’, the band bulldosed the senses with their 2020 full-length debut, Splinters From an Ever-Changing Face. Brooklyn Vegan hailed ‘Pariah’ as “an absolutely filthy dose of modern metalcore,” and Kerrang! went as far as to describe their debut LP as “catharsis fed through a distortion pedal and shaped into a dense, destructive wrecking ball.” Perhaps, Invisible Oranges put it best: “These gentlemen have come together to summon a fury seldom heard on any album from the realms of hardcore, grind, and black metal…”
In 2023, the members congregated once again to write and record what would become this sophomore release.
“Part of the goal was to do things our way,” states Putney. “We didn’t want to lean on our influences too heavily, whether it’s in terms of production, guitar tone, arrangement, or other elements. We were like, ‘Let’s just make a record that sounds like END.’ I feel like there’s more of an identity to the band than there has ever been on this record.“
The final result is a unique blend of HM2-driven grind and metallic hardcore crossover with moments of industrial chaos over ten tracks. Featuring guest vocal appearances by J.R. Hayes (Pig Destroyer), Debbie Gough (Heriot), and Dylan Walker (Full of Hell), this Graphic Nature Audio recording clocks in over 30 minutes of unhinged aggression and grind. Produced and engineered by Will Putney and featuring the art of Alex Eckman-Lawn, this release pushes the complexity of END both sonically and visually. Vinyl comes packaged in a ten panel die-cut jacket, pressed on deluxe coloured vinyl and with a digital download code.
END will embark on a U.S. tour with Full of Hell in the autumn.
Reject The Sickness is a five-piece band from Belgium that has been shredding metal since 2010 with a lyrical concept that deals with outcast youth. Abuse, neglect, self-harm and how to dealing with it are the main themes. The lyrics are fictional, although Guy, the singer, can draw inspiration from his job as a social worker. It’s a walk through the darkest parts of the human psyche. Musically, progressive and ambient elements are woven into a mixture of thrash and death metal that is melodic without losing aggression.
Guitar: Zoran Van Bellegem Guitar: Ruben Van der Beken Bass/Backings: Jonas Messiaen Drums: Jannick Govaert Vocals: Guy Vercruysse
Videoclip Background.
The videoclip holds significant emotional value for our vocalist, Guy, as it was shot in the house where he spent his childhood with his grandparents. After their passing, the house was sold. The filming took place on the last day before they had to vacate the property. The video was produced by Flama Films and Abraham Escobedo, who also filmed Guy’s journey for a short documentary as part of his master’s program at the Art School of Brussels. This documentary, which captures the final days and passing of Guy’s grandmother, is currently being considered for various film festivals.
The music video is a visual accompaniment to the song ‘Heaven Turns Black MMXXII’, from the album ‘Chains Of Solitude MMXXII’. Initially released in 2015 by Massive Music from Denmark. The album was re-recorded and re-released in 2022 by the band.
The lyrics and videoclip tell a poignant story of a young girl who has been victimized by an obsessed individual. She yearns to retaliate, her thoughts consumed by revenge. However, this struggle exists solely within her mind. The house in the videoclip symbolizes her mind, where she is both the prisoner and the demon. Inside her head, thoughts of revenge and despair echo off the walls. Despite its darkness, it’s also portrayed as a comforting place where she is alone with her thoughts. In the end, she gazes at the world through the door, encountering an older, wiser, stronger yet fragile version of herself. The adage holds true: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
Guy: As a social worker dealing with such situations, I encounter numerous children and teenagers grappling with similar emotions. They yearn to retaliate and grow stronger, but ultimately, their greatest battle is internal. As a society, we bear a significant responsibility. We cannot merely be spectators; we must act, assist, and speak out!
Reject The Sickness
Credits:
Video: Abraham Escobedo Salas (Flama Films) Special fx: Motus Insaniam Actresses: Maëlle Vercruysse & Manon Van Mullem Concept: Guy Vercruysse & Reject The Sickness Music: Guy Vercruysse & Pepijn Desmet (2014)
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 