Hellbearer | Darker Fates | Independent

 

Release Date: October 17th 2025

Format: Digital/CD

Genre: Thrash Metal

Country: United Kingdom

Manchester’s Hellbearer is a young name in thrash, but their trajectory has been fast and furious. Formed in 2022, the quartet wasted no time in making themselves known with their debut “For Those About To Bear Hell.” That first strike was enough to land them high-profile support slots with 3 Inches Of Blood and Venom’s Abaddon, along with festival appearances including Bloodstock where their chaotic set whipped up serious audience carnage. Now they arrive with their second full-length, “Darker Fates,” a record that confirms Hellbearer as one of the fiercest new voices in British thrash.

Opening with the brief “Pull The Card,” the band waste no time plunging into high-octane riffing with “The Witch.” This combination of atmosphere and aggression runs across the whole album. Tracks like “Absolution” and “Counting Seconds” hit with a stomping precision that is tailor-made for circle pits, while “The Mantra” pulls listeners into a darker, more suffocating attack. The band also push into more ambitious territory with the longer “Afflicted,” balancing headbanging drive with more dramatic songwriting. Closing track “Sands Of Time” ends the album with an ending forged in fire and steel, tying the themes of mortality and fate into a storm of riffs.

Ash Allen’s vocals cut through with a raw, commanding growl, perfectly matched to the frantic guitar work and the thunder of Sam Hatt and Kieran Brooks in the rhythm section. Matthew Robinson’s lead guitar brings an extra edge, layering the songs with blistering solos that slice through the chaos. There’s a sense of urgency across the album that fits the lyrical direction, which often dwells on collapse, corruption, and the inevitability of ruin. The band write as if thrash is still a weapon of resistance, and in their hands, it remains sharp enough to wound.

“Darker Fates” is 52 minutes of thrash that scorches and stays relentless. It doesn’t bloat or pad, each track has intent and energy. The only thing that sucks is cover. For fans of Exodus, Testament, Machine Head, and Forbidden, this is an album that proves UK thrash is alive and swinging hard. Hellbearer has delivered an album that is punishing, inspired, and brimming with fire. Thrashing done right.

Score: 8.3

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