Hellbastard
Encyclopedia
Hellbastard are a thrash metal
/crust punk
band, formed in 1984/5 in the United Kingdom
. Members "Scruff Lewty" and "Scotty" met at a Subhumans
gig and soon after formed Hellbastard, which was to be a combination of Crass
-like politics and the music of Slayer
. In 1990, after several EPs and full-lengths, the group appeared on the Combat
-Earache
compilation album
, Grindcrusher
, with the song "Justly Executed", from the Earache Records Natural Order LP.
They are considered to be a hugely influential band in the crust punk
genre. The genre subsequently adopted its name from the band's first demo, Ripper Crust. One member of Hellbastard later went on to form Hellkrusher. At one time Vocalist/Guitarist "Scruff lewty" and ex-guitarist "Nick" played for their friends ' band "Energetic krusher". Hellbastard also passed on a deal with "Vinyl Solution" Records in 1989 and gave the chance to Energetic Krusher, subsequently their "Path To Oblivion" Album appeared soon after. Hellbastard opted to sign with Earache Records.
Hellbastard "officially" split in 1992 and founder member "Scruff" went on to form, among others - "Nero Circus" "Sidewinder" "King Fuel" "Heavy Water" "The Dischargers" and "Moodhoover",..... all of whom released albums and toured extensively (with the exception of "King Fuel").
The last Hellbastard album since reforming in 2008 - The Need to Kill... received rave reviews in the worldwide press and having completed a full headlining European tour in 2009 and two extensive tours of the USA in both 2009 and 2010, Hellbastard are soon to embark on their first UK tour since the early 1990s. Their latest release "Eco-war" (Selfmadegod Records) heralds the bands original "dirtier" style and "Crustiness..." Hellbastard are currently writing their new album for 2012 and playing a few festivals and one off club dates.
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
/crust punk
Crust punk
Crust punk is a form of music influenced by anarcho-punk, hardcore punk and extreme metal. The style, which evolved in the mid-1980s in England, often has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on political and social ills...
band, formed in 1984/5 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Members "Scruff Lewty" and "Scotty" met at a Subhumans
Subhumans
Subhumans may refer to:* Subhumans , featuring singer Dick Lucas*Subhumans , featuring singer Wimpy Roy and bass player Gerry Hannah...
gig and soon after formed Hellbastard, which was to be a combination of Crass
Crass
Crass are an English punk rock band that was formed in 1977, which promoted anarchism as a political ideology, way of living, and as a resistance movement. Crass popularised the seminal anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, and advocated direct action, animal rights, and environmentalism...
-like politics and the music of Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
. In 1990, after several EPs and full-lengths, the group appeared on the Combat
Combat Records
Combat Records was an independent record label from New York City. The label was home to predominantly metal and punk rock acts including Megadeth, Circle Jerks, Nuclear Assault, Death, Dead Brain Cells, Possessed, Crumbsuckers, Agnostic Front, Agent Steel, Dark Angel, Heathen, Zoetrope and...
-Earache
Earache Records
Earache Records is a heavy metal-oriented record label based in Nottingham, UK and New York, USA. It helped to pioneer extreme metal by releasing many of the earliest grindcore and death metal records in the period 1988-1994.-History:...
compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, Grindcrusher
Grindcrusher
Grindcrusher is a CD/LP released by Earache Records in 1989 showcasing nine of the label's bands. It contained a number of pioneer grindcore and death metal groups such as Napalm Death, Bolt Thrower, Morbid Angel, Carcass and Repulsion...
, with the song "Justly Executed", from the Earache Records Natural Order LP.
They are considered to be a hugely influential band in the crust punk
Crust punk
Crust punk is a form of music influenced by anarcho-punk, hardcore punk and extreme metal. The style, which evolved in the mid-1980s in England, often has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on political and social ills...
genre. The genre subsequently adopted its name from the band's first demo, Ripper Crust. One member of Hellbastard later went on to form Hellkrusher. At one time Vocalist/Guitarist "Scruff lewty" and ex-guitarist "Nick" played for their friends ' band "Energetic krusher". Hellbastard also passed on a deal with "Vinyl Solution" Records in 1989 and gave the chance to Energetic Krusher, subsequently their "Path To Oblivion" Album appeared soon after. Hellbastard opted to sign with Earache Records.
Hellbastard "officially" split in 1992 and founder member "Scruff" went on to form, among others - "Nero Circus" "Sidewinder" "King Fuel" "Heavy Water" "The Dischargers" and "Moodhoover",..... all of whom released albums and toured extensively (with the exception of "King Fuel").
The last Hellbastard album since reforming in 2008 - The Need to Kill... received rave reviews in the worldwide press and having completed a full headlining European tour in 2009 and two extensive tours of the USA in both 2009 and 2010, Hellbastard are soon to embark on their first UK tour since the early 1990s. Their latest release "Eco-war" (Selfmadegod Records) heralds the bands original "dirtier" style and "Crustiness..." Hellbastard are currently writing their new album for 2012 and playing a few festivals and one off club dates.
Current members
- Scruff Lewty - Vocals/Guitars
- Tom McCombe - Guitars
- Paul O'Shea - Bass
- Josh "Buda" Harris - Drums
Discography
- 1986: Ripper Crust demo cassette
- 1987: Hate Militia demo cassette
- 1988: Heading for Internal Darkness LP
- 1988: Thrashing a Dead House 12" split with Extreme Noise TerrorExtreme Noise TerrorExtreme Noise Terror are a British crust punk / grindcore band originally formed in Ipswich, England in 1985. The band are widely considered one of the earliest and most influential European grindcore bands, and particularly the forefathers of the crustgrind subgenre.Notable for one of the...
- 1988: A Vile Peace (Comp Lp on Peaceville Recs) (Civilised?)
- 1989: They Brought DeathThey Brought DeathThey Brought Death is the name of the third release by the crust punk/crossover thrash band Hellbastard.- Lineup :* M.S. Lewty - vocals, guitar* Ali Lee - guitar* Drew Wright - bass* Brian Newton - drums...
7" EP - 1990: Natural Order CD/LP/CASS
- 1990: Heading for Internal Darkness CD/CASS reissue
- 1993: Ripper Crust LP reissue
- 1998: Heading for More Darkness CD reissue
- 1998: In Grind We Crust CD compilation
- 1998: Blood, Fire, Hate... CD.
- 2002: The Good Go First Album (Vinyl only)
- 2009: Ripper Crust LP reissue
- 2009: The Need to Kill CD/LP
- 2009: Eco-war EP/CD
- 2010: Heading For Internal Darkness LP reissue / CD Version later 2010/ early 2011
- 2010: Hellbastard/Dissent Split 7" EP