Feral is the confrontational new studio offering from iconic UK crust metal crossover squad, HELLBASTARD. Tracked at the prestigious Hellfire Recording Studios (Slayer, Motörhead, Orange Goblin, Napalm Death etc.) in Derbyshire with Ajeet Gill (Warlock UK, Slab, I Am Colossus, etc), Feral includes guest appearances from Andy “A. Droid” Wiggins (ex Amebix), Rob “The Baron” Miller (ex-Amebix) and Andy Sneap (ex-Sabbat/Hell) and is unlike any other modern crossover album. An adrenaline shot of pure punk energy, filtered through some of thrash metal’s intricacies sans any of its overblown ego, this is primal, back-to-nature shit; no half measures. As the album title suggests, this is a force of nature that refuses to be tamed, and will sweep everything before it asunder, rending it apart with its violent rhythmic contortions. A social hand grenade jammed in your teeth, literally blowing your skull apart with endless possibilities.
Angry Metal Guy calls Feral, “unforgiving and inspiringly honest,” 3rdEye.com issues of the offering, “As ever, the legendary punk-thrashers, led by founder-member guitarist/vocalist Scruff, have poured into this album a massive amount of passion, sadness, anger and sincerity: the work sways from incandescent, bone-crushing, proper (and I mean proper – proper – proper!) thrash to heart-breaking, bleak ambience magnificence…,” while No Clean Singing praises, “This is a solid album. If you want some punk-infused thrash with melody and atmosphere around the edges, then this is the album for you – an album that you can pretty much leave playing if you are in a metal mood and it won’t get old.”
To commemorate its release, today Revolver Magazine spews forth the smiting sounds of “Shame On Us” for municipal feasting. Replete with gang chants and an unrepentantly venomous delivery, get ruthless with HELLBASTARD at THIS LOCATION.
You can also sample “Outsider Of The Year” still streaming at Cvlt Nation at THIS LOCATION as well as the Feral track teaser and the the official video for the three-part “We Are Coven” video at Decibel at THIS LOCATION.
In conjunction with its release, HELLBASTARD is hosting is special Feral contest. To win, HELLBASTARD devotees need only send the band the most “interesting” photo of themselves holding a copy of their Feral CD. Photos should be sent via the band’s official FaceBook page: http://www.facebook.com/hellbastardofficial. The winner will be announced on the page exactly one month after the official street release date. Mega prize pack includes:
– A signed guitar (matte black – typical HELLBASTARD fashion) used on several Feral tracks complete with carry case, spare set of strings, a tuner, a DVD of tutorials and basic methodologies of guitar playing.
– Loads of records, some signed, some not, colored vinyl galore
– HELLBASTARD T-shirt
– Various HELLBASTARD CDs
– A DVD featuring full sets from HELLBASTARD and Panzerbastard filmed on the Bastards Over Europe 2011 tour.
A photo of the prize pack can be viewed below. Good luck!
Forged in 1985 in the North East of England in the midst of Thatcherism, HELLBASTARD set out to play what they wanted to listen to themselves…. too “metal” for the punks and too “punk” for the metallers the band went on hiatus in 1992 before officially reuniting in 2008 and continue to bring a relevant lyric and sound to counteract against, mediocre sub-standard radio friendly, safety-rock.
Feral is out now worldwide on CD and digitally via PATAC Records with exclusive distribution by Independent Label Distribution. The first CD pressing will include a bonus track (not available on digital download or the upcoming 2016 vinyl edition) as well as an eight-page booklet and embossed digipack packaging.
http://www.hellbastard.co.uk
http://www.twitter.com/tomhellbastard
http://www.facebook.com/hellbastardofficial?fref=ts
http://www.patacrecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/patacrecords?fref=ts