Hellfighter

Hellfighter is a British metal group formed by former members of Xentrix. The band’s line-up includes Kristian Havard on guitar and Dennis Gasser on drums, with Simon Gordon on vocals, Pete Stone on guitar and Mel Gasser on bass. Its roots lie in the work of Xentrix, a UK thrash metal band that helps shape the group’s sound and background.

Formation and early activity

The band reforms in 2007 after its members spend time on different projects. In 2008 and 2009, it plays a number of UK shows and appears at festivals including Bloodstock, Metalfest and Hammerfest II. During this period it also records a demo, which remains available for streaming on the band’s website.

Recordings and label

Hellfighter signs to Heavy Metal Records at the end of 2009. The label has a long history and works with artists including Accept, Diamond Head, Witchfinder General, Paul Di’Anno, Marshall Law and Biomechanical. Hellfighter’s debut album, Damnation’s Wings, first appears as a limited digital release before its physical release in 2011. The album is distributed by Plastic Head in the UK and Europe, by MVD in the United States and Canada, and through HMR Digital and iTunes worldwide.

Style and background

The band is associated with thrash metal, heavy metal and melodic metal. Its background is closely connected to Xentrix, who release five albums, tour Europe extensively with Testament, Sabbat and Tankard, and earn a reputation as one of the leading British thrash metal acts. Hellfighter continues in that metal tradition through its own recordings and live appearances in the UK.