REVIEWS
What’s the scene saying about the Hellkern Warriors?
Here you’ll find reviews and articles from independent music magazines that have listened to and rated our songs.
A collection of external voices showing how our music lands out in the world –
raw, direct, and unfiltered.
12/2025: The Musical Road
"Hellkern Warriors is an international darkwave/gothic rock project founded in 2025. The band unites musicians from Italy, Germany, and Colombia, merging analog synths, shadowy guitar lines, and driving rhythms into a cinematic and darkly atmospheric sound—both intimate and powerful.
With their debut single “Helkern Warriors,” the newly formed international project Hellkern Warriors crashes into the Darkwave and Gothic Rock scene with undeniable force. Founded in 2025 by musicians across Italy, Germany, and Colombia, the group presents a fully realized vision right out of the gate — a sound rooted in analog synth shadows, pulse-driven percussion, and guitars that slice through the dark like phosphorescent blades.
The narrative behind the project enhances the intrigue. What began as a spark between Kabal and Mauricio took form through early demos by Tom Radar, who not only introduced the first musical blueprints — including “Helkern Warriors,” “Petrol & Water,” and “Endless Road” — but also shaped the project’s vocal identity. Those ideas were then sharpened and expanded by Fabian and the rest of the collective, resulting in a sonic palette that feels both meticulously crafted and instinctively raw.
The band’s name — drawn from the notorious Helkern computer worm — reflects the aesthetic perfectly: invisible, invasive, and unstoppable. That sense of stealth and impact permeates the track itself. Deep bass pulses mimic a heartbeat in panic mode, while synths swell like rising fog over a ruined cityscape. Tom’s commanding vocals deliver a call-to-arms wrapped in atmospheric dread, amplifying the track’s cinematic tension.
Released with a visually captivating music video in September 2025, “Helkern Warriors” marks the arrival of a band with a clear concept and a bold sonic identity — what they’ve coined “The Pulse of the Void.” It’s dark, hypnotic, and leaves a lingering afterburn: a promise that Hellkern Warriors are just getting started." The Musical Road, 4/12/2025
11/2025: Thewalkiway
"Hellkern Warriors step into the Darkwave and Gothic Rock arena with a sound that feels both meticulously crafted and instinctively raw. Formed in 2025 by musicians from Italy, Germany, and Colombia, the project channels analog synths, spectral guitar lines, and pulse-driven percussion into a dense, cinematic atmosphere. Their concept, “The Pulse of the Void,” captures exactly what their music evokes: a sense of dark momentum, emotional tension, and a slow-moving grandeur that feels rooted in classic gothic aesthetics but sharpened with contemporary production.
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Their debut tracks, “Helkern Warriors” and “Petrol & Water,” showcase the group’s ability to merge mood and muscle. The first introduces the band with a cold, commanding rhythm, shadow-soaked guitars, and Tom Radar’s distinctive, haunted vocal presence — a perfect entry point into their world. “Petrol & Water,” meanwhile, pushes deeper into their sonic identity, balancing icy synth textures with the heavy precision of Fabian Parra’s bass and Mauricio Castro’s exacting drums. Both tracks are dark, hypnotic, and deliberate, the kind of songs that reveal new layers with every listen.
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What truly elevates Hellkern Warriors is the collective weight of their backgrounds, which gives the music a depth unusual for a new band. Kabal Apokalypse / Dylan Phoenix brings decades of experience in black metal, doom, EBM, and gothic underground projects, adding a dramatic edge to the sound. Radarfield’s Tom Radar anchors the compositions with a voice that’s atmospheric yet intimate, while Parra and Castro inject their metal and production expertise into every beat and riff.
Early recognition — including #1 positions on Number1Music and features on gothic radio shows — suggests that Hellkern Warriors are already resonating with listeners. With only two tracks released, they have firmly positioned themselves as a rising force in the global dark music scene. " Thewalkiway, 29/11/2025
11/2025: Volecho Magazine
"Hellkern Warriors arrived in 2025 not so much with a launch as with a rupture-a darkwave signal slicing through static from three continents at once. Formed around early sketches from Tom Radar, the group expanded quickly into a full-scale electronic-gothic hybrid when Kabal, Mauricio, and Fabian added their own weight and atmosphere. What began as a handful of shadowy demos-Hellkern Warriors, Petrol & Water, Endless Road-grew into a conceptual world they now call The Pulse of the Void, a sonic space defined by analog synth grit, cold guitar lines, and a heartbeat that moves like machinery learning to feel. Their name references a computer worm, fitting for a band that moves quietly through the dark but cuts unmistakable tracks in their wake.
Their debut video, released September 2025, set the tone with stark, minimal visuals and a sound that feels equally suited for late-night playlists, underground basements, or the neon-tinged melancholy of films like The Crow or Underworld. The follow-up single, Petrol & Water, pushed deeper into their signature cold glow.
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Each member arrives with a history that shapes the project’s depth. Tom Radar’s previous work in RADARFIELD built an international following with its careful balance of emotion and electronic precision. Kabal—also known as Dylan Phoenix—has decades behind him across metal, goth, and EBM scenes, giving Hellkern its poetic tension and sharpened edges. Meanwhile, Colombian musicians Fabian and Mauricio bring a heavy discipline from their metal roots, grounding the project’s electronic pulse with a sense of physical force.
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The result is a sound that lands somewhere between the chill of Boy Harsher, the brooding minimalism of She Past Away, and the slow-burn tension found in retro-leaning shows like Stranger Things. It’s early days for Hellkern Warriors, but they already carry the clarity of a band that knows its terrain. These tracks hit like headlights on an empty highway—steady, ghostly, and impossible to ignore.
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If The Pulse of the Void is only the beginning, then Hellkern Warriors are carving out a realm listeners will want to inhabit for a long time." Volecho Magazine, Issue #7, 24/11/2025
11/2025: Edgar Allan Poets
"Good Day Noir Family,
Hellkern Warriors arrive with a self-titled single that feels like a portal into a darker, pulse-driven dimension.
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The track draws heavily from the DNA of the ‘80s, yet the band reshape that heritage with a modern twist that leans into eerie textures and heavy grooves.
Rather than relying on nostalgia alone, they push their influences toward something sharper and far more mysterious.
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Immediately, the track’s rhythmic focus stands out. The beat locks into a hypnotic pattern, and the synth lines move with a fog-like presence that surrounds the arrangement. Because the groove stays danceable and tense, it functions as the core engine of the song. There is a cinematic edge at work here too, one that nods subtly toward the atmosphere of classic Carpenter films. However, Hellkern Warriors shift that reference toward something more aggressive and shadowed.
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The guitars contribute to this hybrid identity. While they hint at industrial heaviness, they never overpower the track. Instead, they support the low-end movements with metallic color and occasional surges of distortion. These choices give the song a blend that sits somewhere between a subdued Rammstein mood, the raw electronics of early Prodigy, and the gloom-laden energy of Type O Negative. Yet the band maintain a style that feels unmistakably their own.
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The vocal approach deepens the track’s character. A rich, low timbre forms the center of the performance, and the tone carries an almost ritualistic quality. Subtle processing pushes the voice into a slightly distorted, shadowy space, creating a sense of ancestral force. It does not attempt dramatic theatrics; instead, it remains steady and controlled while still delivering emotional charge.
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As the song progresses, the layering becomes more immersive. Keys shimmer with icy edges, the bassline pulses like a warning beacon, and the overall structure invites the listener to surrender to its momentum. Because the track never loses focus, it builds tension steadily without slipping into chaos. Each section unfolds with purpose, leading you into deeper territory.
Hellkern Warriors craft music that feels like a night drive through a city swallowed by fog: dangerous, stylish, and strangely addictive. Their fusion of industrial groove, gothic undertones, and electronic grit results in a single that leaves a strong impression and suggests a band with a clear artistic identity..." Edgar Allan Poets, 20/11/2025
