FEATURES
This section collects external features about Hellkern Warriors across media and platforms.
MorteMagazine Mexico Since 1993 Presents: Hellkern Warriors
In its latest feature, MorteMagazine Mexico Since 1993 introduces Hellkern Warriors as an ambitious international project that merges Darkwave, Gothic, and Alternative Rock into a powerful and cinematic musical experience.
According to the magazine, Hellkern Warriors stand out through their atmospheric compositions, where haunting vocals, analog synthesizers, brooding guitars, driving bass lines, and dynamic percussion create immersive soundscapes. Their music explores themes of futurism, fear, inner conflict, and the decay of modern society, while maintaining a balance between dark emotion and melodic intensity.
The feature emphasizes that the band's strength lies not only in its distinctive sound but also in the diverse musical backgrounds of its members. Bringing together artists from Berlin, Pietrasanta, and Ibagué, Hellkern Warriors unite decades of experience from gothic rock, darkwave, EBM, doom, black metal, industrial, and symphonic metal, resulting in a project with both artistic depth and international character.
The magazine further notes the band's rapid international recognition. Despite being founded in 2025, Hellkern Warriors have already gained significant radio exposure across Europe, North America, and Australia, reflecting the growing interest in their unique interpretation of modern dark alternative music.
Overall, MorteMagazine portrays Hellkern Warriors as a promising new force within the contemporary dark music landscape—an international collaboration that combines experience, atmosphere, and artistic vision into a compelling musical identity.
"No way, no exit."
What do an 1844 painting, modern technology, international collaboration, and dark Gothic-Rock soundscapes have in common?
The answer can be found in the new ORKUS! Magazine interview with Hellkern Warriors.
We talk about the inspiration behind Rain, Steam and Speed, J. M. W. Turner, AI-generated visuals, creative work across two continents, and the atmosphere behind our music.
"Hellkern Warriors Rain, Steam, and Speed Europe / South America An international outfit of gothic rock and darkwave creators, Hellkern Warriors are living their best 2026 with a killer new single. Based in Germany, Italy, and Colombia, the band manage to hold things together for the love of their mindfully abrasive sound. Fusing mesmerising electronica with a sinister heavy rock edge, the gothic meets atmosphere and dance rhythms with a hauntingly infectious effect. Named after a computer virus Hellkern Warriors intend to stick around, refuse to be vaccinated against, and offer an artistic sickness that alters the chemistry of the brain. With a track out now that’s named after a classic 19th Century painting, this is Rain, Steam, and Speed. A crack of thunder begins the piece before soaring synth strings and guitars rumble in a parallel flow. The bass crumbles in a deep harmony as the vocals enter. Baritone, emphatic, and dramatized, the goth sensation is deep and resonant. The synths boil over; rhythmic layers streak high-end pitch over the fathomlessness of shade. A gloomy effervescence glows with nightcore style neon in the weft of a classic rock production that glistens with spectral majesty."
R O W A N B L A I R C O L V E R, Sound Read Six
"The cross-continental darkwave force turns up the velocity, delivering a cinematic ride where desire, rain, and unstoppable rhythm collide.Formed in mid-2025, Hellkern Warriors are already proving to be one of the most compelling new forces in the international dark underground.This isn’t hyperbole; it’s the sound of four musicians spanning Berlin, Pietrasanta, and Ibagué finding a shared frequency in the void.Their self-described “Pulse of the Void” is almost a mission statement. Across their growing discography, they’ve fused gothic rock’s emotional gravity with darkwave’s hypnotic pulse, earning rapid praise from Rock Era Magazine to Obscure Sound.With their latest single, ‘Rain, Steam and Speed’, they floor the accelerator.
Where previous singles like ‘Petrol & Water’ offered a slower social burn, this new track is a high-voltage descent into a metropolis of rain-slicked asphalt and corrosive neon.From the first sharp-edged guitar riff, the song feels like a nocturnal chase scene. Pounding, thunderous drums and a driving, metallic bassline lock into a relentless rhythm, while analog synths hiss like steam rising from rusted rails.
The production is cinematic yet raw, balancing melancholic atmosphere with raw, physical momentum.It’s easy to invoke The Sisters of Mercy or Bauhaus as reference points, but Hellkern Warriors forge their own identity here, one built on cross-continental chemistry and a modern, emotionally charged edge.The true genius of ‘Rain, Steam and Speed’ is how it transforms darkness into motion.Vocal lines are delivered with urgent, expressive intensity, weaving through the shadow-drenched guitars like a fugitive through back alleys.You feel the acceleration in your chest. I
t’s dark, immersive, and impossible to ignore, a perfect encapsulation of a band that balances tension with beauty and introspection with raw power.For anyone who thought gothic rock had run out of new roads to travel, Hellkern Warriors have just laid down a track made of neon, rain, and fire.‘Rain, Steam and Speed’ is essential listening."
A L E X C O O P E R , Happy Mag
"The international gothic rock/darkwave collective Hellkern Warriors returns with a brand new single, “Rain, Steam & Speed”, a track that fuses gothic and alternative rock with driving guitars, brooding atmospheres, and a distinctly cinematic pulse.
“Rain, Steam & Speed” plunges the listener straight into an urban nightscape where neon lights flicker through the downpour and steel rails hum with unstoppable momentum. The song surges forward on muscular riffs and pounding rhythms, its energy crashing down like steam erupting from rust‑covered machinery. I
t is a high‑velocity ride through shadows, desire, and raw nocturnal intensity — a journey from ghost‑ridden streets to blazing neon corridors, carried by a tempo that refuses to slow.
Alongside the new single, Hellkern Warriors also appear on the newly released compilation The Pulse In The Void Vol. 1, contributing the track “Hellkern Warriors”. Curated as an international showcase of gothic and alternative rock, the compilation gathers artists from Europe, the USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, and New Zealand, presenting a diverse spectrum of atmospheric, emotionally charged material. ".... "
With a new single roaring down the tracks and a strong presence on an international compilation, Hellkern Warriors continue carving their path through the global dark music landscape."
T O M A Z V O G R I C , Terra Relicta, 19/04/2026
"Hellkern Warriors - Rain, Steam & Speed | The Coldness of the Darkwave scene"
The Hellkern Warriors return with their new track Rain, Steam & Speed, a composition that balances with characteristic ease between the dark romanticism of gothic rock and the melancholic coldness of the darkwave scene.
The influences from the classic gothic rock scene are evident, but they do not function as mere reproduction. On the contrary the band seems to be building its own identity, with a more contemporary darkwave aesthetic that emphasizes atmosphere rather than structure alone.
Rain, Steam & Speed is built upon a hypnotic rhythm where the synths create a foggy sonic landscape, while the guitars subtly emerge, adding depth and intensity. The production deserves special mention. It maintains this dark aesthetic without becoming muddy or overloaded. Instead, it allows space for the sounds to breathe, enhancing the cinematic dimension of the song.
With this release, Hellkern Warriors do not attempt to redefine the genre and fortunately so. Instead, they demonstrate a deep understanding of its roots and serve it with respect, while adding their own identity. Rain, Steam & Speed is a track that appeals both to fans of the traditional goth/darkwave aesthetic and to those seeking something more atmospheric and cinematic.
On a compositional level Rain, Steam & Speed relies on a haunting balance between mechanical repetition and emotional charge. The rhythm moves steadily, almost obsessively, reminiscent of the pulse of a steam engine, a choice that does not function merely aesthetically, but also reinforces the thematic concept of constant escape.
The production is clean but not sterile. There is this controlled "coldness" that characterizes many European darkwave releases, without losing the sense of space. On the contrary, the song gives the impression of unfolding within an open, industrial landscape as if echoing through empty stations and metallic surfaces.
The instruments create a cold and misty sonic environment, where melodies do not fully unfold, but rather hover, leaving room for a sense of absence. It is that familiar darkwave element that does not fill the space, but allows it to breathe and along with it, the silence itself.
Special mention should also be made of the song's dynamics. It does not rely on intense climaxes or outbursts, but on a gradual, almost imperceptible tension that accumulates over time. This element enhances the sense of entrapment. There is only continuous forward motion.
And somewhere within all this, the vocals come to complete the sonic landscape. They do not seek to dominate, but to integrate. Like another shadow within the sound, like a presence that exists without fully revealing itself. And this fits perfectly with the theme of alienation and inner escape.
The lyrics of Rain, Steam & Speed reveal a world where movement is not a choice, but a necessity. Hellkern Warriors unveil a world where escape does not lead to redemption, but to an endless cycle of confrontation with the self. Through images of rain, steam and mechanical speed, the song transforms into an existential journey where memories haunt, silence speaks and the need for escape becomes stronger than survival itself.
This is not a song that offers solutions. It does not promise catharsis. Instead, it invites you to stand within the motion, to listen to the noise of the machine and to recognize your own "sounds" within it.
Hellkern Warriors deliver a piece that stands comfortably within the contemporary darkwave/gothic scene, without losing touch with the genre's roots. It is ideal for nocturnal listening for those moments when thought moves faster than time."
E N S O M K R A K E, In The Heart Of Goth, 26/04/2026​
Hellkern Warriors is an international Darkwave / Gothic-Alternative Rock project founded in mid-2025 by musicians from Berlin (Germany), Pietrasanta (Italy), and Ibagué (Colombia). Their sound blends haunting vocals, analog synths, brooding guitar textures, driving bass lines, and dynamic drums into cinematic soundscapes exploring themes of futurism, fear, and decay. Their music combines haunting vocals, analog synthesizers, brooding guitar textures, driving bass lines, and dynamic drums to create immersive, atmospheric soundscapes. Shortly after its formation, the project achieved extensive international radio airplay across Europe, the United Kingdom, North and South America, and Australia. Several singles reached top positions in the Alternative Rock charts on Number1Music (N1M), including repeated #1 and #2 rankings in Germany and worldwide, as well as two Top 10 chart placements on Banks Radio Australia. Releases by Hellkern Warriors have been featured and reviewed by numerous international magazines and media outlets, including Plectrum Magazine (UK), Volecho Magazine, Thewalkiway, Musical Road, and Edgar Allan Poets. In addition, a wide range of interviews with international platforms and magazines—such as Rock-Garage, Musicholistic, Pigeon Opinion, Lelahel Metal, and Savoy Truffle Tunes—has contributed to the project’s steadily growing international presence within the Dark Alternative scene.
Jan-March 2026: Plectrum Magazine / TJPL News, Issue 6 (UK)
"HELLKERN WARRIORS EMERGE FROM THE SHADOWS WITH A DEBUT THAT FEELS LIKE AN OMEN.
ANALOG SYNTHS. SHADOWED GUITARS. PULSES THAT DON’T LET YOU GO.
Hellkern Warriors arrive like a shadow taking form. An international darkwave and gothic rock project built between Berlin, Tuscany and Ibagué, the group feels less like a band and more like a force gathering weight in the dark. Their debut single “Helkern Warriors” captures the exact moment that force begins to move.
The project was born in mid-2025. A spark between Kabal and Mauricio. An idea carried across borders, time zones, and a shared sense that something atmospheric and uncompromising needed to exist. The shift came when vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Tom Radar brought in the first ideas: “Hellkern Warriors”, “Petrol & Water”, and “Endless Road”. His demos carried a very specific energy. Cinematic in shape. Shadowed in mood. Vocals that already sounded half-buried in the world they were about to build.
That foundation became the spine of what Hellkern Warriors now call “The Pulse of the Void”. A merging of analog synths, dark guitar lines and rhythms that never settle. The result is hypnotic. Heavy without relying on brute force. Intimate without softening the edges. The sound holds you at arm’s length then pulls you into the centre without warning.
The name comes from a notorious computer worm, Helkern. A piece of code known for being invisible, unstoppable and invasive. The metaphor is immediate. The music moves the same way. It spreads through atmosphere rather than volume. It’s not interested in pleasing you. It’s interested in consuming you.
Each member brings a lifetime of their own worlds into the project. Tom Radar carries the weight of RADARFIELD’s history. Songs spanning a decade. International radio play. Features across magazines like Sonic Seducer, Orkus! and Dark Spy. Rankings that held steady at number one or two on N1M for almost two years. His voice feels weathered by that journey. It fits the project because it already sounds like it has lived through several. Kabal — also known as Dylan Phoenix or Alessandro Vezzoni — has an entirely different lineage. A poet. A composer. A creator of projects spanning black metal, EBM, gothic metal, doom and experimental electronic work stretching back to 1996. His fingerprint is unmistakable. Ritualistic. Textured. A mind that sees the world through symbolism rather than form. You feel that in the songwriting. The sense of something ceremonial tightening under the music.
Fabian Parra arrives from a harder tradition. Two decades of guitar and bass work in extreme metal. Death. Symphonic. Industrial. His playing fills the lower space with intent. Mauricio Castro completes the circle. A drummer, producer, arranger and founder of Artgot Studios. Twenty years of shaping sound. He initiates the project and keeps its heartbeat steady.
Hellkern Warriors feel like a collective sharpening itself in real time. No theatrics. No gloss. Just four musicians building a darkwave landscape that breathes like a living organism. A project that knows exactly what it is and doesn’t flinch from its own shadow. "
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GENRES: 90s rock, alternative rock, hard rock, indie rock, rock, postpunk, darkwave, gothic rock
MOODS: Shadowy, atmospheric, hypnotic, cinematic, powerful, intimate, dark, immersive, ritualistic, tense, brooding, mysterious
FFO: Darkwave, gothic rock, post-punk revival, 90s dark alternative acts, industrial-leaning rock
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T A M A R A J E N N A, Plectrum Magazine, Issue 6
