Shell of Inexistence by Helldrifter is a Melodic Death Metal album that leans so heavily into the Death Metal side of things, it’s like an elephant leaning on a baby — crushing, merciless, and leaving no doubt as to where the weight is. From the very first seconds of opener Martyrs of a Dying Age, when the soft intro gives way to the insanity, the band set out their stall with absolute conviction: this isn’t music for a casual background listen, this is music that grabs you by the throat and proceeds to shake the ever-loving shit out of you across the next ten tracks. If you’re not headbanging like a fucking demon by the time that opener finishes, then either there’s something seriously wrong with you or you’re wearing a neck brace.

Helldrifter have nailed that tricky balance of taking the melodic framework and making it work within a context of pure violence. Too often bands who wear the “melodic” tag lose sight of the fact that Death Metal should still feel like Death Metal — ugly, furious, and unrelenting. That’s not the case here. The melodies on Shell of Inexistence never detract from the brutality; instead, they add tension and atmosphere to the chaos. It’s not sugarcoating. It’s gasoline on the fire.

The riffs are relentless, veering between crushing chugs and rapid-fire assaults without ever losing momentum. You can hear the history of Death Metal running through the veins of this record, but Helldrifter aren’t interested in being a tribute act. Instead, they take the genre’s building blocks and twist them into something that sounds both familiar and fresh. There’s a confidence to the way they handle transitions — one moment you’re caught in a whirlwind of tremolo picking, the next you’re being flattened by a riff so heavy it could sink a battleship.

The drumming deserves its own spotlight, because holy hell, this is a performance that borders on inhuman. Blast beats come in waves, double-kick rolls punch you straight in the gut, and yet there’s precision behind every strike. It’s not just about speed or aggression; it’s about knowing when to let the drums dictate the mood. The interplay between the percussion and the guitars is seamless, creating that wall of sound that makes the album feel so suffocating in the best possible way.

Vocally, Helldrifter go for sheer throat-shredding intensity. There’s no attempt at accessibility, no half-measures — just full-on rage spat across every track. What works is that the vocals don’t blur into monotony and when paired with the sheer force of the music, it feels like a storm breaking directly in your face.

Production-wise, this record hits the sweet spot. It’s clean enough that you can actually hear the intricacies of what’s being played, but raw enough that it doesn’t feel sterile. The guitars still sound like chainsaws, the drums still hit like a demolition crew, and the vocals still sound like they’re being torn from the singer’s chest. It captures the chaos without smothering it.

One of the things I really appreciate about Shell of Inexistence is its relentless pacing. Too often, albums in this style collapse under their own weight, either front-loading all the best ideas or padding things out with filler. Not here. Helldrifter keep the intensity high and they don’tlet up. The result is ten tracks that flow together as a cohesive whole without ever blurring into one indistinguishable mass of noise.

There’s also an emotional weight to this album. Beneath the brutality, you can hear themes of despair, rage, and collapse threaded through the music. It’s not just violence for violence’s sake — there’s intent here, a sense of purpose that makes the whole thing resonate on a deeper level. By the time the record closes, you feel as though you’ve been dragged through the wringer, and yet you’re ready to hit play again.

Shell of Inexistence is an album that doesn’t just demand your attention; it fucking earns it. It’s relentless, brutal, and uncompromising, but it’s also sharp, focused, and packed with moments that stick with you long after the last note fades. Helldrifter don’t just play Melodic Death Metal — they take it by the balls and force it into something darker, heavier, and nastier.

Shell of Inexistence by Helldrifter is available now via Violent Creek Records.

CHOICE CUT: Shell of Inexistence

The Black Metal Archives Verdict: Helldrifter have delivered a vicious, throat-grabbing beast of an album that proves Melodic Death Metal can still sound dangerous as hell.