Waving the flag of a new generation of metal, alternative and punk, The Hellfreaks are thrilled to announce the upcoming release of their fierce new album, Pitch Black Sunset, set for release April 14 via Napalm Records. Founded in 2009, Hungary’s most exciting upstarts emerged with a marvellous discography and their massive psychobilly-punk hit, “Boogie Man”, which has gathered millions upon millions of views on YouTube.
The curtain has finally fallen again as the budding band unveils their addictive first heavy rock-infused single, “Hit Me Where It Hurts”. Jumping right into the pit, the quartet blends metallic punches with a sound echoing the likes of genre visionaries Muse, accented by electrified guitar leads and raspy punk vocal attacks by singer Shakey Sue. Representing the relentless atmosphere of the song, the Hungarian musicians strap on their boots to celebrate a never-ending night in their official music video.
The Hellfreaks state on “Hit Me Where It Hurts”: “’Hit Me Where It Hurts’ is about hope and despair. Hope is able to move mountains. But what if the desired dream stays a dream? Then hope turns to prison. Intoxicated by a desire that never comes true, we reach the dead end, where the brain clearly sees the way out, but our heart won’t let us make the necessary steps. All that’s left is suffering. This song is an invocation for the metaphorical punch to eliminate the last piece of false hope, the real culprit in such a situation.”
Watch the relentless music video for “Hit Me Where It Hurts” below.
With almost a decade of existence, The Hellfreaks embrace the influence of modern metal, alternative, post-hardcore and punk to form their unmatched sound. Performing in almost every European country and gaining more awareness via their American tour in 2015, the well-experienced band from Budapest proves with their fifth album, Pitch Black Sunset, that they are more than ready to kickstart their next chapter.
Kicking off with vocalist Shakey Sue’s trademark sing-along-screams, “Old Tomorrows” raises the pulse with fast-paced punk mixed with groovy metal beats. Followed by the restless track “Chaos”, boisterous thrash lines meet pop-punk-infused metal before closing with a Tom Morello-worthy solo. The Hellfreaks stay true to themselves yet never become stagnant or pretentious – as tracks like “Weeping Willow” are driven by more modern metal interpretations and electronic interludes. With its fragile clean vocals and the eerie sounds of the guitar’s strings, the atmosphere of the song changes throughout before taking an unexpected turn into a hard-hitting core-hymn. "Body Bag" offers a total contrast - surfacing like a message in a bottle with its in-your-face, straight forward 2000s skate punk vibe that fans of the genre have always wished for. The Hellfreaks showcase the individual musical expertise of its members when chunky riffs merge with strong beats and highly aggressive shouts, while bittersweet vocal lines call out for a feelgood song.
The Hellfreaks state on Pitch Black Sunset: "Since our last album, our world around us has turned much darker than what we ever expected. Covid, war, inflation. Enough reasons for introspection to find out if there is any light left in us. An excursion between the best and worst parts in us. Pitch Black Sunset is about how these contraries interfere with each other: the past and the future, peace and chaos, eastern and western, life and death. This album invites you to a car ride straight into the canyon between these opposites. Does it end in a car crash? Sometimes. But we found beauty in it.”
Pitch Black Sunset will be available in the following formats:
- 1CD Jewelcase
- 1LP Gatefold Sun Yellow Transparent
- Digital Album
- T-Shirt "Hit Me Where It Hurts"
Pre-order here.
Tracklisting:
"Sunrise"
"Old Tomorrows"
"Hit Me Where It Hurts"
"Chaos"
"Weeping Willow"
"Body Bag"
"Rootless Soul Riot"
"PBSS"
"Sunset"
"Hit Me Where It Hurts" video:
The Hellfreaks are:
Zsuzsa “Shakey Sue“ Radnóti - Vocals
József “Jozzy“ Takács - Guitar
Gabi Domján - Bass
Béla Budai - Drums
(Photo - Dávid Bodnár)
