Hidden Gems & Guilty Pleasures: War Ripper (USA)

Photo by Chelsea Englizian

War Ripper (Black/Thrash Metal/Crust/Hardcore Punk, USA)

While the name might be unfamiliar to many, War Ripper is a side-project of prolific madman Joel Grind, who needs no introduction for the long-running (and influential) Toxic Holocaust as well as his solo work and the Tiger Junkies with Abigail founder Yasuyuki. From the start, War Ripper was built on the foundation of honoring Joel’s D-beat influences, and he thrillingly recast with the strict-yet-exciting »Hellstorm« EP in 2007 courtesy of Hells Headbangers Records.

<a href="https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/war-ripper-strength-in-numbers">War Ripper – Strength in Numbers by Dying Victims Productions</a>

While the years since have obviously been spent on Toxic Holocaust and their rigorous recording and touring demands, Joel Grind brought back War Ripper in the pandemic-stricken 2020 with the EP »Strength In Numbers«. Originally released on Bandcamp, »Strength In Numbers« at last sees a physical release on 7” vinyl courtesy of longtime fans Dying Victims Productions. Picking up exactly where »Hellstorm« left off but buttressed by clear-yet-crushing production, »Strength In Numbers« is a swift ‘n’ satisfying statement of metallic D-beat. No more but definitely no less, and of course graced with Grind’s encyclopedic knowledge of both metal and punk, War Ripper’s long-awaited second recording is sure to stoke maniacs of Disfear, Warcollapse, England’s Disgust, later Anti-Cimex, and granddaddies of it all, Discharge.