Hellkern Warriors are a newly formed international Darkwave/Gothic Rock project established in 2025 by musicians from Berlin, Pietrasanta, and Ibaguรฉ. With roots in bands such as Radarfield, Toxic Industry Binario 0, Dylan Phoenix, and Lemarchand, the collective unites diverse underground legacies into a singular, immersive sonic identity.
Drawing on analog synthesizers, shadow-drenched guitar textures, and a driving, rhythmic low-end, Hellkern Warriors shape their sound through cinematic production that feels both expansive and intimate. Their debut material explores themes of inner conflict, fractured futures, and spiritual erosion, unfolding within a haunting atmosphere crafted collaboratively across continents. Hellkern Warriors move deliberately through the darker edges of sound, merging analog pulse, spectral guitar work, and relentless rhythm into a cohesive, brooding aesthetic. The pulse of the void โ translated into sound. Check out the exclusive interview below:
1. Your roots often shape your path. Can you share a story or moment from your early life that had a decisive influence on your journey into music?
HELLKERN WARRIORS:
Decisive moments were our encounters with underground music and the live culture surrounding many bands. The electrifying energy at concerts, the passion of musicians on stage, and the dedication of fans in the audience. This combination of music (far from the mainstream), subculture, and visual presentation shaped each band member early on. These experiences showed us that music can be more than sound โ it can be cult, experience, and expression all at once.
2. Did your musical journey begin with formal training or more as a personal exploration? How did this shape your individual approach to music?
HELLKERN WARRIORS:
Our musical journey is a mix of structured training, self-taught experience, and experimental approaches. Early on, it was often about reproducing the music of our idols or exploring similar sounds. This blend allows us to respect technical discipline while remaining open to instinct, atmosphere, and emotion.
3. Who were the formative influences in your early musical life, and how did they shape your sound? And how did the name โHELLKERN WARRIORSโ come about?
HELLKERN WARRIORS:
Our influences come from different eras and genres โ Dark Wave, Gothic Rock, Post-Punk, Metal, and Alternative Rock. What unites them is intensity and atmosphere. Artists who dared to explore dark emotional and sonic spaces had a lasting impact on us.
The name Hellkern Warriors represents inner conflict and resilience. โHellkernโ symbolizes the core of darkness โ internally and externally โ while โWarriorsโ stands for movement, resistance, and survival. The name itself is inspired by a computer virus (Helkern): an invisible, hidden force spreading relentlessly through darkness โ a fitting symbol for the essence of our music.
4. What sets your music apart from others? How would you describe your sound to someone discovering you for the first time?
HELLKERN WARRIORS:
Hellkern Warriors combine dark Alternative/Gothic Rock with hypnotic electronics, creating cinematic soundscapes. Unlike many Dark Wave bands, we blend synths and live instruments equally, resulting in intense emotional depth. Our music functions like soundtrack-style storytelling, complemented by visual and narrative elements. With the concept of the โPulse of the Void,โ a rhythm emerges from silence and darkness, shaping our unique aesthetic.
5. Originality often comes after a phase of learning and imitation. How was this for you?
HELLKERN WARRIORS:
Like many artists, our path began with absorbing and understanding the music that moved us. Out of imitation came our own identity, when we stopped asking how something should sound and focused on how it felt. Our style developed organically through collaboration, experimentation, and trust in our own intuition. For us, Alternative/Gothic Rock and Dark Wave are more than just music โ theyโre a stance and a way of life.
6. Music is often more than entertainment. What role does music play for you as a political, cultural, or social medium?
HELLKERN WARRIORS:
Music always carries cultural and emotional significance for us. Even without explicit political statements, our songs reflect decay, fears (โPetrol & Waterโ, โHelkern Warriorsโ), unusual or abstract places (โEndless Roadโ), and longings. Music and our choice of themes always aim to create something special โ a medium that transports feelings, thoughts, and cultural moods, opening spaces for reflection.
7. Do effort and passion match your achievements so far?
HELLKERN WARRIORS:
The greatest rewards are that our music currently reaches and touches people in many countries, which is deeply fulfilling. Our songs receive numerous airplays in Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Greece, Slovenia, the USA, Canada, and Australia, chart on N1M (Global #1, Alternative Rock), and attract interest from magazines such as Illustrate Magazine (USA), Plectrum Magazine (UK), and Rock-Garage (GER) โ a clear sign that our energy and passion bear fruit.
8. Can you describe your creative process?
HELLKERN WARRIORS:
It often starts with a mood โ a guitar riff or a lyrical idea. From there, lyrics, guitar, tempo, and vocals develop collaboratively. Once the first idea is set and everyone agrees, the drums are recorded in Colombia, guitar and vocals in Germany, synths in Italy, and bass back in Colombia. Each member contributes their perspective, allowing the track to grow organically. In the end, everything is mixed at our Artgot Studio in Colombia to shape the final sound.
9. What has been the biggest challenge in your life or career, and how has it shaped you?
HELLKERN WARRIORS:
Working across countries and time zones is challenging but has greatly strengthened our discipline, communication, and organization โ and weโve made new friends along the way. On a personal level, dealing with doubt and uncertainty is part of being an artist. These challenges have sharpened our focus and constantly reminded us why we make music.
10. What moment has made you proudest so far? And what can you say about your current and future releases?
HELLKERN WARRIORS:
We are especially proud to see our songs chart internationally, receive strong radio airplay, and be noticed by magazines and listeners worldwide. We are working on producing a CD, finding a label, releasing new music continuously, and expanding our international presence.
11. How do you deal with criticism, haters, or negative voices?
HELLKERN WARRIORS:
We take constructive criticism seriously, but we donโt get lost in negativity. Art will always evoke different reactions โ and that is normal. Indifference would be far more concerning. Our focus remains on honest music.
12. Studio work or live audience โ which excites you more?
HELLKERN WARRIORS:
Both are essential: in the studio, worlds are born; on stage, they truly come alive. Right now, the studio serves as our central creative space, since the band spans multiple countries and time zones. This has so far kept us from performing live together, but the thrill, energy, and connection of a live audience remain absolutely irreplaceable โ and itโs exactly that experience we are striving toward.
13. Should fans understand the exact meaning of your songs, or interpret them freely?
HELLKERN WARRIORS:
We believe in the freedom of interpretation. Our songs have an emotional origin, but every listener brings their own story. If the music creates a personal connection or opens new perspectives, it has fulfilled its purpose.
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