Release Date: April 26th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Kane And The Derelict - Tracklisting
1.S.O.S. or Warning? 07:54
2.LV-426 07:13
3.A Floor of Eggs 06:33
4.Chestburster 03:58
5.Kill It Before It Grows 03:01
6.Hunting the Hunter 05:15
7.Mother's "Crew Expendable" Message 01:12
8.The Robot Follows the Wishes of Mother and the Weyland Company 06:34
9.The Feeding Frenzy 08:17
10.In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream 03:09
11.Activating the Self Destruct System 04:45
12.Signing Off As the Last Survivor of the Nostromo 06:50
Members:
Aaron Edge - Everything
Review
Kane And The Derelict is the new album from Doom/Sludge Metal artist Hellvetika which is another stunning side project from Aaron D.C. Edge (THE LUMBAR ENDEAVOUR, Black Bible Tyrant and GENUINE). This time round Aaron is focusing upon creating a concept album based on the classic science fiction film ALIEN which itself has inspired the Heavy Metal scene ever since it was released. Hellvetika allows Aaron the perfect opportunity to return to the Doom/Sludge Metal scene that I mostly associate him with but still adding elements of Psych Rock, Industrial, Electronic and Soundtrack themes he’s delivered superbly well for his wealth of other musical projects.
This record is a gloomy synth driven musical odyssey that delves right into the mythos and folklore of the classic ALIEN movie. I will admit my favourite film from the franchise is ALIENS but even I know that ALIEN is perhaps the most influential out of the entire series. Aaron has done his homework here by creating bleak soundscapes that match the eerie tone of the whole film which is told primarily through John Hurt’s character KANE’s eyes at first with the classic scenes featuring Ripley coming later on. Most definitely a shot-for-shot musical remake in the best possible sense with gloomy Industrial beats and trippy Electronica noises that merge into the dark abyss the Doom/Sludge Metal sounds appear.
It’s quite an in-depth and highly involving record that lasts for about an hour which could be too long for some but at least Aaron gives you plenty BANG FOR YOUR MONEY and a whole load of different sounding instrumental passages for each spellbinding chapter the record contains. The whole experience can be quite unnerving with the slow-paced and pitch black Post-Rock melodies and solid sludgy surroundings that remind me of Author & Punisher, Ministry, John Carpenter and NIN at times.
Kane And The Derelict finds real momentum on the stunning third track A Floor Of Eggs as the music is very foreboding, creepy, slow and builds up a level of mysteria within the cold hearted synths and classic video game delivery that Aaron performs with a mechanical level sense of gloomy paranoia. From this moment on, Hellvetika really starts to find their true “METAL” calling with some fantastic Post-Rock/Post-Metal delivery forming that manifests like a true “XENOMORPH” into classic Heavy Metal/Thrash Metal guitar shredding.
Imagine if David Fincher was ever given the opportunity to remake or reinvent ALIEN and collaborated with Trent Reznor for the soundtrack then this would be the awesome and highly twisted result. This album feels like he fully understands the art of filmmaking especially when he knows when to change the mood from a haunting Post-Rock/Cinematic based soundtrack to a heavier and industrial based nightmarish offering full of thuggish Sludge Metal guitars especially on track such as Chestburster, Kill It Before It Grows, The Robot Follows the Wishes of Mother and the Weyland Company, The Feeding Frenzy and In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream.
The final part of the album is where perhaps the real “Cinematic” and “Climatic” sounds appear where Ripley fully takes centre stage like the events of the film but Aaron brings his own interpretation to the album in unexpected ways which I don’t want to fully spoil but the music is beautifully constructed, arranged and delivered to a nail-biting climax.
Kane And The Derelict is a real labour of love from Aaron D.C. Edge under the Hellvetika banner of his many creative outputs. This is one of my favourite projects I’ve heard from Aaron ever since I first heard the debut album by The Lumbar Endeavour.
This is top-notch entertainment which I can’t recommend highly enough.
Words by Steve Howe
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