Old Enough To Know Better, Still Too Loud To Care: KATE'S ACID - Hellbender (Album Review) Released: 3/20/26
Bruges doesn't feature heavily in the history of heavy metal, but it probably should. Kate's Acid formed there in 1980 under the name Precious Page, and were among Europe's earliest speed metal outfits, releasing three albums for Giant Records between 1983 and 1985 (Acid, Maniac, and Engine Beast) before going quiet. When Kate de Lombaert brought the band back in 2019, the question wasn't whether she still had the fire that anyone who knows the records knows she's built differently, but whether a reformed outfit could offer something beyond nostalgia. With Hellbender, the answer arrives loud, fast, and firmly in the affirmative.
Full disclosure: I didn't come to this record as a detached listener. I grew up on Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motörhead, and Helloween, and when de Lombaert opened her mouth on the title track, something shifted that involuntary jolt of recognition that only certain music can produce.
The lineup on Hellbender feels genuinely cohesive around her. De Lombaert's vocals remain the centrepiece, that combination of grit and melodic command still very much intact. Geert Annys brings muscular, no-frills riffwork; Camilo "Thunder Screamer" Ortega's bass is actively combative, pushing tracks forward with low-end aggression that gives the record real weight; and Ash locks everything in with a precision that keeps even the most chaotic moments from flying apart. It's worth noting that this is a snapshot of the band at a particular moment since the recording; the lineup has shifted considerably. Gilles Reuse has stepped back to pursue his solo project, Andreas Stieglitz found it increasingly difficult to balance Kate's Acid with his other band, Speed Queen, as both moved into new releases simultaneously, and bassist Mathieu Trobec has moved on to freelance work. Ruben Rosseel, Sean RG, and Dorian Massage have since taken their respective places. Whether the chemistry holds with the new configuration remains to be heard, though the band's confidence appears undimmed.
The title track opens as a battering declaration of intent, leaning into old-school sensibilities without feeling like a museum piece. "Taking Back My Wings" is an early highlight of de Lombaert at her most commanding, the kind of song that demands a raised fist. "The Lightning Conductor" shifts pace, leaner and more urgent, nodding toward the band's speed metal roots. The midsection is where Hellbender earns most of its stripes: "Do Not Burn The Witch" is the standout, a slower, heavier, doom-inflected number that showcases a more expansive range than earlier material ever explored, while "Valkyrie" tears back into faster territory with infectious momentum. "Buccaneers" is an unapologetically fun rock 'n' roll diversion that works precisely because the band doesn't overthink it. "Stormchaser" keeps the energy relentless before "Air Raid" closes things with short, punishing directness.
Hellbender doesn't coast; it charges, and there's a conviction running through every track that goes well beyond nostalgia or competence. Some traditions are worth keeping, and some bands, it turns out, are built to last. Kate's Acid is very much one of them.
The lineup on Hellbender feels genuinely cohesive around her. De Lombaert's vocals remain the centrepiece, that combination of grit and melodic command still very much intact. Geert Annys brings muscular, no-frills riffwork; Camilo "Thunder Screamer" Ortega's bass is actively combative, pushing tracks forward with low-end aggression that gives the record real weight; and Ash locks everything in with a precision that keeps even the most chaotic moments from flying apart. It's worth noting that this is a snapshot of the band at a particular moment since the recording; the lineup has shifted considerably. Gilles Reuse has stepped back to pursue his solo project, Andreas Stieglitz found it increasingly difficult to balance Kate's Acid with his other band, Speed Queen, as both moved into new releases simultaneously, and bassist Mathieu Trobec has moved on to freelance work. Ruben Rosseel, Sean RG, and Dorian Massage have since taken their respective places. Whether the chemistry holds with the new configuration remains to be heard, though the band's confidence appears undimmed.
The title track opens as a battering declaration of intent, leaning into old-school sensibilities without feeling like a museum piece. "Taking Back My Wings" is an early highlight of de Lombaert at her most commanding, the kind of song that demands a raised fist. "The Lightning Conductor" shifts pace, leaner and more urgent, nodding toward the band's speed metal roots. The midsection is where Hellbender earns most of its stripes: "Do Not Burn The Witch" is the standout, a slower, heavier, doom-inflected number that showcases a more expansive range than earlier material ever explored, while "Valkyrie" tears back into faster territory with infectious momentum. "Buccaneers" is an unapologetically fun rock 'n' roll diversion that works precisely because the band doesn't overthink it. "Stormchaser" keeps the energy relentless before "Air Raid" closes things with short, punishing directness.
Hellbender doesn't coast; it charges, and there's a conviction running through every track that goes well beyond nostalgia or competence. Some traditions are worth keeping, and some bands, it turns out, are built to last. Kate's Acid is very much one of them.
Go give their title track a spin and take the trip back in time:
Go give them a follow on Facebook: KATE'S ACID
Check out my interview with Kate here: Kate's Acid - Interview
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