Founded in 2011 by lifelong friends Eric and Clee, Hellbender was born out of a shared passion for the heavy sounds of legends like Maiden, Scorpions, and Metallica. Our mission was clear: create a band that delivers unapologetically heavy music.

In 2014, we joined forces with long-time ally Dollar Bill and recorded our debut EP, "Steal, Blood and Bone." From there, we took the San Francisco Bay Area by storm, quickly building a dedicated local following.

By August 2013, Hellbender released our second EP, "Falling Down," produced by Nick Botello and Julian Kidd. Two music videos from this release catapulted us into the spotlight, securing a West Coast tour with the legendary Destruction. We also had the honor of performing at the now-infamous "Death Angel Christmas Show" at Slim's in San Francisco.

Fast forward to 2019, Hellbender leveled up with the addition of drummer Rob Rampy of DRI fame. With the same production dream team behind "Falling Down," we unleashed our first full-length album, "American Nightmare." Our music video for "Rosa," produced by Mike Sloat and Roaring Mouse Productions, was a hit, and we were crowned "Best Metal Band" in Sonoma County by The Bohemian.

After weathering the storm of COVID-19, Hellbender regrouped in 2022, adding Sonoma County legend Eric Strand on drums. In April, we claimed victory as the Bay Area finalists in the worldwide 2023 "Battle for Wacken" contest. Our journey led us to collaborate with Craig Locicero and Chris Kontos of Forbidden fame. With Zack Ohren on board, we entered Shark Bite Studios in Oakland and recorded our latest EP, "Skumlordz," in November 2023—a project we're incredibly proud of.

Hellbender continues to push the boundaries of heavy music, with our latest video for "Mirror Black" once again brought to life by Mike Sloat. This is just the beginning—join us on our relentless journey to redefine metal!