Emerging from New York City's Lower East Side in an era when loud and fast ruled the scene, Hellbent forged a unique and innovative sound mixing equal parts of ferocious Discharge-inspired hardcore with the pummeling heaviness of metal bands like Venom and Motorhead, all steeped in a heavy dose of macabre lyrics and imagery. The band existed from mid-1983 to mid-1984, and during that brief window they managed to record two sessions at Don Fury's famous Demo Demo Studios, and score opening slots on a handful of high-profile gigs with likes of Discharge,
The Exploited, and Samhain's first ever live appearance, as well as many other smaller shows around New York City. After Hellbent's breakyup, guitarist Vic Venom would go on to join Reagan Youth, and eventually form Sacrilege, who later morphed into NYC crust stalwarts Nausea. Drummer Brian Damage also did time with LA punk legends Verbal Abuse, as well as a brief stint with the Misfits,
which culminated in their legendary final performance at Detroit's Graystone Hall.
