Redemthor is a Colombian metal band founded in 2004 in Rionegro, Antioquia, by guitarist and vocalist Mike Hellawaits. From the outset, the band forged a sound that was unprecedented on the national scene: a fusion of thrash metal with philosophical storytelling and cinematic scope, which they themselves dubbed ‘Ultimate Metal’.
Their first milestone came that same year, with an appearance on CityTV Bogotá’s Mucha Música programme, where they performed a video segment based on Total Darkness, the dystopian story written by Hellawaits that would give its name to one of their most ambitious projects. Shortly afterwards, they recorded their debut EP, The Red Tormenthor Project, at Syntelia Sound Records (Carmen de Viboral), establishing themselves as pioneers of Ultimate Metal in Colombia.
Over the following decade, Redemthor built a name for themselves on the national metal scene with explosive performances in Medellín, Bogotá, Manizales and Cartagena, including appearances at festivals such as Rock al Río (2009–2010). The current line-up, with Zion Soid on drums and Felipe Silva on bass, evolved alongside Hellawaits’ vision into something greater than a conventional band.
In 2023, Redemthor made a decision that marks a turning point in their history: to put live performances on hold to focus fully on the development of the video game Total Darkness, coming soon to PC (Steam / itch.io). The game is the interactive realisation of the universe the band has been building for two decades: Redemthor’s music becomes the soundtrack to an immersive narrative experience where the player inhabits the band’s own story, making decisions that determine the fate of humanity in the face of Xlerion, an artificial intelligence that challenges the cosmic balance.
Total Darkness is not a video game with background music. It is an album you play. A story you live. The first transmedia project in Colombian metal.
Redemthor is currently based in Chía, Cundinamarca, with an active presence on social media and digital platforms. Their community includes metalheads, gamers and storytellers united by a message that has remained unchanged since 2004: rebellion with soul, art with consequences.
