Hellbastard, an English crust punk and thrash metal band from Newcastle upon Tyne, was formed in 1984. Their first performance was delayed due to scheduling issues but eventually took place in Newcastle alongside Satanic Malfunctions. In 1986, Hellbastard released their debut demo, Ripper Crust, which attracted attention from labels like Peaceville Records and Gore Records. The band's debut album, Heading for Internal Darkness, was released in 1988 on Meantime Records. They released their next album, Natural Order, under Earache Records in 1990. After a series of tours and lineup changes, Hellbastard disbanded in 1992. The band reformed in 2008 with Lewty at the helm and released The Need to Kill in 2009.
