| Welcome to Hell | |
| Cover: | Welcome_to_Hell_single_artwork.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Black Midi |
| Album: | Hellfire |
| Released: | 9 May 2022 |
| Genre: | |
| Length: | 4:09 |
| Label: | Rough Trade |
| Producer: | Marta Salogni |
| Prev Title: | Cruising |
| Prev Year: | 2021 |
| Next Title: | Eat Men Eat |
| Next Year: | 2022 |
"Welcome to Hell" is a song by English rock band Black Midi, released in 2022 as the lead single from their third studio album, Hellfire. A satirical anti-war song, "Welcome to Hell" tells the story of Tristan Bongo, a soldier who engages in hedonistic acts while on shore leave to dull the trauma he has endured during war.[1]
The song was first teased with a cryptic video on the band's youtube channel on 8 May 2022. It released a day later on 9 May 2022, coinciding with the announcement of Hellfire, with a surreal music video by Gustaf Holtenäs whom previously directed the video for "Slow" from Cavalcade.[2] The music video shares the same protagonist featured in "Slow", depicted as an incel stalking a lagomorphic woman.
Described by Consequence as having "mathy rhythm section and a searing breakdown", "Welcome to Hell" is a rock song with avant-garde and progressive elements, and an outro reminiscent of thrash metal.[3]
Frontman Geordie Greep explained in an interview the perspective of the song's narrative[4] being inspired by George S. Patton:
"Welcome to Hell" has received praise, being referred to in Pastes review of Hellfire as "arguably the album’s most concise mission statement, [and] among the finest songs the band has released to date". NMEs review held similar acclaim, calling the song "perhaps [the album's] most engrossing listen".[5] In PopMatters review, Justin Velucci wrote of "excellent, rapid-fire stops and starts courtesy of drummer Morgan Simpson’s tightly wrapped snare" and concluded "even here, there is a method to the madness, with the trio staying in rock-solid unison as notes start violently careening off the walls."[6]
The song made year-end lists as well. Evan Rytlewski wrote for Pitchfork, "Many songs have contended that war is hell; few have ever depicted that hell as crazed as this."[7] In Dig!s list, it received high praise: "Welcome To Hell should restore listeners’ faith in guitar music – black midi are its saviours."[8]