The man behind the mask
| By Rafael Elias/Hellthoven |
Looking back, I realize it was for the best that I never formed a “real” band with traditional musicians. All those garage bands from that era fell apart, faded away, disappeared without leaving a trace. But Atomic Bomb doesn’t disappear. Atomic Bomb never ends!
The name Hellthoven has been in use since 1998 and was originally created as the stage name of the vocalist behind Atomic Bomb. The word is a fusion of “Hell” and “Beethoven” — a direct homage to one of the greatest musical geniuses of all time, and an artist I’ve admired since childhood. The intention was never to create a literal meaning, but to carry a symbolic connection between extreme sound and classical brilliance.
In the early 2000s, I recorded a track titled “Hell The Oven”, which plays with the phonetic similarity of the name and could be interpreted as a contracted form (in the same way Manowar comes from Man of War). However, this is not the origin of the name.
The artistic identity Hellthoven comes strictly from the reference to Beethoven, and Hell The Oven was simply a creative experiment recorded years later.
I highlight this because Hell The Oven appears on The Grantor, the project with the widest visibility so far — including platforms like Gaanas. To avoid confusion, it’s important to clarify that the true origin of the name has always been the homage to Beethoven, not the later wordplay.
Hellthoven | Artist Identity
Hellthoven is both the artistic persona and the conceptual backbone behind all projects. It represents the creative mind, the authorial fingerprint, the human imperfection that defines the work.
While technology is used as a tool — for organization, editing or refinement — the creation itself is always human. No fully AI‑generated works, no artificial “perfection”, no algorithmic smoothing. Hellthoven stands for authenticity, experimentation and the preservation of artistic DNA.
Originally, Hellthoven was meant to replace Atomic Bomb — until the lost archives resurfaced. It felt like the project refused to die.
Hellthoven’s sound ranges from noise, and grindcore to extreme experimentation, mixing unexpected genres, always with a handmade (DIY) feel: raw recordings, direct distortions, and improvised microphones, all with an unfiltered noise aesthetic.
Noise Reigns Supreme
Below are two covers that refer to the early 2000s; the cover with the drawing is an artwork by the artist himself, Rafael (Hellthoven), and the other image was edited on Photoshop 7.0, the only metadata that was recorded.
A Story of Resilience
Doguinha wasn't born in a boardroom; she was rescued from the streets of Sumaré, São Paulo. When we found her, she was severely infested with ticks and facing a life-threatening case of tick-borne disease. The veterinarian’s face said it all: the odds were against her. But through meticulous care, daily medication, and sheer will, she made a miraculous recovery.
The Heart of the Pack
Today, she is "totally crazy" in the best way possible. She lives in perfect harmony with our senior dog and a rescued cat who truly believes Doguinha is her mother. Their bond is unique—they play, they groom each other, and the cat even brings "gifts" (from lizards to rats) as a tribute to her protector. Doguinha represents the Hellthoven spirit: no malice, pure energy, and an unbreakable will to survive. And that's because Doguinha is Hellthoven's Official Mascot.
Beyond the artistic identity, Rafael Elias is also the owner of the Brazilian company registered under CNPJ 57.139.458/0001‑43.
For international visitors: In Brazil, a CNPJ is the official registration number of a company, similar to a Business ID, Tax ID, EIN, or Company Number in other countries. It allows anyone to verify that the business is legally registered and active. Click here for public verification or emission Of registration certificate and registration form.
Email for legal issues: rmeliaspj@gmail.com