A potent mix of Melodic Death Metal, some Folk Metal features, and some, but very small dashes of Symphonic Metal. That’s what Heaven Shall Burn with “Heimat” deliver the fan. The band deals very well with the emotion that should be part of any Melodic Death Metal album with the aggression that should be part of any Metal album. The guitars avoid the standard NWOBHM parts using, instead, other Metal and non-metal structures. This gives the album a more off standard feeling. Of course, the general mood is untouched, but the little details give it that ‘what is it’ mood. Sometimes the guitars address to the mighty Saxon as in “Ten Days in May.” However, the more surprising track is “Numbered Days“ with is “Rage Against the Machine” intent with some modern Metal vocals.
The violin inpsired “Ad Arma” opens up the album giving it some peculiar mood that is soon changed by the Symphonic Metal drenched “War Is the Father of All” and its classical choruses. In another plot twist, the track goes to a mix of Melodic Death Metal with Metalcore, which, by the way, even though I do not like Metalcore, the dough got pretty tastefull. From the beginning, “War Is the Father of All” is the track that gives away Heaven Shall Burn’s musical signature, that is, the aforementioned mix. I find it interesting the way the band deals with the unpexpected and the surprising in their music. It is so that with “My Revocation Of Compliance“ everything changes with a more soaring vocal and more aggressive instrumentals. Following track “Confounder“ is the one which adds some more spice to the cooking with some electronic effects and a more Metalcore oriented instrumentals with, by the way, is intertwined with the Melodic Death Metal way of adding melodies. I cannot help it to say that this “Heimat” is a very interesting and, somehow, surprising album. This mix of the melodic guitars lines and the desperate vocals is something that gets the fan by the guts. The plot has another twist with the raging “Empowerment” and its anthemic chorus. Here the band uses the guitars pretty well giving them that NWOBHM mood.
For “Heimat,” the press release informs Heaven Shall Burn enlisted the renowned artist Eliran Kantor for the artwork, who previously crafted the artwork for “Of Truth and Sacrifice.” The centerpiece of the impressive triptych is a rearing stag – in its roaring variant a classic motif of wildlife painting, the epitome of kitsch and trivial art from the 19th and 20th centuries and interpreted by some as a symbol of patriarchy and capitalist competition, but here placed as a vital allegory of resistance amid an apocalyptic scene. He is flanked by a hunting lynx and a watchful owl, which complete the highly symbolic artwork concept as further elements of the triptych. As with “Of Truth and Sacrifice,” the band worked together with composer, producer and
director Sven Helbig and conductor Wilhelm Keitel, this time supported by the Mondëna Quartet and the Ukrainian Sophia Chamber Choir.
“Heimat” is a suprising hell of an album with many plot twists that may astonish the fan. It is an album done with huge gaps between the mood of some tracks as from “Those Left Behind” to “Ten Days In May.” Highly recommended.
“Heimat” Heaven Shall Burn will be released on June 27th via Century Media Records.
Track Listing:
- Ad Arma
- War Is the Father of All
- My Revocation Of Compliance
- Confounder
- Empowerment
- A Whisper From Above
- Imminence
- Those Left Behind
- Ten Days In May
- Numbered Days (feat. Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage)
- Dora
- A Silent Guard
- Inter Arma
Watch “My Revocation of Compliance” official lyric video here:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!