Year: 2020
Total Time: 47:16
Label: Nuclear Blast
Bay Area, HEATHEN, EXODUS, DIE KRUPPS. Which is the connecting link between all of them? Well, who else rather than Lee Altus, the iconic guitarist who has also participated in ANGELWITCH, MORDRED and in MEGADETH’s auditions for a new guitarist back in 1989 when, according to rumors, he declined the offer due to Mustaine’s drug addiction at that time. Even though HEATHEN exist from 1984, they aren’t quite active since they’ve released only three LPs. So, “Empire Of The Blind” is their fourth effort, presenting almost an album per decade.
Although they have not reached the peak of Bay Area like other famous likeminded groups and didn’t get the proper recognition, they still remain loyal to their principles, performing pure Bay Area Thrash metal, full of passion and porosity. “Empire Of The Blind” will take you back in time through a modern touch of the production and the synthetic-yet executive ability of the band’s members. “Dead And Gone” and “The Gods Divide” show us how Thrash Metal is played in 2020 with razor sharped guitar riffs, unique collaboration of the rhythm section, politicked lyrics and melodies that suddenly appear from the unexpected. When the venues will open again and HEATHEN decide to perform live, “Empire Of The Blind” will wreck a lot of necks in the moshpits, while “Shrine Of Apathy”, a Thrash metal ballad (forgive me for this definition) gives the opportunity to David White (actually is the same person with Dave Godfrey who sang in “Breaking The Silence” debut back in 1987) to unfold his vocal variation and grant us with some melodic moments.
“Empire Of The Blind” is a tribute to Bay Area Thrash with modern production and synthetic perfection. It is a record to have fun time, to perform headbanging and to realize that those veterans are still able to kick some @sses. But that’s all. They won’t make you “worry” about anything, despite the lyrics and their non-existent periodicity will prevent you from following this group. This record was written between 2012 and 2014, revealed in 2020 and is an honest effort, but Thrash Metal has evolved into something more essential and creative. Let’s hope that HEATHEN will release a new record before this new decade ends.
Rating: 7/10
Editor: Dimos Karadimos
Related Link: HEATHEN – Facebook Page
