Heathen's comeback album gets a reissue
Heathen, are not best known for their output. Since 1984 they have only released four albums and it's been a decade since their last. As they finally announce that they are heading back into the studio, it seems a fitting time to remaster and reissue their so-called comeback album.
It may be brain-rattlingly heavy in places, but there are hidden layers that you may have missed the first time around. Take the sitar on the Intro that Lee Altus adapts for his guitar work on Dying Season. And the semi-operatic vocal from David White and the duel guitars on No Stone Unturned could almost pass for a Maiden track from the same epoch.
They also handle the softer moments on the album with ease. Red Tears of Disgrace being an obvious example of classical guitar being used to create an atmosphere. So much of this album is about creating a solid atmospheric base for the songs, (which still stand up by the way) rather than just making a wall of sound.
It still feels overly long, but there is plenty to make your ears perk up. One hidden gem is Seasons of Purgatory, a track recorded with the late Jon Torres. Indeed, the song itself floundered in limbo band never found the right melody to fit. On revisiting the album for the release the band decided that it should be added. Despite not having vocals riding over the top, the track makes a powerful instrumental before segueing into the equally epic Silent Nothingness.
The band never achieved the commercial success of other thrash bands from the period, partly due to line up changes and let's be honest, the music biz is so fast-paced that such sporadic releases is something that only Kate Bush can pull off. Still, quantity doesn't equal quality and The Evolution of Chaos has a lot offer.
The release will be available on CD/DVD, 2LP and digitally with a previously unreleased bonus track ‘Seasons of Purgatory’. The CD/DVD will be accompanied by a 2 hour ‘Making of’ documentary on the album as well as a live performance from 2009s Thrash Domination, Japan.
Comments