Death by Hanging
Goblins Blade
Open the Grave
Pray for Death
Set me Free
Breaking the Silence
World's End
Save the Skull
Heathen (CD-only)
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Doug Piercy played by ANVIL CHORUS, EXODUS
and LEGACY before founding HEATHEN together with Carl Sacco (ex-Metal
Church), David Godfrey (ex-Blind Illusion) and bass-player Eric Wong (who
soon was replaced by Mike Jastremski). In 1987 HEATHENs debut record was
released, and there never was an album-title fitting any better: HEATHEN
are "Breaking the Silence" like it was never broken before,
they unleash a storm of fiery steel that blows aways all wimps and posers
and takes fans of Melodic Speed/Thrash or hard Power Metal straight to
the sky!! Hard, powerful but always very melodic, simply a perfect album
that deserves 11 points out of 10. In my opinion this is the best Bay
Area Thrash Metal album, nothing less!!
Every track is a killer, the thrashy >Save the Skull<, the furious
>Pray for Death<, >World's End< with it's accoustic begin
that turns into a Speed Metal mayhem with a chorus that burns a mark into
your brain, the title track itself and above all >Gobins Blade<,
that is one of the ten best metal-tracks ever: Galloping fast hypnotic
Speed Metal with a melody that will haunt you in your dreams, fantasy
lyrics that inherent a power and force not easy to describe: You will
know what I mean when you hear David Godfrey sing the magical tunes
"Walking the path of no return - lurks the evil that within
Shattered dreams of many men - who tried to cross the bridge of sin
I am the one who lives to tell the tale - of the mystical demon that once
impaled
the murders of many brought fear to the land - this mystical menace I
will slay in the end..."
Well, to know if he can complete his task you just need to buy the record.
You will be richly rewarded with some of the best metal that ever has
been forged in the fires of pure emotional music on this dirty planet...
This album was not a megaseller and that is a SHAME. I guess everyone
reading this owns the album, otherwise you now have a record that deserved
the FIRST place on your wants-list, no matter what other stuff is written
on it so far.
In 1986 before "Breaking the Silence" HEATHEN released the fantastic
demo-tape "Pray for Death". Featuring the tracks >Pray for
Death<, >Goblins Blade<, >Open the Grave<, >Heathen<
(which also is the Bonus-track of "Breaking..." CD), >Deaf
in the Silence< (first version of later title-track) and >World's
End<.
Their second and goddamned last record is from 1991, entitled "Victims
of Deception". Nearly as great as their debut and also a must to
have, of course! It has a better sound, over-the-top tracks as the riff-massacre
>Opiate for the Masses<, the
chilling Speed version of RAINBOWS "Kill the King" (better than
LIEGE LORDs version, better than COMMANDERs version, and even better than
the original believe it or not...), the varied Power Metal track >Prisoners
of Fate< with it's slow balladesque beginning or the highlight itself
>Timeless cell of Prophecy< (essential CD-only-bonustrack and best
song on the album!). Bay Area thrash Metal never sounded better, but the
album will also please Speed and even Power Metal fans because of the
melodic vocals!
There has been some line-up changes in the time HEATHEN existed that I
am tired to mention.
The end for HEATHEN has come in 1992 when Lee Altus and Darren Minter
(drums, since 1987) left the band to join the horrible electro-metal band
DIE KRUPPS. Before that an EP with cover-verions has been recorded and
anounced but was never released due to the split.
But there's no need to sigh about the end of another legendary band. Two
metallic monuments remain and will never be forgotten!! All hail, HEATHEN,
true emperors of the Bay Area Metal!!! You will live forever in our hearts...
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