Well, it’s been a long 3 years since the release of True English Black Metal. Now, finally, here we are with the much anticipated sophomore album by UK Black Metal legends, Heathen Deity.
The album opens with a haunting intro, Hark! Ravens cry, with some lovely acoustic guitars, (a theme that continues throughout), adding some lovely rich tones and medieval atmospheres… building up to some military march style drums and clean chants….
And then no messing around, straight into some blistering trademark UKBM… Embrace The Essence Of Satan (and they certainly do). Frantic guitars and blasting drums, crowned by Dagon’s terrifying screeching… A great track to open, and 100% Heathen Deity undoubtedly from the start.
Track 3, The Swine leads The Swine, starts off with lovely doomy riffs, and then straight back into it, full speed satanic madness with some killer guitar riffs. Not the longest on the album, but at nearly 8 minutes, quite an epic song. Perfectly done.
Track 4, the title track and one of my favourites, is another rip-roaring sonic rampage. Head first into fast tremolo riffs and these fantastic blasting drums…. And then it steamrollers its way through to a much welcomed and excellently orchestrated acoustic guitar part with male choirs to give a rest and lull you into that false sense of calm, before the train hits you again…. A brilliantly worked song with fantastic tempo and atmosphere changes…
Fuckin’ Worthless is next up, the first single from the album ….a slightly slower affair, again, with more stand out drumming and catchier riffs, as Dagon spews forth his blasphemies…. Then building into a furious diabolical crescendo… Definitely a more radio-friendly track. This will be a killer live.
Track 6, Chapel Of Filth really slows it down and takes the listener off into darker bygone times… a great acoustic composition. This album is full of these layered acoustic guitars as I said before, and it really does give it character. A perfect balance between speed and tranquility. The male choirs in this track are also very ghostly.. I usually don’t like clean vocals in BM, but these are done in a haunting, Gregorian chant style that complements the atmosphere so well.
And here we go again.. break neck speed like a Black Metal tornado….. The Son Of Obscurity picks it straight back up …. Perhaps the fastest on the album, and definitely the heaviest… Another superb acoustic change to drop the tempo in the middle ... Heathen Deity do that so well.
The follow up, For Thine Is The Kingdom, is another acoustic piece, beautifully played and written. Again, absorbing the listener, like a medieval time slip… an excellent composition with great finger picking. I shall say it once again, this album is rich in these amazing acoustic parts, and it really makes it.
Satane Albion opens with more acoustic guitar (but DO NOT be deceived).. and slowly builds up into an epic, anthem like hymn to The Dark Lord…. A slower doomier, piece, and at over 8 minutes, one of the longest tracks on the album… I can see this becoming a regular scream along at gigs…
The album closes with Burning Angel Wings… another gentle build up, before it breaks out into full blown high speed Heathenry…. Dagon produces some truly diabolical screams in this, enough to send a shiver down a man’s spine…. The longest on the album, this is a spectacular curtain closer… Encore!
Overall, this is a real stand out album. One that really shines. Amazing orchestration, especially the acoustic guitars. They really give the tracks a character of their own and such a fitting atmosphere. I understand that a session drummer played on these tracks. Whoever he is, he’s top notch. A1. The guitar and bass work is also brilliant 2 great guitarists who clearly have an understanding between them and go together like hellfire and The Devil. And then there is the vocalist… definitely his best work to date. Truly terrifying in places.
One of the best albums of the year by far. I will be pre ordering the vinyl immediately.
Due 30th November on the legendary UK label, Cult Never Dies. Don’t miss it.
https://www.cultneverdies.com/
https://heathendeity.bandcamp.com/
1. Hark! The Ravens Cry
2. Embrace the Essence of Satan - Ephesians 6:66
3. The Swine Lead the Swine
4. Satan’s Kingdom
5. Fucking Worthless
6. Chapel of Filth
7. The Son of Obscurity
8. For Thine is the Kingdom
9. Satanae Albion
10. Burning Angel Wing