Heathen "Empire Of The Blind"

Empire of the Blind is the fourth studio album by American thrash metal band Heathen, released on September 18, 2020. It is the band's first album in 11 years, following The Evolution of Chaos (2009), the first to feature Jason Mirza and Jim DeMaria on bass and drums respectively, and their first release on Nuclear Blast.

Although recording had not officially commenced until 2019, Heathen began working on the follow-up to The Evolution of Chaos in 2012 after they signed to Nuclear Blast. For the remaining seven years, the band was sidetracked by lineup changes, individual projects, and guitarist Kragen Lum filling in for Gary Holt in Exodus whenever Holt was touring with Slayer. In a September 2020 interview with KMUW radio, Lum recalled: "By about 2014 I had half the record completely demoed with vocals and everything. I continued to write over the next few years but I more or less too busy to demo it and properly finish the songs. I was touring with Exodus pretty heavily from about 2015 until 2019. Whenever we had a long enough break, I would work on stuff but it just really wasn't until last year where I had enough time to finish writing and I had more than enough for an album. There's a song that we actually didn't even record."

Track listing

All tracks are written by Kragen Lum.

1. "This Rotting Sphere" (instrumental) 1:44
2. "The Blight" 4:38
3. "Empire of the Blind" 5:51
4. "Dead and Gone" 3:56
5. "Sun in My Hand" 4:54
6. "Blood to Be Let" 3:36
7. "In Black" 4:38
8. "Shrine of Apathy" 4:58
9. "Devour" 3:34
10. "A Fine Red Mist" (instrumental) 5:15
11. "The Gods Divide" 3:35
12. "Monument to Ruin" (instrumental) 0:37

Total length: 47:16

Recording information:

Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered at Planet-Z Studios, Hadley, MA.

Drums recorded at Dexter's Lab, Milford, CT.

Vocals, bass and additional guitars recorded at Planet-Z.

Gary Holt and Rick Hunolt solos recorded at Trident Studio, Pacheco, CA.

Doug Piercy solo recorded at Pyramid Studio, San Francisco, CA.

Heathen "Victims Of Deception"

Victims of Deception is the second album by the American thrash metal band Heathen, which was released in 1991 by Roadrunner Records. It was re-issued by Metal Mind Productions in 2006, as a digipak in a limited amount of 2,000 numbered copies.

The bonus track "Hellbound" is a cover of Tygers of Pan Tang. The intro of "Hypnotized" features excerpts from a speech by evangelist Jim Jones. It was the band's last studio album for 18 years until the 2009 release of The Evolution of Chaos.

Heathen's lineup changes, tours and financial issues stalled the recording process of this album, which lasted from 1989 to 1991. The band began work on the album in 1988 after David White was replaced by former Exodus singer Paul Baloff.

After recording a demo with Baloff in the fall of 1988, the band broke up after the departure bassist Mike "Yaz" Jastremski, but reunited some time later, with former Metal Church singer David Wayne replacing Baloff and Manny Bravo replacing Yaz. Wayne's tenure with Heathen lasted for only a few days, and White soon returned to the band. Bravo would also leave the band; he was replaced by Blind Illusion bassist Vern McEllroy. The lineup of White, Altus, Piercy, McEllroy and Minter recorded a demo in March 1989, and entered the studio later that year to begin recording their second album under the name Fear of the Unknown, which was intended to be released in 1990. However, due to monetary problems, the album's release was delayed. When the album was recorded again, Heathen did not have an official bass player; the bass tracks were handled by Blind Illusion guitarist/frontman Marc Biedermann. The band had many bassists on this tour and album including Randy Laire, formerly of Sacramento California based band Vision.

Singles were released for the cover of Rainbow's "Kill the King" and "Prisoners of Fate".

This album is considerably more technical and progressive than its predecessor. It features many tempo changes, complex song structures, odd time signatures, longer song lengths, and more frequent guitar solos. It is considered among the most technical thrash albums ever, and part of the so-called "technical/progressive thrash" movement of the late 1980s, early 1990s (other pivotal albums in this era [chronologically] included Metallica's ...And Justice for All, Toxik's Think This, Watchtower's Control and Resistance, Megadeth's Rust in Peace, Dark Angel's Time Does Not Heal, Coroner's Mental Vortex, and Deathrow's Deception Ignored).

Track listing

Side A

1. "Hypnotized" Lee Altus, David White 8:35
2. "Opiate of the Masses" Altus, White 7:50
3. "Heathen's Song" Altus, White, Jim Sanguinetti 9:27
4. "Kill the King" (Rainbow cover) Ritchie Blackmore, Ronnie James Dio, Cozy Powell 3:35

Side B

1. "Fear of the Unknown" Altus, White 7:08
2. "Prisoners of Fate" Altus, White 6:21
3. "Morbid Curiosity" Doug Piercy, White 6:28
4. "Guitarmony" (instrumental) Piercy 3:31
5. "Mercy Is No Virtue" Altus, White 6:29

Total length: 59:24

Recording information:

• Recorded at:

　- Studio D in Sausalito, CA, USA.

　- Cloud Nine Studios in Chico, CA, USA.

　- Bayview Studios in Richmond, CA, USA.

　- Hyde St. Studios in San Francisco, CA, USA.

• Mixed at Hyde St. Studios in San Francisco, CA, USA.

• Mastered at Future Disc in Hollywood, CA, USA.

Heathen "Breaking The Silence"

Heathen is an American thrash metal band originating from the San Francisco Bay Area, active from 1984 to 1993 and again from 2001 onwards. Despite never achieving commercial success, the band is often credited – alongside Exodus, Testament, Forbidden, Death Angel and Vio-lence – as one of the leaders of the Bay Area thrash metal scene of the mid-to-late 1980s, and they have gone through several line-up changes, leaving guitarist Lee Altus as the only constant member. 

Breaking the Silence is the debut album by American thrash metal band Heathen, released in 1987 by Combat Records. As of 1987, the album sold about 100,000 copies worldwide.

Track listing

Side A

1. "Death by Hanging" 5:04
2. "Goblin's Blade" 4:34
3. "Open the Grave" 7:22
4. "Pray for Death" 3:42

Side B

1. "Set Me Free" (Sweet cover) 3:46
2. "Breaking the Silence" 5:51
3. "World's End" 7:05
4. "Save the Skull" 5:22

Total length: 42:46

CD bonus track

1. "Heathen" 6:33

Total length: 49:19

The 1999 CD reissue by Century Media Records was manufactured in two countries with different barcodes, matrix numbers, master(ing) and mould SID codes. Same labelcode. Barcodes starting with 7: Czech Republic, barcode starting with 5: Germany.

Recording information:

Drum tracks recorded at Studio D, Sausalito, CA, other tracks recorded at Music Annex, Menlo Park, CA.

Hayagriva "Descendant XII"

Hayagriva was formed by Mantheravathee (guitar) and Nhajasakthee (drums) in their hometown Ipoh, Malaysia in 1993.

Aavimarga (vocals) and Venkhateswehra (keyboard) later joined to complete the line-up in 1994.

After a year rehearsal, a debut demo entitled “Thy Lord of Never-Ending Wrath” was unleashed on the May 1st, 1995, under the style of Dark Shadow Metal.

Some members play in the gothic metal band Amethyst (Mys).

Compilation Appearances

- "The Gate", "The Wicca of Hayagriva" on Still Supreme Epic I Tape 1997

- "Withered Lotus of Hayagrivous Eden" on Eastern Hellhymns Compilation Vol. 1Tape 1997 (self released)

- "The Lord of Oneness" on Black Tears of Death Vol. IV Tape 1999 (Black Tears)

- "Jahanamiyun" on Orkest Khejham CDr 2007 (Kayangan Distro)

Descendant XII is their second full-length, released January 1st, 2012.

Track list:

1. Descendant XII 01:22
2. Is It Time for Me to Die? 04:33   
3. Heavenly of Red Heaven 05:41  
4. Poem of Thy Return 07:11  
5. Forgotten Soldiers 06:47  
6. Deep Breath Before the Plunge 03:26
7. Unseen Planet 05:00  
8. Al Masihks Magick 05:18   
9. Arrivals of the End !!! 06:08  
10. Emperor Awaits 05:00
11. Supreme Deception Order 02:11

Total time:  52:37  

Distributed in Singapore by: Heavy Metal Tribune Distribution

Hate "Tremendum"

Hate is a blackened death metal band from Poland. The band was formed in 1990 by guitarist and vocalist Adam "ATF Sinner" Buszko, guitarist Quack and drummer Mittloff. The band lineup has changed many times over the years, and currently consists solely of Adam Buszko and drummer Paweł Jaroszewicz. They have released twelve full-length studio albums to date, as well as a number of early demos and EPs.

Tremendum is their tenth full-length, released May 5th, 2017.

Track list:

1. Asuric Being 05:46
2. Indestructible Pillar 04:21   
3. Svarog's Mountain 05:05   
4. Numinosum 05:39
5. Fidelis ad Mortem 04:55
6. Into Burning Gehenna 04:24  
7. Sea of Rubble 04:25
8. Ghostforce 03:57   
9. Walk Through Fire 06:21
10. Hearts of Steel 04:56   

Total time:   49:49  

Recording information:

Recorded at Custom34 Studio and Sound Division Studio, Warsaw

Mastered at Efektura Studio.