Germany's Heaven Shall Burn have been steadily building momentum since 1997, and there's no doubt that they have reached the highpoint of their career so far with Iconoclast (Part 1: The Final Resistance), a truly rip-snortin' & brutal collection of melodic death metal, thrash, and hardcore. Borrowing the best from the early Gothenburg scene (Dark Tranquility, In Flames, At the Gates) and adding in their own thrash-core spin, Heaven Shall Burn offer up a refreshing take on the modern metal scene that's usually too crowded with band's that sound stale and identical. Trust me, there's nothing stale or redundant here on Iconoclast (Part 1: The Final Resistance), an album brimming with tasty harmony guitar lines, brutal, at times technical riffing, sledgehammer drum work, and the deliciously evil growls of Marcus Bischoff. Yes, it's a damn heavy album, extreme on all fronts, but these guys are so melodic every step of the way it makes for a perfect balance. Hard to pick favorites or highlights as there's not a dud in the bunch, but standout tracks include the crushing instrumental "Atonement", the manic "Endzeit", the intense gallop of "Forlorn Skies" (featuring some sick drum work and brutal vocal growls), the screaming insanity of "Joel", and the complex ripper "A Dying Ember". The band even throws in the occasional atmospheric interlude or segue piece that really adds a nice calming touch to what is ultimately a very brutal and bombastic album.
Produced by the band with mixing & mastering done by the acclaimed Tue Madsen, Iconoclast (Part 1: The Final Resistance) is a great sounding extreme metal release, and sure to be a huge hit with fans of the genre here in 2008. Now, if only we can get this German juggernaut over here to the USA for some live shows...
Track Listing
01. "Awoken" - 01:29
02. "Endzeit" - 04:18
03. "Like A Thousand Suns" - 03:46
04. "Murderers Of The Murderers" - 03:55
05. "Forlorn Skies" - 04:51
06. "A Dying Ember" - 06:57
07. "Joel" - 05:04
08. "Quest For Resistance" - 04:51
09. "Black Tears (Edge Of Sanity Cover)" - 03:06
10. "The Bombs Of My Saviours" - 04:22
11. "Against All Lies" - 05:09
12. "The Disease" - 02:47
13. "Equinox" - 03:10
14. "Atonement" - 4:35
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