Not realising that ‘Of Truth & Sacrifice’ was a double album was probably the biggest school boy error I could have made; however, I grabbed the bull by the horns and pressed play, filled with anticipation for the marathon that lay ahead. I have to candidly admit that German metal core isn’t my forte, or preferred genre of choice, however, knowing how much of a powerhouse Heaven Shall Burn are when it comes to commanding the genre filled me with optimism. Heaven Shall Burn have commanded their scene over their 20 year existence and they have now returned with their 9th studio album ‘Of Truth & Sacrifice’, a behemoth of a package in the form of 2 discs, 19 tracks and a marathon 100 minutes. This release will definitely help cement it in the bands legacy, and leave an impression on our soul, either positive or negative.
The album opens with ‘March Of Retribution’ and is crushing from the outset; this instrumental lays solid foundations for the rest of the release to build upon. Tracks throughout the first disk are thrashy and rapid in their appearance, the tracks are fresh and delivered with pace and precision throughout.
There are various willing nominations as stand out tracks, even anthems to a degree, ‘Eradicate’ and ‘My Heart And The Ocean’ are stellar and ‘Protector’ is also a glimmering diamond, shining aloft its sibling tracks. Each track is constructed with elegance and passion, and each shows a degree of maturity which has evolved with the bands expansion over the years,
Real song-writing vision and intelligence is varied on the second disk and the variety leads to a sense of depth and maturity. ‘Tirpitz’ borders the more melodic end of the spectrum, whilst ‘La Resistance’ is heavy and flexes muscles which Mr World would be proud of, whilst ‘Truther’’ is savage, violent and crushing exposing a core which is truly bad to the bone.
Throughout the album, the vocals of Marcus Bischoff are guttural and harsh, whilst encompassing a solid maturity which has steadily grown throughout the bands back catalogue. Weichert and Dietz are absolute pillars on the release and the offerings created by the strings are paramount to the well-rounded and progressive nature of this beast. Pinnacle moments on the release come by way of ‘Children Of A Lesser God’ and a cover of Nuclear Assaults ‘Critical Mass’ and these tracks allow the guitarists the creative forum to really showcase their wares.
As much as the genre isn’t my go to choice, or indeed my natural persuasion, I do find myself enjoying snippets when I stray from the path, and this release is no different. The meticulous and methodical attention to detail help build the savage and rabid monster which is unleashed from its creative cage. The album is a ravenous vortex and will consume you with ease. Even if this is not your to your usual taste, I would encourage you to venture out into the wilderness and give this a go, you just might be surprised. However, if this is your usual line of work, then grab this with both hands and strap yourself in
(7/10 Phil Pountney)
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