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Heaven Shall Burn

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Heaven Shall Burn

Heaven Shall Burn is a metal band from Saalfeld, Germany, formed in 1996.[2] They combine an aggressive metal sound with lyrics that show a militant support of anti-racism and fighting social injustice.[2]

Biography

Heaven Shall Burn was formed in Autumn 1996, under the name Consense. With the recording of its second demo in early 1997, the band changed its name to Heaven Shall Burn. The name is taken from a Marduk album titled "Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered". In an interview with the band at decoymusic.com, the band said, "It’s not that we’re huge Marduk fans, but we liked the name. It sounds a bit provoking and so people ask us again and again for the meaning behind our name. It has been like that since the very beginning. We use the term heaven as a metaphor for some kind of a fake paradise that people create in their heads. Some people close their eyes and don’t see the truth surrounding them. So this kind of fake heaven should burn. Some people might think that our name is an anti-religious statement, but it isn’t."[citation needed]

In 1998 the band released an MCD entitled "In Battle There Is No Law" followed by a split-LP with "Fall of Serenity" in 1999. Following these releases the band signed with Lifeforce Records, which, in 2000, released its debut album, Asunder. It was followed by a split-CD with their long-time friends Caliban in 2000 as well as 2002's album Whatever it May Take. In 2002, In Battle, there is No Law was re-released through Circulation Records.

Upon the release of Whatever it May Take, Heaven Shall Burn toured through England and South-America, and finally to Iceland. There, the band met Ólafur Arnalds, who wrote three Western-classical-style interlude parts for its album Antigone, which were "Echoes," "Risandi Von," and "Deyjandi Von." The three songs consist mostly of violin and piano, although in Echoes and Risandi Von one can hear weak noises of a war raging in the background.

In 2004, the band released "Antigone" through Century Media Records, which featured more of a melodic edge because of more harmonies and Scandinavian-style dual-guitar work. The album was produced by Patrick W. Engel and engineered by Ralf Müller at Rape of Harmony Studios, Germany. It was mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studio, Denmark.

In December 2005, guitarist Patrick Schleitzer left the band amicably. He was replaced by Alexander Dietz, who had already performed guest vocals on some of the band’s prior tracks.

In 2006, the band released Deaf to Our Prayers on Century Media Records. It was recorded and mixed by producer Jacob Hansen (Mercenary, Raunchy) and following its release, Deaf To Our Prayers entered the official LP charts in Germany at position 65 and in Greece at position 50.[citation needed] The band supported the album with touring throughout Europe on the Hell on Earth Tour featuring As I Lay Dying and Evergreen Terrace. Heaven Shall Burn toured with Caliban in December 2006 and played on festivals like the Rock Hard Festival and Wacken Open Air Festival in 2007.

The fan popular and critically acclaimed album "Whatever it May Take" saw a re-release in 2007. The entire album was a re-mix of the original recordings and contained absolutely no re-recordings or additional material, for the exception of the addition of the track "io" which was a long forgotten acoustic piece played by Patrick Schleitzer. The album was marked with new art work and a new song order.

In February 2008, Iconoclast (Part One: The Final Resistance) was released to positive reviews from critics and fans alike. The album lyrically reviews subjects such as Laicism, Nietzsche’s “God is dead” philosophy, heroes of the German Resistance in World War II and their country’s ongoing struggle to reconcile with its past.This is a concept album and each song is related to the story of the Iconoclast, a breaker or destroyer of images, esp. those set up for religious veneration.[3]

In May 2009, Heaven Shall Burn released their first DVD, Bildersturm - Iconoclast II (The Visual Resistance). The DVD contains footage of two concerts; Summerbreeze Festival in Germany and Vienna, Austria, both performed in 2008. A bonus CD was released with live performances from both concerts, as well as special features and documentary footage.

According to their twitter they have recently started writing new material for their next record [4].

Cover songs

Heaven Shall Burn are also rather "cover-friendly", insofar most of their releases include at least one cover song. Until now the band has covered Day of Suffering ("The Eternal Jihad"), Abhinanda ("Competition by Hatred"), Bolt Thrower ("The IVth Crusade"), Liar ("Battlecries"), Caliban ("One More Lie"), Point of No Return ("Casa de Caboclo"), Disembodied ("Dislocation"), Hate Squad ("Not My God"), Die Skeptiker ("Straßenkampf"), Merauder ("Downfall of Christ"), Endstand ("Destroy Fascism"), Edge of Sanity ("Black Tears"), Paradise Lost ("True Belief") and Tiamat ("Whatever That Hurts").

Members

Current members

  • Marcus Bischoff – vocals
  • Maik Weichert – guitar
  • Alexander Dietz – guitar
  • Eric Bischoff – bass
  • Matthias Voigt – drums

Session members

  • Patrick W. Engel – bass on "Whatever It May Take"
  • Andre Moraweck – live vocals
  • Christian Bass – live drums
  • John Gahlert – live vocals

Discography

Studio albums

DVD

  • 2009: Bildersturm – Iconoclast II (The Visual Resistance) - contains live material from Summer Breeze 2008 and a live performance in Vienna (September 2008).

Others

  • 1999: Heaven Shall Burn / Fall of Serenity - Split with Fall of Serenity
  • 2001: The Split Program - Split with Caliban
  • 2002: In Battle... (There Is No Law) - Best of/Compilation
  • 2005: Tsunami Benefit CD-Single - Split
  • 2005: The Split Program II - Split with Caliban
  • 2007: Voces Del Underground - Compilation
  • 2008: A Century Of Classics - Century Media compilation
  • 2008: Century Media: Covering 20 Years Of Extremes - Century Media bands covering each other

References

  1. ^ a b c Heaven Shall Burn biography @ MusicMight
  2. ^ a b c Rivadavia, Ed. "Heaven Shall Burn > Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  3. ^ "http://www.decibelmagazine.com/reviews/apr2008/heavenshallburn.aspx?terms=Iconoclast&searchtype=2&fragment=True"
  4. ^ Heaven Shall Burn's Official Twitter
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