British 19th Century painter John Collier famously depicted the Lady Godiva as she - according to legend - rode naked through the streets of 11th century Coventry in a silent, yet powerful protest against her husband's unjustly harsh treatment of his people. The fair lady adorns the cover of Heaven Shall Burn's new album, 'VETO', and this makes sense. Lyrically, Heaven Shall Burn is one of those bands who have something to say about the world of today. Yes, they protest! And they're damned good at it, too.
In my view, Heaven Shall Burn crush all the competition right now. Everything they do is right. 'VETO' is a beast of an album. Plainly speaking.
Their breadth is awesome if you consider at one end the beauty of the intros to Godiva and Beyond Redemption, the melodic mastery also in Godiva and at the other end the death metal juggernaut Like Gods Among Mortals which is done in the style of HSB's old favourites, Bolt Thrower. And then of course also consider the furious metalcore that in some way forms a basis of Heaven Shall Burns' music.
Intelligently brutal, crushingly heavy and in instances damned catchy, I find it hard not to love this album. The cover of Blind Guardian's Valhalla (including Hansi!) is worth the price of the entire CD (download, if you're that kind of person) in itself!
I don't particularly like the expression 'instant classic', but this album is in my view in the premier league of what's out there right now. There are very few above Heaven Shall Burn at this moment in time.
