HEATHEN — Breaking the Silence (review)

HEATHEN — Breaking the Silence album cover Album · 1987 · Thrash Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Breaking the Silence" is the debut full-length studio album by US, California, Bay Area based thrash metal act Heathen. The album was released through Combat Records in May 1987. Heathen were formed in 1984 and released the "Pray for Death" demo in April 1986, which subsequently led to their recording contract with Combat Records. The original vinyl version featured 8 tracks, while the CD version features the "Heathen" bonus track.

The music on the album is "classic" US, Bay Area thrash metal albeit with a slightly more melodic sounding vocalist than usual for the genre. The riffs are fast and rhythmic, the drums pounding and there are some very well played lead guitar parts and solos in the music too. The material are well written and relatively catchy. Structurally the tracks are generally a bit formulaic with clear vers/chorus structures that are repeated, but that´s not unusual for the style. However it´s when they band break out of the formula like they do on "Open the Grave" and "World´s End" that they are most interesting. The remaining tracks are very enjoyable too though and even the inclusion of the Sweet cover "Set Me Free" works like a charm.

Heathen are a very well playing unit and the fact that they have a real singer instead of a more regular staccato shouting thrash metal vocalist, provides their music with an extra dimension. It´s mostly Forbidden I´m reminded of, but Heathen do have a sound of their own. "Breaking the Silence" is relatively well produced and overall it´s a pretty great Bay Area styled thrash metal album, and probably what most fans of the genre consider a "classic". A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Rot Stink Rip Death Metal
TOMBSTONER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Human Rosin Melodic Metalcore
HATE BREEDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Through The Hell Hardcore Punk
ENEMY 906
Buy this album from MMA partners
Lightmatter: Rebirth Deathcore
EARTHGAZER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Eye Of Horus (Lightmatter EP Pt. 2) Deathcore
EARTHGAZER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Agremorta - Adrocitas (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 5 days ago
Agremorta - Ploratus Umbra (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 5 days ago
Agremorta - Vertex Membrana (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 5 days ago
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR - The Temple Of Curved Space (Official Track Stream)
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR
adg211288· 5 days ago
In Sulfur - The Gate (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 2022
IN SULFUR
Bosh66· 6 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed