It’s not often that a band stays this consistent after ten albums. But Heimat proves Heaven Shall Burn still have something to say – and more importantly, something to shout. Formed in Thuringia, Germany, HSB have been carrying the torch for politically conscious metalcore since the late ’90s, and on Heimat, they double down on both the brutality and the message.

The album title alone is a provocation. In Germany, Heimat doesn’t just mean “home” – it can be tied to nationalism and right-wing identity. That’s exactly why Heaven Shall Burn put it front and centre. The artwork, featuring a screaming deer in a burning forest, offers no subtlety. This is a band that doesn’t back down.

Musically, Heimat blends the familiar with the evolved. Opener War Is The Father Of All starts with orchestral weight and builds into a grooving, aggressive march – something you could imagine on The Blackening or Burn My Eyes. Elsewhere, Confounder pushes into melo-death territory with slick, catchy leads. It’s no secret they’ve leaned into melody, but the results are effective. Tracks like Empowerment borrow cheekily from Danzig’s Mother in the intro, but it quickly veers into stomping deathcore.

There’s still plenty of punch. Ten Days In May and Dora will satisfy fans of their earlier, heavier Bolt Thrower-inspired material. A Whisper From Above leans more toward classic HSB metalcore – furious, familiar, and effective. Then there’s Numbered Days, a Killswitch Engage cover with Jesse Leach himself on vocals. It’s one of the most straightforward metalcore tracks here, and yes, it’s heavier than the original.

The production by Tue Madsen is as tight as ever, though Eric Bischoff’s bass could have used more room in the mix. Still, the record moves with power and clarity. Marcus Bischoff’s vocals are as commanding as ever on record, even as he takes time off to recover from a recent infection. For the upcoming shows, Britta Görtz (Hiraes) will be stepping in as live vocalist.

Lyrically and thematically, Heimat is exactly what Heaven Shall Burn fans want: a defiant statement in dark times. Where others posture, they commit. Where others drift, they stay rooted.

Releasedate: 27-06-2025 | Label: Century Media Records | Instagram

Tracklist:
01. Ad Arma
02. War Is The Father Of All
03. My Revocation Of Compliance
04. Confounder
05. Empowerment
06. A Whisper From Above
07. Imminence
08. Those Left Behind
09. Ten Days In May
10. Numbered Days (Killswitch Engage Cover)
11. Dora
12. A Silent Guard
13. Inter Arma