Formed exactly three decades ago, Heaven Shall Burn are a German extreme metal band whose brutal and melodic music appeals to hardcore, thrash and death metal fans alike. These pioneers of the European melodic metalcore/deathcore scene are known for their hard-hitting live shows and the use of pyrotechnics and breathtaking visuals. They are also welcome guests at festivals worldwide. Lyrically they don’t shy away from serious or difficult subjects such as Germany’s painful war legacy. As a socially conscious band, Heaven Shall Burn also released a tsunami benefit CD single in 2005. ‘Veto’ (2013) is reminiscent of both the ‘Iconoclast’ trilogy and the chord progressions and musical style of ‘Antigone’ (2004). Some tracks are quintessential metalcore songs while others are more thrashy or epic. Although the backbone of their music is always eminently recognisable, they always add a new twist to keep things interesting. ‘Wanderer’ (2016) taps into their inner Bolt Thrower and the ferocity and anger of their early years. The double album ‘Of Truth and Sacrifice’ (2020) is their most recent effort to date and also the first to shoot straight to number one in the German charts. #GMM25
