The Evolution of Chaos is an album a longtime coming for thrash fans, and more specifically Heathen fans such as myself. I have been a die hard fan of both of Heathen’s early albums, Breaking the Silence and Victims of Deception, so when I heard that the band was back together in the mid 2000’s, and the band’s subsequent demo with new material, I was so damn excited for a brand new Heathen album. It’s funny too, because a new album I don’t think was ever really something expected from fans; we had been satisfied with the group’s first two efforts that new material was barely an afterthought much like the possibility of hearing new Possessed. Here we are though, it’s 2010 and we have a new Heathen album, and trust me when I say that this is everything any fan should expect from these guys, and more.

Upon first listening to The Evolution of Chaos, I really wanted this record to be the stand out thrash standard for the new millennium, and after finishing up the album for the first time through, I realized I had set my expectations a little too high for such a comeback. You see, for a band that was so underground even in their heyday to come back at all is an achievement, but to comeback with a fantastic record should exceed anyone’s expectations, and that’s exactly what Heathen has managed to accomplish. The Evolution of Chaos has picked up where Victims of Deception left off, with a brand of thrash and power metal, high technicality and complex songwriting that few bands in thrash have been able to match then and now. Songs like “Silent Nothingness” and “Dying Season” bring ferocity, but also unabashed guitar melodies and soaring harshness from vocalist David R. White. I can’t think of one band in history except for maybe England’s Sabbat and Metallica (whom Heathen have takes obvious cues from over their entire career) that has been able to construct such in depth thrash metal to this scale.

For those who think that Machine Head and Trivium are the new standard in thrash, you need to listen to The Evolution of Chaos for a true education in just how magnificently and broadly thrash metal can stretch over the entire landscape of metal. Heathen has given us fans something very special with this record, and even if they were to break up today and never make another album of original material, at least we can say we have had access to three true, underground thrash behemoths that would rival the biggest and baddest thrash bands on the planet in terms of quality and craftsmanship. Thrash bands take note: it’s going to be hard to rival The Evolution of Chaos this year.

AMAZING

Similar Artists: Artillery, Metallica, Sabbat

1.    Intro
2.    Dying Season
3.    Control by Chaos
4.    No Stone Unturned
5.    Arrows of Agony
6.    Fade Away
7.    A Hero’s Welcome
8.    Undone
9.    Bloodkult
10.    Red Tears of Disgrace
11.    Silent Nothingness

David White – Vocals
Lee Altus – Guitar
Kragen Lum – Guitar
Jon Torres – Bass
Darren Minter – Drums

Mascot Records

http://www.myspace.com/heathenmetal

Review by CODY