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Heaven Shall Burn > Antigone > Reviews
Heaven Shall Burn - Antigone

Manifesto of revolution, disobedience, and solidarity - 100%

Soul_Sucker_666, January 28th, 2024
Written based on this version: 2004, CD, Century Media Records (Slipcase)

Heaven Shall Burn is a German band that often gets overlooked or downplayed as just another plastic Century Media/Wacken band. Let's not get it twisted—this band is a major powerhouse in the metal world and deserves more recognition. They've dropped some killer releases, a couple that weren't as brilliant, but then there's this timeless, amazing piece of extreme art. Antigone. Even though I'm not exactly a die-hard fan of bands they're often associated with, like Caliban, Shadows Fall, Neaera, or even As I Lay Dying, and despite my belief that they don't exactly fit into the same category, Heaven Shall Burn generally outshines them all.

For starters, they bring more metal vibes than most, even with those metalcore elements sprinkled in. Sometimes it's more prominent, other times less, but overall, they outshine the others. They've got some albums leaning more towards hardcore/death metal, others more into metalcore, and then there are those with a sweet balance of both subgenres. "Antigone" falls into the last category with the least metalcore elements, making it sound more metal in my ears.

I remember grabbing the album when it dropped, influenced by the review in the Greek Metal Hammer and a killer interview that piqued my curiosity about the band and the album's overall quality. I didn't have a clear idea of what to expect musically, just a rough guess. When I finally hit play, I was genuinely shocked and blown away by the sheer brutality and infectiousness of Antigone. And, of course, the concept and lyrics added a whole new layer to the experience.

This album leans more towards the metal side compared to later releases from Heaven Shall Burn, as mentioned above. The music can be best described as melodic death metal with core elements, the majority of them falling into the metalcore category. Notably, there's an intro, an interlude, and an outro—all orchestral, featuring strings, cellos, and violins.

Antigone stands out as a fiercely aggressive and brutal album, yet it maintains an artistic and classy edge. It's loaded with heavy riffs reminiscent of Gothenburg melodic death metal, interspersed with bursts of melody like the refrain riffs in "The Only Truth" and "Voice of the Voiceless", or some occasional core outbreaks. While there's a clear influence from "Slaughter of the Soul", it's far from a cheap imitation, and the more melodic riffs or parts never come off as cheesy. The songs on this album alternate between fast and mid-tempo, featuring a heavy presence of double bass drumming, numerous thrash beats, and an overall solid death metal drumming style. While not overly technical, the drumming is highly exciting and headbang-worthy, filled with dynamic fills and core-ish breaks. The vocals are brutally intense. Marcus screams with such violence and anger that you can almost hear his larynx bleeding in some parts. Yet, there's a poignant touch of pain and despair in the words he spits out in other sections. Every part of the songs feels purposeful, with no boring or filler moments. The riffs, drumming, and everything else come together seamlessly.

The album also carries a dark and melancholic atmosphere that, in the end, translates into rebelliousness, encouragement to fight and stand strong, and a sense of pride in holding onto the right beliefs and values with the stubbornness to stay true till the end. The sound on this album is undeniably dark and heavy, with a particularly awesome guitar tone that's both heavy and modern. The production leans towards the modern side as well, bordering on the core spectrum. It's skilfully handled by Patrick W. Engel, boasting an extensive list of productions in metal and extreme metal, and mixed and mastered by the renowned Tue Madsen, who needs no introduction in the industry. The cover art, crafted by Spiros Antoniou of Septic Flesh, known as Seth Siro Anton, is in his signature style. It depicts a modern dystopian take on Antigone, creating a very dark and intriguing visual that complements the album's overall vibe.

I want to give a shout-out to the lyrics and the concept of the album, which is one of the key reasons why this record stands out. It draws inspiration from the Greek tragedy "Antigone" by Sophocles, turning into a powerful anti-authority anthem and a homage to the war of the oppressed against their oppressors. The narrative revolves around Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, who rebels against King Creon's orders regarding the burial of her brother Polynices. Creon's harsh judgment leads to a tragic sequence of suicides, involving Antigone, her fiancé Haemon, and Creon's wife Eurydice. The story delves into themes of duty and defiance, creating a compelling and thought-provoking backdrop for the album.

In a pre-purchase interview I read, one of the band members revealed that during their university days, he delved into studying tragedies like Sophocles's, particularly the one that inspired this album. United by their left-wing ideologies, the band collectively decided to channel the profound themes of Sophocles's work into their music, creating an album with meaningful messages of resistance, unwavering commitment, and unity. The outcome is a death metal/metalcore manifesto of revolution, disobedience, and solidarity. While not directly retelling the Greek tragedy, the lyrics draw rather inspiration from it. Antigone becomes a symbol of rebellion and reference, with each song exploring different themes, contributing to a larger narrative of fight and resistance.

"The Weapon They Fear" sheds light on Victor Jara, a Chilean folk singer and activist brutally murdered during the Pinochet regime, symbolizing resistance. "The Only Truth" advocates staying true to personal values and not succumbing to the system, hence the line- A common way to happiness; but I never learned to sell myself."Architects of the Apocalypse" is an anti-religion track, viewing the church as a corrupt form of authority causing global pain. "Tree of Freedom" pays homage to Nelson Mandela, while "Voice of the Voiceless" stands as a solidarity anthem for all oppressed beings, humans and animals, who cannot speak for or defend themselves. "To Harvest the Storm" is a powerful anthem of resistance, rising defiantly from adversity, and swearing to take on oppressive forces with an unyielding commitment to justice and rebellion. A call to arms basically! "Numbing the Pain" reflects profound despair, disillusionment, and resistance against societal norms. "Bleeding to Death" narrates resilience and defiance against oppression, rising from the ashes of shattered dreams. "The Dream Is Dead" continues the theme of rebellion, empowerment, and resistance against tyranny. The band's anti-fascist and left-wing stance is evidently sincere.

In my perspective, a true artist is one who boldly embraces a left-leaning political stance, whether it's evident in their art, interviews, or other actions. They fearlessly shed light on the world's troubles - a result of the system, taking a stand, declaring allegiance to the struggles of everyday people. Their art, born out of the raw emotions associated with pain, oppression, injustice, and societal challenges, becomes a refuge for those who are part of society. Heaven Shall Burn exemplifies this ethos with their masterpiece, standing out in a genre often dominated by right-wing scums or political neutrals. They do serve as an oasis, evoking pride among metalheads.

Closing, I want to emphasize that this record stands as an underground milestone of the ‘00s, a hidden gem of excellent melodic death metal/metalcore music with thought-provoking lyrics. If you haven't heard it yet, don't waste another second—give it a listen now. And, of course, don't commit the crime of listening without reading the lyrics. While Heaven Shall Burn has released many albums since then, most of them good, they have yet to reach or surpass the impact of this one. I'll conclude with the lyrics, which serve as a poignant summary of Antigone:

"For the weakest of the weak, for the lowest of the low. My voice for the voiceless, my fists for the innocent."

Overwhelming - 98%

Gemesion89, January 23rd, 2024

I believe it's worth discussing a few aspects before delving into the actual review. I've observed pervasive negativity, unmistakably evident not only in discussions about bands, where opinions on what qualifies as 'metal' vary widely, but also in reviews of albums that don't neatly fit into established 'metal' categories. This issue has long plagued the metal community—an ongoing debate over what truly embodies metal, with conversations lacking substance or valid musical arguments. Anything deviating from 'metal' stereotypes is hastily dismissed as 'false,' attempting to impurify the genre. Unfortunately, this album falls victim to such criticism, undeservedly condemned for reasons rooted in these narrow perspectives.

'Antigone' marks Heaven Shall Burn's third album and undoubtedly stands as a pinnacle in their career. Notably, the key distinction lies in the production, a marked improvement over their preceding two efforts. This release, the first under Century Media, showcases the tangible impact of a higher budget on overall sound quality. While the initial two albums boast exceptional compositions, their production fails to meet post-2000 standards, rendering them less impressive overall. 'Antigone' rectifies this issue, delivering an outstanding sonic experience. The production is robust, clear, and attains high standards, with instruments finely balanced in the mix, significantly enhancing the overall listening experience.

Turning to the music itself, Heaven Shall Burn masterfully blends melodic death metal with metalcore. At its core, the music aligns closely with the 'Gothenburg' Swedish death metal, similar to early works of In Flames or At The Gates, yet heavily influenced by the emerging US metalcore scene featuring bands like As I Lay Dying and Shadows Fall. Vocalist Marcus Bischoff's style draws clear parallels to the great Thomas Lindberg, exuding a similar sense of desperation and anger reminiscent of Lindberg's performance in 'Slaughter of the Soul'. The influence from metalcore is evident in the riffs and drumming, particularly the breakdowns, with subtle nods to post-hardcore and crust bands such as Tragedy.

The guitar work by the duo, Maik and Patrick, and the basslines by Eric are nothing short of exceptional. Besides the technical complexity, all songs unleash a wave of creativity, evoking a myriad of emotions in the listener. Whether employing fast tremolo picking, heavy breakdowns, or melodic leads, the guitars captivate throughout. The only critique would be the absence of solos, which could have elevated the album even further. Complementing the guitar work, the impeccable drumming by Matthias features rhythm changes, heavy breakdowns, and precise fills, borrowing elements from both the death metal and metalcore scenes.

It's crucial to acknowledge the album's excellence, owed to the introduction of keyboards, piano, and violin that blend in beautifully without being used in excess. These elements contribute to a multi-dimensional experience, exemplified in the middle section of 'Numbing the Pain' or the emotionally charged intro and outro of the album.

In conclusion, 'Antigone' is a much-underrated album in the metal genre, often overlooked for the wrong reasons. It masterfully combines the best of both worlds—melodic death metal and metalcore—in a compelling manner. Brimming with emotion and musical prowess, this album showcases Heaven Shall Burn at the zenith of their creativity and musical genius. While subsequent releases from the band are commendable, 'Antigone' remains unparalleled, standing as the highlight of their discography.

Oh dear! - 25%

Perplexed_Sjel, July 13th, 2006

Heaven Shall Burn, a Metalcore band from Germany, and lets be honest shall we, they are straight up Metalcore, not Melodic Death. "Antigone" is the Germans third album out of four in total. Consisting of twelve tracks, weighing in at just under fifty minutes.

The most striking thing about this album is the vocals. They're generic and bland. Very typical of Metalcore. They do nothing to create an atmosphere or add any special element to the music itself. At times they're often incoherent screams which drowns out the music. It seems to me that Heaven Shall Burn are willing to settle for mediocrity, rather than pushing themselves to achieve something worthwhile and innovative. This is certainly neither of those things. Vocals rarely differ and when they do the result is Trivium-esque clean singing, which is just disgusting. Vocals are always loud and in your face. Vocals are always terrible.

The songs merge into one in my eyes. The only element of Melodic Death i can recognise is the cheesey riffs and overblown solos which they probably think sets them apart from everyone else. The result is a headache. The lyrics are like the vocals, often incoherent. I can't seem to make any real sense of them. As someone already stated, the vocabularly is poor. This to me often resembles something the likes of Killswitch Engage would churn out and be proud of, which is obviously just not good enough. Drum patterns are average, nothing really to write home about. The production is clear, but again the vocals totally ruin that aspect of the music.

Its impossible to get a good feel of the atmosphere that's present because of those damned annoying vocals. Nothing seems to fit into place because they're just so overpowering and overbearing. I really cannot stand them. Then we have the needless piano interlude, is that meant to be emotive and touching?

Highlights? I'm struggling to think of any to be honest. The Weapon They Fear is the closet thing to a highlight you will come across.

Heavy as fuck.. - 90%

Justin_Bork, January 7th, 2005

Heaven Shall Burn is by no means a 'new' band, as they've been around for awhile, and have a few albums under their belt, but their third and most recent album 'Antigone' is the album that will get their name out there. The songs are interesting, strong, and heavy as a mother fucker. Every instrument on this album is bludgeoning smash. The Drums crush, the kicks have that perfect 'thump', the guitars sound like the amps are tuned up to '11', the bass is low ended, and the vocals are harsh and loud. Simply put, few metal albums have production as good as this does, near perfection. Possibly Tue Madsen's finest work to date.

The songs are all politically themed, which doesn't really matter, because the music is so attention grabbing, you won't even care. This is a metalcore album at it's center at times it's hard to tell which side the band is leaning twoards, it has the riffs and songs of metal, with the assault and breakdowns of hardcore. Speaking of breakdowns, 'The Only Truth' has one of the best breakdowns. Ever. Alot of the songs DO sound similar, but they're all so awesome it doesn't matter. Like Meshuggah's Chaosphere, this album is an enbodiment of the term 'heavy'.

Every now and then, the ablums breaks off for a beautiful orchestrated piece which were composed by an Icelandic composer whos name I can't recall. These pieces kick off, and end the album. Beautiful.

Heaven Shall Burn are politically charged, and completely veagan. Not very "metal" but don't let that stop you from checking out this album, it's priceless, and possibly the #1 metalcore album of '04. Also, the albums bonus' tracks are uproaressly fun. Make sure you hear them.

uhhh, ok - 50%

demonomania, November 11th, 2004

I heard "The Weapon They Fear" on Hard Time Texas Radio, and did me some headbanging though my metal - hating father looked on disapprovingly from the driver's seat. Unfortunately, I picked this album up and found that "The Weapon They Fear" is the only really standout track on the album, aside from "Architects of the Apocalypse."

The vocals are good screaming hardcore style, but vary very little, and when they decide to sing that's when I decide to hit skip. As a previous reviewer said, they do layer the vocals, but this works very well on the hardcore style choruses, as all hardcore choruses are supposed to be a bunch of people yelling the same thing. The guitars and drums are fast, and there is a melodic Swedish feeling in there for sure, but after the fifth song you swear you've heard them do the same thing 900x. The lyrics would be of good quality, I think, if these guys took a few English classes. I am willing to overlook grammatical errors in amazing bands like GRAVE and the ENTOMBED, but with a band that annoys me I say, English teacher style...

"Work on your vocabulary!"

"Horrible sentence structure."

"Meaning unclear!"

"Subject - verb agreement problems."

And those horribly fruity keyboards don't help either. Again, just download "The Weapon they Fear," rock out to the chorus, "FALL BACK!", and call it a day.

Heaven is surely burning...with rage and metal. - 90%

CallerOfTheCthulhu, July 9th, 2004

With a name like "Heaven Shall Burn", many fans of metal will probably be lulled into believing this act is a black metal act. There was even talk of a "Slipknot" nu-metal scenario due to the woman having nails in her head like one of that band's members wearing a mask with nails in it. Have we all fallen pray to stereotypes and gimicks that nothing original can adorn a simple and creative title?

Blending both melodic death and metalcore, Antigone proves to be a true contender in the world of non-black metal and non-nu-metal acts. You are greeted with a haunting opening track, then taken right into one of the best songs on the album, 'The Weapon They Fear'. And after that, it is a non-stop ride into metal insanity.

Not falling prey to the whiney metalcore acts that flood the world today, the band still plays on the more typical topics in their lyrics, including hatred and rage, love, murder and death, while keeping their feet down to earth by blending in social issues that seem to plague us today. And the lyrics aren't simple, either. The band uses some pretty created, yet understandable analogies and lyrics to describe the aforementioned emotions.

Now, since lyrics do not make up an album alone, let's venture to the music of the album itself. Right from the start you can hear the metalcore influence, primarily with the vocals, not being your average deep gutteral or dark singing, but rather your typical metalcore vocals with what sounds like a slight hint of distortion every once in a while. Nothing new there. But the music does manage to blend both styles very well. One minute you want to start kicking someone, the next you want to mosh as the music either blends both melodic death with metalcore, or switches with slight trigger between the two throughout the song, such as in 'The Only Truth'.

The music is just non-stop insanity through and through. The only question that the album may impose to someone who doesn't read the lyrics, or isn't the brightest metal headed nail in the can, is why are there two outros to the album? And aside from that little annoyance of the CD ending half way through, and restarting to end again, sometimes the music doesn't synch up. Also in 'The Only Truth', you can hear the band switch from a metalcore sound into a death metal sound, just without the melodic part. The grums and guitars, at times, do not synch up with one another. You know the sound with you move a speaked back and forth past your ear during an amazing solo? Yeah, that's what it sounds like, except it doesn't work that well.

But, from start to finish you'll love the album. Though some of the album is typical (lyric and vocal wise), the music isn't truly the same as many albums of the aforementioned styles out there. Well crafted and performed pretty much with complete precision, the album is a blistering trip into a maniacle world of your typical metalcore topics, but in a much more creative and insane way. From the pulse pounding music from beginning to end and end again, to the haunting tracks (like the keyboard hinted 'Numbing The Pain') that adorn the album every once in a while, you'll be glad you spent your hard earned slave wages on this album.