Heaven's Force

A very short-lived, but utterly essential power trio who are considered the first genuine Christian thrash metal band. Not exactly an exaggeration although the style on the debut demo comes as a sped-up version of Anvil’s “Metal on Metal” mixed with the faster-paced moments from the Angel Witch efforts and the Belgians Acid, with surprisingly gruff, aggressive spiteful vocals that may even be considered a prototype for the early death metal throats.

Those scary vocals are also present on the demo reviewed here making the situation even more intimidating with a couple of hellish screams unleashed on the more dramatic developments. Music-wise this can indeed pass for an early thrash metal experience on the more aggressive moments with "In League with the Priest" already a full-blooded thrasher its vigorous character greatly boosted by the vociferous stomping bass support. It’s not all heads-down aggression, though, as "Deliver Us from Evil" is a friendly heavy metal anthem with "Heaven's Force" cancelling this jovial demeanour with a portion of fierce blitzkrieg rhythms, speed/thrash to the bone predating the similar style heard on the works of Whiplash, Destructor, and Blessed Death. "Second Coming" keeps the alternation firmly in place with its welcoming epic power metal swagger recalling Jag Panzer and early Helstar, restoring the balance between the belligerent and the laid-back numbers despite the singer’s sinister, vociferous presence all over.

Not a full-fledged thrash metal recording, this short effort definitely has its raw rowdy charm even some 30 years later, and not only as a needed early entry into the annals of the genre. Its pioneering value is undeniable both vocal and music-wise, and it’s really great that both demos became available in 2009 under the “Aggressive Angel” title from Open Grave Records in order to give an opportunity to the new audience to get acquainted with this invaluable piece of metal history.