REVIEW: Heaven Shall Burn - Heimat

Heaven Shall Burn are back, and they’ve brought the usual: crushing riffs, heartfelt fury, a choir or two, and enough political intent to make you feel like you should be reading a manifesto with your headphones on. Heimat, their tenth album, lands with a lot of weight, both in theme and sound. It’s big, it’s bold, and yes, it might be a little long. But when it hits, it hits hard.

Things open with ‘Ad Arma’, a moody instrumental that sounds like the prelude to an impending battle. Then without much warning, you’re launched into ‘War Is the Father of All’, a sprawling seven-minute track that throws orchestral swells, gospel vocals, and machine-gun drumming at you all in the first breath. It’s a lot, but definitely not in a bad way. It’s the kind of track that tells you to buckle up, this is going to be dramatic.

From there, things start to feel more familiar. ‘My Revocation of Compliance’ and ‘Confounder’ get right down to business with pummelling riffs, harsh vocals, and the kind of rhythmic precision that could scare a metronome. This is Heaven Shall Burn in their comfort zone, doing what they do best. The guitars wail, the drums pound, and Marcus Bischoff growls like he’s got a bone to pick with the entire planet.

‘Empowerment’ and ‘Those Left Behind’ keep the energy going, though you may start to feel the album’s weight settling in by this point. There’s a bit of sameness in the middle stretch, not bad by any means, but a few songs blur into each other if you’re not paying attention. That said, the band’s commitment is never in doubt. Every note feels purposeful, even if a few could’ve taken the day off. One of the standout moments comes with ‘A Silent Guard’. It’s slower, more emotionally charged, and shows a different side of the band. It still hits hard, but there’s a sense of reflection here, like a moment of quiet defiance in the middle of a riot. It’s one of the more memorable tracks, simply because it takes a breath where others don’t.

Then there’s the cover of Killswitch Engage’s ‘Numbered Days’, which features Jesse Leach himself. It’s a bold move to cover such a well-loved metalcore classic, but HSB pull it off. It’s heavier, slightly more aggressive, but still respectful to the source material. Hearing Leach and Bischoff trade lines is like a crossover episode you never knew you needed.

Thematically, the album’s title, Heimat, roughly translates to “home” or "native land" in German, but it’s a loaded term. In the wrong hands, it can drift into uncomfortable territory. Thankfully, Heaven Shall Burn use it as a jumping-off point to explore ideas of belonging, resistance, and identity. There’s real intent behind the lyrics, and even if the politics aren’t your thing, the conviction is impossible to ignore.

Production-wise, everything sounds massive. The drums are thunderous, the guitars cut through like buzzsaws, and the orchestral elements swell without being overbearing. It’s the kind of album that deserves good speakers, or at least headphones that don’t come free with your phone. The mix is clean but still gritty enough to avoid feeling too polished.

Now, the one issue that keeps this from hitting higher marks is the length. At 51 minutes, Heimat isn’t outrageously long, but it definitely starts to drag at points. There are moments where you check the tracklist and wonder how many more are coming. A bit of trimming here and there could’ve helped tighten things up. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it does make the full listen feel like more of a commitment than it probably needs to be.

With all that said, Heimat is a solid, confident album from a band that knows its strengths. It doesn’t reinvent their sound, and it’s not trying to. What it offers is a refined, passionate version of what Heaven Shall Burn have always done - make music that’s heavy, heartfelt, and built for the long haul. It might not convert the unconverted, but if you’re already on board, this one’s for you.

Score: 7/10

Heimat was released on June 27th 2025.

Words: Vee Richardson

Photos: Heaven Shall Burn