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Burnt By The Sun - Heart of Darkness

Rating

RIYL

Coalesce
Luddite Clone
Uphill Battle

Release Date

08/18/2009

Label

Relapse

Tracklist

1. Inner Station
2. Cardiff Giant
3. F Unit
4. A Party To The Unsound Method
5. There Will Be Blood
6. Goliath
7. Rust - Future Primitive
8. Beacon
9. The Great American Dream Machine
10. The Wolves Are Running

Users Rating 3 ratings	Your Rating Create an account or log in to rate this album
Recent Ratings
resist sundials	Rick Gebhardt
Bill Lohr

Metal fans, consider yourselves blessed. Cave In, Coalesce, Keelhaul, Yob, Brutal Truth and Cable have all defied expectations by releasing new albums this year following hiatuses of varying lengths. Now, the mighty Burnt by the Sun have decided to join the party with their long-awaited full-length, Heart of Darkness. All signs pointed to the group’s demise after the abrupt departure of vocalist Mike Olender and drummer Dave Witte in 2004, leaving the music world to make due with the band’s excellent discography and only dream of what more the group could have accomplished. Fast forward five years and after both members rejoined the band in 2006, fans are foaming at the mouth for any new material from the New Jersey boys.

Consider all expectations, anticipations, hype and hope duly met. Steaming ahead with an album chock full of the grooves, blasts and heaviness we’ve come to expect, Heart of Darkness solidifies the band’s rightful place as kings of the genre. Picking up right where The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good left off, this album is a swift kick to the face of any listeners expecting anything less than the usual aural destruction sponsored by Burnt by the Sun. Olender’s intense, pummeling vocal delivery? Check. Relentless, machine-like drumming from Mr. Witte? Check. Unique, angular riffing that only Burnt by the Sun can pull off? Motherfucking check.

Once Heart of Darkness gets started, there is no relenting, no release and no mercy. From opener “Inner Station” to closer “The Wolves Are Running”, Burnt by the Sun does not dabble in trendy flourishes or bullshit that would otherwise deviate or detract from the group’s normal bag of tricks. The opening set of tracks show they’ve lost nothing in their time away from the game; if anything, they are more focused and determined than ever before. “Cardiff Giant” will likely become a new favorite thanks its up-tempo pace, while “F-Unit” will likely lead to the destruction of several venues and more than a few bones thanks to its immense heft and groove.

The first four tracks, all tremendous exhibitions of the effortless songwriting prowess of the band, really serve as a preview of the main four-song attraction “There Will Be Blood,” “Goliath,” “Rust I Future Primitive” and “Beacon.” Please find a better set of four songs on any album released this year and I will be forever in your debt. “There Will Be Blood” rivals the brutality and darkness of the film of the same title, while the re-recorded version of “Goliath” (the track previously appeared on a split with Car Bomb) puts the underlying menace and heft of the track on full display. “Rust I Future Primitive,” the strongest track on the album, unites black metal-infused riffing with a lurching, punishing rhythm section that sounds reminiscent of a lost Kiss It Goodbye track written during the group’s darkest days. Finally, the shortness and intensity of “Beacon” hearkens back to the group’s earlier grind-oriented sound, making it a nice treat for long-time listeners. The album closes with little excess or fanfare, just two more tracks showcasing the quality of even the group’s non-standout material.

Sadly, Heart of Darkness will likely become Burnt by the Sun’s swansong. The material found within is everything we could hope for, creating more than just a final album but a firm, unbending reminder of what Burnt by the Sun has accomplished over the course of their relatively brief career. It’s difficult to mourn the loss of a band when they’ve given us so much great material to return to even after their days of writing, recording and touring have long passed. No one should need reminding that they need to purchase this album, but in case you do, go get it. Right. Now.

--Matt Murphy

Author

Matt Murphy

Last updated: 09/29/2009 09:04PM

Comments

Bill Lohr

08/26/2009

09:51AM

Age: 28

Location
Lehigh Valley, PA

Glad they are back! This album is amazing!

Dave Spak

08/28/2009

10:17AM

Location
Boston, MA

This album is so damn good. You summed up nicely why I am psyched for heavy music this year. All of my favorites have come out of hiatus to release new albums!

Stereo Typing

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