Out 15, May 2026
Via: Rockshots Records
Words by: Daryl Daryl
Thorn is a modern metal record with the deeply familiar modern heavy metal production. Everything is louder than everything else. Every instrument sounds exactly as you expect, the vocals are nudged into pitch perfection. Vocalist Dest puts in a stellar performance delivering everything from growls to high-strung melodies. Everything is manipulated into digital perfection and the whole is the polished item you’ve come to expect. So what is there left to consider? The songs!
The single Squall-led may be a standout track, but these guys aren’t Europe sneaking out a “Final Countdown” – this is typical of the album.
If you like what you’ve heard, what does the rest of the album have in store? More of the same; perfectly written, played and performed. There is variation, each song is definitely different from the others, but they are forged into a shape that is distinctly Heavenfall.
According to the band: “‘Thorn’ is the splinter of life that pierces our skin and scratches our very soul. Thorn is the whispering sound of the sorrow we confess to ourselves in distress.”
In Candlelight, the melody of the guitars and the simplicity of their rhythm allow Dest’s vocals to deliver emotional depth, while bringing a harmonic quality of their own. The dissonant opening to Left Behind is a welcome departure from what came before, keeping your interest alive. Finishing with the 8:10 epic Stramonium, they successfully push their songwriting to its ultimate limit. The acoustic intro, heavy rhythm and changes in tempo and tone keep the song entertaining in a way that belies its length.
You’ve heard the single and liked it, now don’t be a child, get the album. Get back to that immersive experience of listening to an album end to end. Hear what the artist has carefully crafted and give yourself that gift of time, free from distraction. Because you’re worth it.
