Album Review: Blacklisted - 'Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God'

My exposure to Blacklisted

prior to this release was fairly minimal. What I did know was that a

hell of a lot of people were talking about this band like they were

the second coming and I for one could not work out what the fuss was

all about. That aside, I approached Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier

Than God with an open mind and to be perfectly honest, the first

few spins of this disc didn’t really do anything for me, however,

with each listen I’ve found something new that I enjoy. 

The opening blast that is “Stations”

doesn’t stray too far from the standard hardcore formula but that’s

not to say that the song doesn’t show some promise, the bouncing breakdown

that kicks in at the sixty-second mark more than makes up for the lack

of individual flair. The machine gun riffing that punctuates “Touch

Test” is only a small portion of the band’s arsenal, the heavy grooves

of the song’s midsection packing as much of a punch as Blacklisted’s

more up-tempo moments. 

Although “I Am Weighing Me Down”

is a mid-paced number when compared to the other songs on HTHLTG

it’s no less powerful, the southern rock inspired guitar work coupling

with George’s abrasive vocal style in a seamless fashion, while

“Always” conjures up the energetic performances of New York legends Sick Of It All. 

By this stage of the record it’s

becoming apparent that Blacklisted are more than a one trick

pony, their musical performance taking its cues from bands as diverse

as Pantera and The Hope Conspiracy, and it’s this ability

to fuse these differing styles of heavy music together that makes them

such a unique proposition.  

“Memory Layne” is about as

fast and furious and things can get, that is until the blistering pace

halts suddenly to make way for an almost Every Time I Die styled interlude, while “Circuit Breaker” is laced with as many

quiet passages as there are aggressive moments, the shimmering guitars

and driving bass lines guiding the track through four solid minutes

of unorthodox but intriguing song writing. It’s almost as if Blacklisted

felt the need to remind the listener that they are capable of kicking

our collective arses, as “Matrimony” and “Self Explosive” are

minute long shots of pure adrenaline, while “Burning Monk” isn’t

too far behind. 

It took a few listens but Heavier

Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God is one hell of a record. The music

is raw and un-polished yet it still displays a sense of maturity that

many bands are sorely lacking, and the vocal performance is second to

none. Bring on their shows next month!

1. Stations
2. Touch Test
3. I Am Weighing Me Down
4. Always
5. Memory Layne
6. Circuit Breaker
7. Matrimony
8. Self Explosive
9. Burning Monk
10. Canonize