In support of their new album “Of Great Sorrow“ out next week on The Mylene Sheath, and following a series of sold-out dates with AFI side-project XTRMST, the mighty HEIRESS (featuring legendary metal and hardcore front-man John Pettibone) has premiered a full stream of their new album exclusively at MetalSucks.net (stream above). Following their critically acclaimed debut full length Early Frost (2013, Deathwish Inc.), Seattle, WA’s HEIRESSย is now prepared to unleash their chilling sophomore effort, Of Great Sorrow. The album contains 10 crushing tracks that grab you by the throat and squeeze for 44 jarring minutes.
For those uninitiated, Heiress is an American rock band from Seattle, WA featuring former members of Himsa, Undertow, Jough Dawn Baker and Shift. The group performs a cathartic blend of hardcore punk and atmospheric post-metal. They formed in Seattle, WA in 2006 originally with vocalist Adam Paysse, the co-founder of Rome Plow Records. Then in December 2008 John Pettibone, formerly of many Seattle-area bands including Himsa and Undertow, took over Paysse’s place as lead vocalist. With this lineup, Heiress recorded a five-song self-titled EP and self-released it in 2009. Soon after, in 2010, the band signed to Deathwish Inc., an independent hardcore record label that was co-founded by Jacob Bannon of Converge. The group’s first release through the label was a split 7″ with Narrows. In mid-2011, legendary producer Jack Endino (Nirvana, Mudhoney, Soundgraden) produced and engineered new Heiress tracks at Soundhouse Studios. Endino also remixed two previously recorded Heiress songs which were released as the Naysayer EP in 2012. The single featured artwork by Demian Johnston, who previously played with Pettibone in Undertow and Nineironspitfire, and was positively received byAlternative Press (4/5). Ten of the remaining tracks from this session became Heiress’ full-length debut album titled Early Frost, released by Deathwish Inc. in early 2013 and received an 8/10 rating from Decibel Magazine.
That brings us to the present tense and their bone-shattering new full length, Of Great Sorrow, which was recorded with Tad Doyle at Witch Ape Studio (YOB, Lesbian, TAD) and set for release on February 10th via The Mylene Sheath (Pelican, Caspian, Junius). The album was mastered by Chris Hanzsek (Soundgarden, Melvins, Screaming Trees) with artwork once again handled by Demian Johnston. Never content standing still, the band is already tracking a third album with producer Matt Bayles, set for release in 2015, even as the world may not be done absorbing the sonic explosion of Of Great Sorrow for years to come. The time of Heiress is now, and they’re going for the throat.
“…a brooding and building epic with touches of doom, post-rock and more. You gotta hear it.” – Noisey.com“‘…heavy as a hailstorm of lead. You can feel the drum beats, the gravel-throated bass, and the groaning riffs right down in your core… the atmosphere of the music is a miasma of menace and doom, its intensity magnified by Pettiboneโs skin-clawing howls. Yet, the wail of the lead guitars hints at something that has freed itself from the clutches of the cave-in, an ephemeral wisp of something transcendent. –No Clean Singing
“…Of Great Sorrow is the kind of record for which the use of the verb โcrushingโ as an adjective was invented!!!” – Metal Sucks
