Band:	Heathen
Album:	Recovered
Style:	Bay Area thrash metal
Release date:	2004
Guest review by:	Jeff

01. Death On Two Legs [Queen cover]
02. The Holy War [Thin Lizzy cover]
03. In Memory Of...
04. Hellbound [Tygers Of Pan Tang cover]
05. Eye Of The Storm [Sweet Savage cover]
06. Hypnotized
07. Opiate Of The Masses
08. Timeless Cell
09. Mercy Is No Virtue

If you don't know Heathen, you must know that they were one of the promising bands from the bay area. After two demo tapes [Pray for Death in 1986 and a self-titled one wit Paul Baloff [ex-Exodus] on vocals in 1989], one single [Set me Free in 1987] and two famous albums "Breaking The Silence" [1987] and Victims Of Deception [1991] the band supported Sepultura in Europe. Unfortunately, before the band left the European continent, one of the musicians, Randy Laire, was involved in a fatal car accident. After some line up changes, the band wanted to record an album in homage of their band mate but unfortunately this record was never finished at the time.
Now, after a break of 13 years, the band has come back to finish this unreleased album with in addition to it, the four-songs demo "Opiate Of The Masses" which includes tracks from "Victims Of Deception" album.

In fact, you certainly understood it, "Recovered" is not a real new album. On it, you' ll find three "parts". Four covers of Thin Lizzy, Queen, Sweet Savage and Tygers of Pan Tang. An original song dedicated to the memory of Randy Laire [In Memory Of?] and the four songs of the demo "Opiate Of The Masses". Then ok, this is more a compilation than a real album but, however, all the songs are off a really good quality.

The covers are well done, all the songs were, you know it maybe, hits or at least really good songs of the discography of the four covered bands. My favourite one is certainly the excellent cover of "The Holy War", original song by the excellent band of Mr Phil Lynott. Believe me that for this one, [like for the others] Heathen just did a great cover. There is nothing really original in the covers, but they sound good, are well executed, catchy etc? and well it's a real pleasure to listen to these four songs.
"In Memory Of?" the song for Randy, is a nice ballad. Here again this is well done and this song of Heathen [if you like Hard Rock ballads of course] doesn't suffer of any problems.
But however, for the ones who know the "old" Heathen, be careful because all the five songs sound more "Hard FM" than Thrash/Heavy metal, and maybe if we look to the future, that could be the problem for Heathen if they want to record a new album. I'm sure that the fans, if there is a new album, want something like with Exodus, Death Angel, or Hirax for example. The same music with the same spirit like in the beginning?

For the demo, this is not case, because these are four songs from "Victims Of Deception", which was released in 1991. And well this is pure Thrash/Heavy of the 90's. Powerful, aggressive with excellent guitars riffs and solos. In two words "good music".
These songs are remastered, no problems with the sound, and of course the five other songs are very well mixed, therefore there is no problem with production for this album.

At the end, "Recovered" is an interesting new cd for the fans or the ones who want to discover Heathen. This is not original, but we can feel that's this album is made with the heart. The only question, and I hope that we will have the answer soon, is to know how could sound a real new album of this band. Well, in my opinion, I'm sure that it could be a real good surprise? Time will tell