{"id":97109,"date":"2024-09-27T10:00:49","date_gmt":"2024-09-27T09:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/?p=97109"},"modified":"2024-09-29T15:31:31","modified_gmt":"2024-09-29T14:31:31","slug":"review-heriot-devoured-by-the-mouth-of-hell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/review-heriot-devoured-by-the-mouth-of-hell\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Heriot \u2013 Devoured by the Mouth of Hell"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Heriot After emerging as one of the UK\u2019s best young metal bands in recent years, the time has come for Heriot<\/strong> to deliver their debut album. Questionably arriving with heightened expectations, \u2018Devoured By The Mouth of Hell\u2019<\/em> sees the quartet acutely reach them.<\/p>\n

While Heriot<\/strong>\u2019s bread and butter is a mix of thrash, sludge and black metal, ‘Devoured\u2026’<\/em> is far from a sheer barrage of noise. Where others would have leaned into the traits that got a band like Heriot<\/strong> to this point, instead they’ve used the opportunity to expand and explore their sound. For every raw onslaught of meaty metal there is, like opener ‘Foul Void’<\/em>, there are moments like the electronic drum pumping and shoegaze alluring ‘Lashed’<\/em>.\u00a0Yet it never comes off as disjointed, constantly maintaining a sense of swirling demonic descent. Take\u00a0‘Siege Lord’<\/em> for example. It’s a gut-punching, chugging behemoth aided by an industrial errieness.<\/p>\n

Partly due to the production efforts of\u00a0Sylosis’ Josh Middleton and Sikth’s Justin Hill and the mixing work of the renowned Will Putney, each member of\u00a0Heriot<\/strong> are able to shine. Whether it’s drummer Julian Gage’s penetrating pounce on ‘Sentenced To The Blade,’<\/em>\u00a0Erhan Alman’s swirling guitar solo on\u00a0‘Harm Sequence’<\/em>, Debbie Gough’s thoroughly dynamic vocals, or\u00a0bassist Jake Packer’s\u00a0guttural roars.<\/p>\n

‘Devoured\u2026’<\/em>s pacing is perfectly intense, delivering ravaging blasts with occasional moments of atmospheric beauty. Like\u00a0‘Lashed’<\/em>,\u00a0‘Opaline’ <\/em>and ‘Visage’<\/em> stop you in your tracks as Gough provides an evocative vocal display. On the latter, her melodies melt across a dystopian wasteland as rumbling instrumentation eases its way in before Packer’s screams take over its final moments.<\/p>\n

While their stock has certainly risen since 2022’s ‘Profound Morality’<\/em>,\u00a0Heriot<\/strong> has used their experiences and opportunities to their advantage. As a result, \u2018Devoured By The Mouth of Hell\u2019<\/em> bites down on their extremities while allowing them to flesh out textured and atmospheric elements with ease. It’s unlikely you’ll hear a metal band so well-rounded on their debut full-length anytime soon.<\/p>\n

‘Devoured by the Mouth of Hell’<\/em> by\u00a0Heriot<\/strong> is out now on\u00a0Century Media Records<\/strong>.<\/p>\n