Label: Translation Loss
Release: September 19 2006
Hometown: IL



8 (out of 10)


I'm going to start out this review by being totally honest, before maybe a week ago, I honestly had no idea who American Heritage was. Upon finding out about them, I also uncovered a little bit of the band's past. As if this isn't an already well instated fact about American Heritage, they do carry on the intensity of Mastodon whom they shared a split 7" with in 2003. But the past of this band carries on even well before that, in fact a good 6 years earlier, which has helped in their overall unique sound. In "Millenarian" American Heritage combines the best of two different worlds into one solid formed composite metal act, these two worlds include the thrash metal sound that was more popular in the time this band was first thought up and then today's modern day metal sound. In this 7 song album, it's safe to say you're getting a perfectly spread mixture of metal, that fans of all different origins can enjoy.

   The sarcasticly thoughtup tracklisting, suggests that maybe this band is just an ETID rip off or, maybe they're just another lame hardcore band, that things they're different from every other band. With that being said, I instantly looked deeper. It turned out that both statements were a fallacy. Not only was this band around well before Everytime I Die, but they were the complete opposite of a stereotypical hardcore band. With unpredictable and almost unmatchable guitar work, this band combines mixes of good old Rock n Roll, and classic metal to put together their album "Millenarian". Tracks such as "Toilet Paper and Leotards" give listeners a round-about feeling of what to expect out of this band, with their everchanging style of guitar riffs and then the lengthy solo at the end of the track. Others such as "It's Like Fucking A Napkin Full of Toenails" show the more sarcastic side to the band, along with the classic style guitar work much in the vein of some of the 80's bigger thrash bands, this track is also built mostly lyricless and has a really raw metal sound that'll please some of you true to the core thrash fans. The next track I found myself again taken away by was "Way to Go Cowboy". This track contains some odd sounding guitar riffs that seem unmatchable, with odd octaves used, and downright brutal metal riffs, this track is a perfect example of how this band stands out from most of the United State's metal bands of today. In "Spina Bifida" listeners get a little sample of classic sounding techy/math-like riffs, in their early stages. Not yet up to the sound of Dillinger, but still very much in the roots of the music, this track has proved to be my favorite on the album. To close the album the track "Piss Engine" uses a snare roll, to kick off their final entry in "Millenarian". This track seems to be the best example of metal at it's rawest form, and at times seems like a little much to handle. With brief slower breaks, turning back into full throttle thrash riffs, this track proves to be a good way to close the album.

   Although hidden much in the shadow of Mastodon, I think American Heritage has a lot of potential to make it big in the metal scene, with enough exposure to the right crowds, and the right touring schedule, they could turn out to be one of underground metal's finest. Although a little boring at times, this band perfectly displays the way raw metal should be. For fans of Yakuza, Gojira, Mastodon, Isis and maybe even Opeth. .

~ Drew
September 28 2006


American Heritage
Millenarian
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