  
Heavens Basement are a band that we have supported
at Alternative Vision since they first formed
back in 2008 and since then the band have been
on a massive rollercoaster ride with the biggest
low being when ex-vocalist Richie Hevanz left
the band back in 2010, now for most bands that
would be enough to split the band up but for the
Heavens Basement the departure of Ritchie Hevanz
despite being a low at the time it was a blessing
in disguise as in 2011 Aaron Buchanan joined the
band on lead vocals and instantly hit it off with
the band and the fans with a set of explosive
live shows.
Since Aaron Buchanan joined the band Heavens Basement
have been touring their arses off making up for
missed times, they have embarked on many sold
out headline shows across the country as well
as supported well established bands such as Shinedown,
Halestorm and many others over the past 12 months,
and now after what feels like a life time of waiting
they have just unleashed their debut album ‘Filthy
Empire’.
‘Filthy Empire’ opens with the explosive
‘Welcome Home’ the song is massive
sounding and sets the pace for the rest of the
album, it is a big chant-a-long song which comes
crashing towards you like an 100miles per hour
whirlwind as Heavens Basement truly let rip and
lay the smack down on your ears, the song slightly
reminds me of the sound and style of everyone’s
favourite cock rockers Buckcherry yet Heavens
Basement truly have the edge over Buckcherry here
with ‘Welcome Home’.
The lead single for ‘Filthy Empire’
is ‘Fire Fire’ a song which Heaven’s
Basement released back during the time of the
Shinedown tour and it is easy to see why they
chose to release it as a single over the rest
of the songs on the album as it features so much
class crammed into its 4minutes running time.
‘Nothing Left To Lose’ see’s
Heavens Basement open up in a more toned down
way compared to the previous tracks but as the
song progresses you start to feel that Heavens
Basement have put their whole hearts and souls
into the song as the song quickly turns in a massive
infectious sing-a-long or should I say shout-a-long
number which is bound to grace the airwaves in
the near future as these guys would be stupid
not to unleash this as a single.
‘Lights Out In London’ see’s
Heavens Basement go down a slightly bluesy route
and once again as soon as the chorus comes in
you can’t help but mumble along to Buchanan’s
vocals until you fully pick up on the lyrics.
‘I Am Electric’ is a ferocious song
which reminds me slightly of UK grunge rockers
The Zico Chain. ‘The Long Goodbye’
is a radio friendly sing-a-long song, whilst ‘Heartbreaking
Son Of A Bitch’ see’s the band return
to the heavy hitting sound like what opened the
album.
Ther are a few songs on the album which feel like
they were put on to act as fillers to clock up
the number of tracks to be an album and they are
the repetitive ‘Be Somebody’ and the
near acoustic ‘The Price We Pay’ which
is only really saved by the build up of instrumental
work towards the end, but as soon as these fillers
are out of the way Heavens Basement rock out for
a final time with the heavy hitting climaxing
duo of ‘Jump Back’ and ‘Executioner’s
Day’.
As mentioned above ‘Filthy Empire’
has been a long time in the making and it has
really been worth the wait as Heavens Basement
have created an album which has the potential
to challenge the big American arena melodic rockers
that are Shinedown and Black Stone Cherry.
4.5/5
Review by Trigger
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