If I had to make a list of the top 10 traditional metal bands of the past decade, Sanhedrin would have to make the cut. The Brooklyn based power trio have been firing on all cylinders since their 2015 formation, and have yet to disappoint. A few years ago, they made the leap over to the legendary Metal Blade Records, who released their strongest album up until that point, 2022’s Lights On. I use the words “up until that point” because Sanhedrin have outdone themselves yet again, cranking out nothing but pure old school metal gold on their latest album, Heat Lightning.
Like every Sanhedrin album before it, Heat Lightning is a full fledged traditional metal album if there ever was one. Like every Sanhedrin album before it, no two songs on Heat Lightning sound remotely similar. And like every Sanhedrin album before it, Heat Lightning manages to balance these various sounds and styles, shades of light and darkness, in ways that most metal bands couldn’t execute properly in three lifetimes. Whereas many bands TRY their best to sound the way Sanhedrin does, Sanhedrin boast an urban cool and unrelenting old school metal spirit that simply cannot be faked, and it shows in every last riff, hook, and melody.
Heat Lightning kicks off with a running start in “Blind Wolf”. Sanhedrin wastes no time whatsoever, cutting to the chase with an uptempo traditional metal banger boasting the firepower (pun fully intended) of Priest. From there, it’s one metallic voyage after the next. The haunting title track sonically bridges the gap between ’70s and ’80s metal with its ethereal melodies and thought-provoking lyricism, while “Above the Law” is a fast n’ nasty metalpunk outburst with streetwise attitude. Ever wonder what a back alley brawl between The Dictators and Motörhead would sound like? Look no further.
Riff-centric heavy rockers like the tough as nails “The Fight of Your Life”, debaucherous boogie-speedster “Franklin County Line”, and intense midtempo thrasher “High Threshold for Pain” showcase the band’s knack for simple, anthemic, no frills metal. On the flipside are the arcane “Let’s Spill Some Blood”, which boasts a mystical aura reminiscent of early ’70s BÖC (always a good sign), or a pair of power-doom epics in “King of Tides” and the closing “When the Will Becomes the Chain”. Admittedly, the latter is more an epic metal suite with doomy dynamics, not trudging along nearly as slow as the former, but the DNA of Dio era Sabbath and Cirith Ungol are more than present. No need to call Maury here!
Once again, Sanhedrin have put the “power” in power trio and delivered an album that both honors their lineage and adds greatly to it. They absolutely deliver the goods on their individual instruments, the production is purely old school, and as far as writing goes, well, let’s just say this band is a pool that’s overflowing with thrilling musical ideas. Between this, the Christian Mistress reunion, Mean Mistreater’s sophomore assault, and a Tower album right around the corner, 2025 is shaping up to be the year of “girl power” in traditional metal, and this dude is all for it.
9 out of 10
Label: Metal Blade Records
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: Tower, Christian Mistress, Judas Priest