For as much of a prog-rock and prog-metal fan as I am there are some days when I want some music that cuts straight to the point and rocks out. When I was first introduced to Heaven’s Basement, I thought to myself, “This could be one of those bands. This could be a group that gets my blood boiling in a way that only the balls-out-arena-rock groups of the late 80’s/early 90’s were able to do.” After all, “Fire, Fire” fit all the criteria I could’ve asked for and more.

So once I got my grubby little mitts on Filthy Empire, their debut full length album, I immediately sank my teeth into it and blasted it at near unacceptable levels. But did the rest of the album meet my expectations and fulfill my desires? Head on below to find out.

Opening with “Welcome Home”, the album kicks off with staccato drums and boisterous guitars while a ferocious scream emits from singer Aaron Buchanan. It quickly delves into a fast paced hard rock anthem that’s a throwback to the great rock songs of yore, complete with sharp, tight songwriting that adds upon each previous section. I won’t lie when I tell you that the first time I was listening to this song I was singing along to the chorus before it ended.

Next up is “Fire, Fire”, which I already have been enjoying for the past few months. I credit this as the song that got me hooked into Heaven’s Basement. Afterwards comes “Nothing Left To Lose”, which has quickly become one of my favorite tracks on the album. Something about the chorus is undeniably catchy and infectious. Now whenever I hear the song I find myself singing, nay, shouting along with the song.

“When The Lights Go Out In London” sees the band add in a dash of Southern blues influence with a somewhat sexy flair. Jumping ahead a bit, “Heartbreaking Son Of A Bitch” has a chorus that will see arenas jumping up and down, pumping their fists in the air. It’s also a track that I could see the band using as a total 80’s retro-style video with the band surrounded by attractive women crawling over sports cars while they perform in denim jackets.

“The Price We Pay” is the ballad of the album, beginning with acoustic guitars and eventually building up with drums and strings.

Something to note here are the fantastic vocal harmonies that permeate the album and give an added depth to the music. The guitars are also crisp, using several different tones to give a lot of variety across the songs.

The Final Word: I’ve been wanting some balls to the wall arena rock and Heaven’s Basement‘s Filthy Empire delivered in spades. Say hello to the new Guns N’ Roses of the 21st century.

Got any thoughts/questions/concerns for Jonathan Barkan? Shoot him a message on Twitter or on Bloody-Disgusting!