Heartlay – Sovereign Sore (Album – Heartlay)
Genre/Influences: Industrial-Metal.
Format: Digital.
Background/Info: Aaron Sadrin set up Heartay in 2014. Nearly ten years later the French project unleashed its fourth full length album. “Sovereign Sore” was preceded by numerous singles.
Content: You might know what to expect if you’re familiar with the work of Heartlay. I should dare to say that “Sovereign Sore” becomes harder and faster than what has been exposed at previous works. The tracks are driven by fast rhythms and a true Industrial-Metal capharnaum. Solid and menacing guitar riffs are leading the listener to an imaginary slaughter house. The vocals are mixing powerful, clearer parts together with shouting passages.
+ + + : Heartlay doesn’t reinvent any style but more than ever before the band excels in good-old ‘Industrial’ reminding me of the glorious days of Ministry and Skinny Puppy. It’s a furious and merciless composition -although featuring two softer cuts which is reaching a sonic orgasm at “As The One I Am”. Heartlay has a sound to conquer a wider potential of Industrial-Metal heads and according to me has now also reached a higher degree to catch the attention of a major label.
– – – : Heartlay avoids innovation getting back to ‘old-standards’ so in the end it’s nothing new but it however remains a great production.
Conclusion: I should use a metaphor to define this album: a true sonic jackhammer stronger than steel!
Best songs: “As The One I Am”, “A Thousand Debris”, “Broken Seams”.
Rate: 8.
Artist: www.facebook.com/heartlayofficial
About Heartlay
Heartlay is a French industrial-metal project founded by Aaron Sadrin in 2014, blending metal with electronic elements. “Sovereign Sore” is the project’s fourth full-length album, released in 2023 with eleven tracks, following a run of singles.
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I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
