New York trio Sanhedrin have spent the last decade at the forefront of the American heavy metal scene. Their blend of traditional metal and hard rock sounds combine with a fresh modern energy and perspective. With 2022’s release Lights On, the band had created their most complete work to date. Now they follow it up with Heat Lightning, a diverse collection of songs that capture the band’s wide array of influences with an elevated level of production. When asked how this new album compares to the band’s previous efforts, drummer Nathan Honor explains:  “Sonically there’s no comparison. Heat Lightning is the fullest representation of the power of this band. When you take three seasoned musicians with their favorite hand picked instruments, put them in front of two brilliant producer/engineers in a studio stacked with incredible equipment and no outside distractions, this is what you get.”

 

The album starts off blazing with the track “Blind Wolf,” a hard-rocking heavy metal stomper. Lyrically, the song is inspired by the band’s shared fascination with cults. According to vocalist/bassist Erica Stoltz, “The blind wolf symbolizes losing your animal instincts as a result of adopting someone else's belief system.” The song is straightforward, pounding and delivered with ill intent. “We knew as soon as the song was complete that it should open the record” says guitarist Jeremy Sosville. “It really sets the tone for the journey the listener is about to take with this album.”

 

Heat Lightning gets its title from the second track of the same name. “Heat lightning is a flash of lightning from very far away, sometimes seen in a clear sky. It is used as a metaphor for where we see ourselves at the moment in relation to climate change. Collectively we have moved further away from our direct relationship to nature and have adopted a paternal relationship with the natural world, as if we have control” says Stoltz. It was one of the first songs written for the album, and one of the most dynamic tracks the band has ever written. “The Fight of Your Life” is a tribute to those we call “Lifers” in the music business. “It is about the compulsion to play music no matter what. When you get the bug and you have it for life, it is your north star, your reason to be” according to Stoltz. “Franklin County Line” is the fastest song on the record, and inspired by Sosville’s hometown and surrounding area in northern New York State. Sosville recounts “Erica and Nathan came up to visit me and work on new music. In the process, we wrote a song inspired by the local Amish population but with a naughty twist.” 

 

With “King of Tides,” the band slows things down to a doom-ridden plod. The cinematic music sets the tone for a story of puritanical religious fanatics landing in the New World. “They are afraid to land because the people who live where they want to land are resisting with loud war cries. Striking fear in the minds of these Puritans, they interpret the interaction as a Satanic encounter.” The song climaxes with an epic rock solo section, which according to Sosville “is one of my proudest moments as a lead guitar player.” With “Let’s Spill Some Blood” the band takes it into a satisfying hard rock thump. The lyrics “reflect how fortunate the human race is that most people seek justice as opposed to revenge. There are many dark forces in the corridors of power pretending to be forces for good, and this song calls them out for what they are and urges the listener to stand up and fight for what's right” says Stoltz. The main guitar riff of the verse is hypnotically repeated over and over again, “symbolizing history repeating itself” according to Sosville.  This works its way into an inspired singalong chorus, a signature of the Sanhedrin sound.

 

Unlike the previous three albums, which were all tracked and mixed by Colin Marston, the band opted to work with a fresh set of ears in a new environment. In doing so, the band landed at the legendary Utopia Bearsville studio in Woodstock, New York. At the helm for recording and co-producing were Matt Brown (Life of Agony, A Pale Horse Named Death) and Jerry Farley (Sick Of It All, Madball). Honor explains “We had great experiences and great results working with Colin Marston on our previous records, but we were beginning to feel the limitations of his studio and wanted to try something different this time around. The idea to work with Matt and Jerry came from a conversation we had while working together on another project. The level of excitement about working together in a studio environment was palpable, and the prospect of combining forces in a legendary studio was something we all wanted to experience together.” The band took inspiration from recording in a studio where so many classic records were cut over several decades. “I believe that you can really feel the energy and ghosts of all the great records that were done in that room. It inspired all of us to do our best and make the most of such a legendary facility” says Sosville. The sonic result of this new approach is a punchier, crisper and more aggressive sounding Sanhedrin record. “This album is simply a collection of our finest performances, captured faithfully, with an attention to detail we didn’t know we were missing” says Honor. 

 

The album cover was hand-painted by Johan Prenger, another change in direction from previous albums. Prenger, a friend and fervent supporter of the band, captured the essence of the album’s vibe and lyrical content to perfection. When asked to summarize what the band hopes listeners take away from Heat Lightning, Sosville states the following: “This album is a symbol of persistence during hard times, friendship through music, and the unwavering desire to do our best work together. After a decade of being a band, we are proud that we continue to push ourselves to new places sonically and musically. We hope the listener can hear our sincerity and our dedication when listening to this new collection of songs.”