Sanhedrin release new song “Franklin County Line”

Heat Lightning Full-Length To Drop March 14th On Metal Blade Records

Photo by Stephen Afasano

New York heavy metal trio SANHEDRIN have unleashed their fiery new single, “Franklin County Line.” The track comes ahead of their highly anticipated full-length album, Heat Lightning, set for release on March 14th via Metal Blade Records.

For the past decade, SANHEDRIN has been at the forefront of the American heavy metal scene, seamlessly blending traditional metal and hard rock influences with a fresh and modern perspective. Their 2022 release, Lights On, was lauded by critics as their most complete work to date. Now, with Heat Lightning, the band delivers an even more diverse collection of songs, capturing their wide array of influences with an elevated level of production.

The album takes its title from the second track, “Heat Lightning.” Vocalist/bassist Erica Stoltz explains, “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.”

SANHEDRIN’s latest single, “Franklin County Line,” is the fastest track on the album, inspired by guitarist/vocalist Jeremy Sosville’s hometown and surrounding area in northern New York State. Sosville shares, “Erica and [drummer] Nathan [Honor] 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 twist.”

Rehearsing in a small, kerosene-heated shack deep in the woods during the coldest week of the winter, the band crafted a fictional tale of Amish girls sneaking off at night to party with local boys by a riverside campfire. “Franklin County Line” was the final song written for the album, bringing a high-energy and storytelling-driven edge to Heat Lightning.

Watch SANHEDRIN’s previously released video for “Blind Wolf” here:

Heat Lightning Track Listing:

Blind Wolf
Heat Lightning
Above The Law
The Fight Of Your Life
King Of Tides
Franklin County Line
Let’s Spill Some Blood
High Threshold For Pain
When The Will Becomes The Chain

Heat Lightning was recorded and co-produced by Matt Brown (Life Of Agony, A Pale Horse Named Death) and Jerry Farley (Sick Of It All, Madball) at the legendary Utopia Bearsville studio in Woodstock, New York. The album features striking hand-painted cover art by band friend and fervent supporter Johan Prenger.

The record will be released on CD and digital formats, as well as vinyl in the following color variants: