Release date: Out now!

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.”

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.”

Sanhedrin line-up:
Erica Stoltz – vocals/bass
Jeremy Sosville – guitars/vocals
Nathan Honor – drums & percussion

Review

The album begins with “Blind Wolf”, which immediately struck me with how different it sounded to SANHEDRIN’s previous record Lights On. A slowly-building guitar riff that was ripped straight from the annals of NWOBHM, before Erica Stoltz’ incredibly bluesy vocals entered the fray. Damn, the groove in this one was stellar. This is kind of stuff that made me fall in love with metal, personable singing and some good ole fashioned headbanging riffs. The steady thunder of the bass and the barrage of drumming, were icing on an already iced cake. With a length of about 4:30 minutes, this song was beefy but not overly such. One hell of a way to open up your album!

Next up was “Heat Lightning”, the album’s title track, which began with some beautiful guitarwork from Sosville and a steady ting on the cymbals from Honor. As that introductory sequence came to its initial close, a really smooth bluesy section commenced with Stoltz’ stunning voice joined in. There was a real clapping beat to this song, and I kind of loved that about it. With added thought-provoking lyrics that made the imagination run wild, this was another complete song. Stoltz showed off her pipes even more a bit past the 4 minute mark, before the incredible solo, with a near twenty second sequence of harmonizing and ‘oh=oh-ohs’, which she brought back after the aforementioned guitar solo.

Opening up with a countdown, “Above the Law” started off with a punky vibe right out of the gate. Seriously, it sounded nothing like the previous two tracks. This was heavy as hell and then some, but still Stoltz’ voice somehow fit. Her versatility on the mic is to be commended. By the Gods, old and new, the chorus drop in this one and the band reciting the title, it’s absolute metal magic. This was a total thrasher, through and through. Definitely do not miss this one!

“The Fight for Your Life” had a more hard-rockin’ groove to it as it began, which reminded me of Bon Scott-era AC/DC both instrumentally and lyrically. Like the tracks that preceded it, it was impossible for me to not bang my head to the beat. A mid-song tempo swing bled into a stellar solo rife with sustains and a nice blues-like vibe to it. SANHEDRIN bats 4 for 4 as of now, and with 4 vastly different sounding songs no less.

A slower, almost doomlike, introduction began “King of Tides”. Stoltz’, almost reflective, spoken piece at the beginning reminded me somewhat of a soldier on a battlefield thinking of the previous skirmish. That doomlike introduction was a great appetizer to a track that I felt had really rooted itself in doom metal. On the whole, this is a track that I’d consider to be a sort of intermission for the album, like its doomy nature was designed in such a way as to make you long for what comes next.

“Franklin County Line” was the shortest track on the album, at just over 3 minutes, and while the title may sound like an old timey American Appalachian folk song, this was anything but. It was more in-line with ‘Above the Law’ in terms of its overall speed and feel. The drums and bass are the real stars here, both hurdling forward with the force of an battering ram. Stoltz’ vocals and Sosville’s guitarwork both shined in their own ways though, with the former’s blues-like deliver being perfect for this song.

“Let’s Spill Some Blood”, which actually had a music video drop as I wrote this review (see below!), was next up. The first 2 minutes of this one felt like it was building up to something epic, and I have to say that it did just that. While said buildup was stellar in its own ways, in particular that feeling of it actually building up. The entire track changed when Stoltz’ cried out the chorus with a voice that I could best compare to Glenn Danzig or other similar singers. Following a slight change in mood near the 3:30 mark, the track again shifted into another gear, and Sosville ripped out a really stellar solo to boot. 7 for 7!

The penultimate track, “High Threshold for Pain”, opened with a very MERCYFUL FATE/KING DIAMOND riff. Aside from ‘Above the Law’ this was likely the heaviest song on the album. Stoltz and Sosville’s scream of the title was addictive, and smooth. The way the guitar returned to a different riff during the bridge pieces, only to go right back to said MF/KD riff, showcased Sosville’s talents superbly. While I would probably label this as the weakest track on the album thus far, this is still an excellent addition to SANHEDRIN’s library of songs.

Finally, the longest track on the album, “When the Will Becomes the Chain”, began with a really stellar riff and what I think was a tambourine(?). If so, then this is the greatest song ever recorded. The amount of stupendous riffs in just the opening 2 minutes is insane, not to mention an incredible and infectious chorus that reminded me of both SMOULDER and of LADY BEAST. The bridge section just before the 5 minute mark, was smooth in the way that it flowed right into my favorite solo on the album. Stoltz’ later sings her ass off as the song comes to a close, with a nice continuation of that previously mentioned guitar solo.

Conclusion

From the moment Heat Lightning was announced, I knew it’d be a stunner. SANHEDRIN’s previous effort Lights On has remained in my regular rotation since its release, and I look for this one to follow those same footsteps. This is a 3-piece that operates like a 5-piece, wasting little to no time or effort in crafting an album without one song that really felt skippable or out of place. On top of that, the sheer variety in sounds and influences that all came together for this record are immense. The first 4 songs along were more varied than a lot of band’s entire discography. SANHEDRIN’s Heat Lightning is currently sat firmly at the top of 2025 releases.

TheNwothm Score: 9.5/10

Links

Bandcamp: https://thesanhedrin.bandcamp.com/music

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sanhedrinband

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sanhedrin_official/

Label: https://www.metalblade.com/sanhedrin/