Two years have passed since I witnessed Heiress lay waste to a stereotypical Seattle crowd at now defunct DIY venue Josephine. Guys and gals double fisting tall boys while passing their bubblers to fellow patrons waiting for their favorite anti-heroes, Great Falls, to put on another legendary show. At least I thought all of the excitement was for the headliner (don’t get me wrong, Great Falls delivered big time). Little did I know, the opener was about to leave my jaw on the floor. This night was my initiation to the powerhouse that is Heiress. Shame on me for being so late to the game with them. Heiress have been punishing eardrums in the Pacific Northwest since 2006.
“Clearing” kicks things off for Heiress’ newest album, Made Wrong, with a bang. The shortest track by nearly 3 minutes provides an energetic upbeat start to the sonic roller coaster you are about to ride. John Pettibone sets the tone screaming “NOTHINGS SACRED ANYMORE”. There are many highly praised vocalists in the heavy music scene coming out of Seattle. Off the top of my head I immediately go to Demian Johnston, Ben Verellen, Hozoji Matheson-Margullis, and Jon Weisnewski. John Pettibone is another that belongs in that group.
On the spectrum (I made for the purposes of this article), Heiress fall in the middle between Kowloon Walled City and Great Falls. On one end of the spectrum (KWC) there is an emphasis on playing with space. Having an incredible ability to create tension and brutality yet delivering it in a direct and slow burning manner. On the other end of the spectrum (Great Falls) the listener better embrace chaos or they are going to be destroyed. Frantic mind fuckery on a master level. Heiress dip their toes in both ends. Made Wrong is a thrilling ride of slow burning chaos that will definitely keep the listener on edge.
Heiress are hard to classify with traditional genres. They are heavy rock and they aren’t afraid to push the boundaries of their sound. This is evident if you take the time to listen to the rest of their discography. Made Wrong is a step forward from territories the band have already been in and mastered. I am guessing this step will ensure the creative juices continue to flow and they will never become complacent.
Rating: 4.25/5
Heiress have some shows scheduled in Washington and Oregon currently (list of shows). I will definitely spread the word if national or regional tours get scheduled because you all need to witness this force in the live setting. The Mylene Sheath is releasing this badass piece of wax on 3/17/2016. You can purchase a copy on a couple different variants over here –> Heiress – Made Wrong