Filthy Empire

Some bands start on the stage of a bar but for Heaven's Basement one of their opening acts was for Bon Jovi in 2008. Since then the band has toured Europe with Blind Melon, Papa Roach, Shinedown, and many others. Heaven's Basement members are Aaron Buchanan belting out the vocals, Sid Glover strumming on the guitar, Rob Ellershaw bumping on the bass, and Chris Rivers pounding out beats with the drums. These four guys have taken their enthusiasm for playing hard rock to create a new album called Filthy Empire.

This was the first time I've heard of this UK band, Heaven's Basement, which for a first time I was impressed with the songs on the album. When “Welcome Home”, the first song on the album, first began to play there is a beat to it that felt like it had my heart beating a little quicker and in tune with the song. It could have been that the energy from the beats being played got me pumped up, maybe it was the intensity of Aaron Buchanan's vocals that had me energized, but I think it was the combination of them. For a debut album, Filthy Empire makes the statement of this band being here to put out some fun, high energy level, hard rock songs that should please a lot of people. The instruments are pounding out some great beats that make the songs have a heartbeat.

I would say this whole album is one that I enjoyed every time I listened to it in every mood that I was in. Most of the songs have an addictive sound to them, mainly being given out by the vocals, where I was wanting to sing along with them right from the start. I was most impressed with the vocals because where a lot of bands try to make their songs sound intense and powerful by screaming as loud as they can making the songs incoherent, Aaron Buchanan does it with style and power. Sure at times I had to listen a little more intently to get what was being sung but it's not that often. More impressive are the songs that are sung at a lower level where he is no longer screaming and he still is able to keep the songs powerful and with energy. This album has a fast pace to it, with a few slower songs, but none of the songs lose any of the high energy that the band puts out.