Symphony of Heaven

Symphony of Heaven is a Christian blackened death metal band from Owensville, Indiana, United States.[1] The band began in 2017 as a solo project, but morphed into a full band by 2019, consisting of Logan Thompson (guitars/vocals), David Napier (bass), Eero Tertsunen (guitars), and Mason Beard (drums). The band has released two studio albums, two EPs, and a split release. According to HM Magazine, the band is "one of the best death metal acts to form in the past four years" as of 2021.[4]

Symphony of Heaven
Symphony of Heaven (left to right: Timoratus, Pathos, Eero) at the Emerson Theater
Symphony of Heaven (left to right: Timoratus, Pathos, Eero) at the Emerson Theater
Background information
OriginOwensville, Indiana, U.S.
Genres
Years active2017–present
LabelsIndependent,[1] Nosral,[2] Rottweiler[3]
MembersLogan Thompson
Mason Beard
Shawn Medley
Past membersAaron Kirby
Judah Djik
David Napier
Eero Tertsunen
Tyler Brown
WebsiteSymphony of Heaven on Facebook

History

The project began in 2017, as an unnamed project led by Logan Thompson. On February 3, 2017, the project was featured on a sampler, released by The Bearded Dragon Productions, titled The Bearded Dragon's Sampler: 3rd Times a Charm, with the track "Anno Domini [Instrumental]".[5] Only a week later, Symphony of Heaven released "Stratagem", his sophomore single,[6] followed by a lyric video.[6][7] The name was derived from Romans 8:28.[8] On May 30, 2017, the project released his debut EP, ...Of Scars and Soil....[9][10][11]

Thompson released the lyric video for the song "...Of Scars and Soil..." in June 2017.[12][13] The same week, Symphony of Heaven appeared on another compilation released by The Bearded Dragon Productions, titled Metal From The Dragon (Vol. 1).[5] Only a month after the release of the video, the project, alongside Children of Wrath, signed to Nosral Recordings.[2] In November, the band released "In Anger's Midst",[14][15] their debut single off of the upcoming album, The Season of Death and announced the pre-orders.[16] On November 24, 2017, the project released their debut album, The Season of Death via Nosral Recordings.[17] On August 12, 2018, Thompson reinvented himself, going under the moniker of Pathos and continuing the project as Symphony of Heaven. The project was working on a black metal split EP, with Timōrātus and Bismoth.[18]

On February 18, 2019, it was announced that Symphony of Heaven would be performing at Audiofeed in 2019, with the assistance of Timōrātus brainchild David Napier on Guitars, Ascending King and Thief on the Cross founder Aaron "Ruah" Kirby on Bass, and Mason Beard, founder of The Bearded Dragon Productions and member of Mystic Winter, on Drums. On March 19, 2019, the band released the split, entitled Body of Christ, with SOH's material being written by Pathos and a guest vocal slot for Ruah, the band's live bassist.[19] However, on June 16, 2019, Ruah departed from the band due to a medical emergency, apologizing to the fans.

On June 22, 2019, it was announced that Eero Tertsunen of Renascent would take over the position. At Audiofeed Festival, the band performed twice, sharing the stage with labelmates Light Unseen, Gold Frankincense & Myrrh, Gnashing of Teeth, Innersiege, Bloodlines, and Death Therapy. Later that year, the band would play a show in Evansville, Indiana, alongside Timōrātus, Bleed the Masses, Malignant Vision, Shadows of Insanity, and Brandon Beard.

On January 1, 2020, it was announced that the band had officially signed with Rottweiler Records, debuting a new single titled "You Shall Be As Gods" in the process.[3] On January 18, 2020, the band performed alongside Shadow of Intent, Signs of the Swarm, Inferi, and Brand of Sacrifice.[20] On August 14, 2020, the band released their debut music video for the track "DeathMarch", which is set to be featured on the upcoming EP, The Ascension of Extinction.[21] The EP was released September 4, 2020, via Rottweiler Records, to several good reviews. On September 30, the band was featured on a documentary titled True American Black Metal, in which both Pathos and Asaph acted as executive producers.[22] The documentary also featured Enthroned, Frost Like Ashes, Vials of Wrath, and many others.[23]

The band's second album was released in 2021.[24][8] On April 2, 2021, the band released a new track, "Dead Winter Fields", with a supplementary video. On April 16, 2021, the band released "Dead Winter Fields" for purchase, alongside new track "Light Upon the Pillars". On June 18, 2021, the band played their first show after a year and a half at Kingdom Come Festival on the Capstone Stage alongside GFM, Divine Martyr, Theody, Firebrand, and many more. On June 30, the band released "Entropy" alongside a supplementary video.[25]

On July 2, the band released "Entropy" and "SoulRetch" through Rottweiler Records. On September 11, the band released their third D45, The Arch of Time, featuring the eponymous track as well as "The Grieving". On September 23, 2021, the band released a single titled "The Song of September", which was a demo B-side from the Body of Christ split. Around this time, Napier briefly had to step away from the band due to health concerns, which led to hiring fill-in Tyler Brown of the Evansville-based band Forthright.

On December 17, 2021, the band released their second album, Maniacal Entropik Discordium.[26] The album was mixed and mastered by Derek Corzine (ex-Bloodline Severed, Crowned in Sorrow).[27] The lyrical output on the album was predominately crafted by Thompson, with one song written by Beard.[28][29][30] On March 6, 2022, the band opened for Obscura, Vale of Pnath, and Interloper at the Emerson Theater in Indianapolis. On July 8, 2022, it was announced longtime bassist David Napier would be departing from the band.[31] On October 10, 2022, the band announced that Tyler Brown, utilizing the alias of "Onyx", would be taking over the bass position, noting their previous experience with him filling in for Napier.[32][33][34] On May 8, 2023, Symphony of Heaven announced Eero Tertsunen's departure from the band and that Onyx would be moving into the lead guitar position.

On August 7, 2023, it was announced that Symphony of Heaven were releasing a re-recorded version of the song "In Anger's Midst" with the full-lineup of Pathøs, Asaph, Onyx, and the recently departed Tertsunen. The single is set to be released on September 1, 2023.[35] "In Anger's Midst" was released on September 1, 2023, revising the original version from The Season of Death, while also promoting a pseudo-historical order known as the Ordo Aurum and its leader in Nicolaus Farel.[36][37][38][39] Onyx handled a great deal of the production of the song, with most of the tracking, except drums and vocals.[40] On October 8, 2023, Onyx announced his departure from the band to focus on his mental state.[41] However, the band were forced to back out of Pit Fest before their performance, which left the band as Pathøs and Asaph.[42] On October 22, 2023, the band announced the addition of Turadh, Pathos' uncle, as the band's bassist.[43]

Influences and style

Symphony of Heaven states that Metallica, Dimmu Borgir, Cannibal Corpse, Antestor, and Grave Declaration are major influences to their music. However, in an interview, PATHØS stated that bands including Ensiferum, Dream Theater, Nightwing and Dethklok were also major influences for the project.[1] With the full lineup in place, the members state that Dimmu Borgir, Fear Factory, Metallica, Sepultura, Nile, Behemoth, Darkthrone, Genghis Tron, Extol, The Faceless, Living Sacrifice, Death, Death Requisite, Slayer, Deliverance, Shai Hulud, A Hill to Die Upon, Vials of Wrath, Zao, Embodyment (Embrace the Eternal-era) and Becoming the Archetype are influences as musicians and lyrical writers.[8]

Throughout the reviews given to The Season of Death, several different artists were compared to the project. Including American acts Becoming the Archetype and Death Requisite,[17] Australian acts Mortification, Horde,[17] and English act Cradle of Filth.[44] Christian Sullivan also compared the project to two obscure acts Screams of Chaos, an industrial metal band from Australia and Vomoth, an unblack metal act from Australia.[44]

Members

Current

Members Instruments Years active Other projects
Logan "Pathos" Thompson All instruments (2017–2019), guitars (2017–present), vocals (2017–present) 2017–present Elgibbor, Dead Human Prophecies, The Abrasive Realization, NeverLabeled, The Holy Hand of Winter, Koronatizor
Shawn "Turadh" Medley Bass 2023–present
Mason "Asaph" Beard Drums 2018–present Ascending King, Mystic Winter, The Abrasive Realization, Uriah, The Shadows Devour, Resign From Humanity, Risen, The Thlipsis, Koronatizor, Bermuda's Burden

Former

Members Instruments Years active Other projects
Judah "Nagrash Sargoth" Dijk Guitars 2018–2019[45] Ritual Malediction, Gesel
Aaron "Ruah" Kirby Bass 2019 Ascending King, Thief on the Cross, Dryline, Frostbreath, Noisechrist, Mosquito Eater, Unblack Metal Fist
David "Timōrātus" Napier Guitars (2018–2019), bass (2019–2022) 2018–2022 Timōrātus, Dead Human Prophecies, The Abrasive Realization, Color Crush, Azell
Eero Tertsunen Bass (2019), guitars (2019–2023) 2019–2023 Renascent, Angel of Sodom, The Slave Eye, Kataplexia, Megiddon, Beyond Belief, Kastimonia, The UnWorthy, Kremator, Jernlov
Tyler "Onyx" Brown Bass 2021–2022 (Live), 2022–2023 Forthright, Aegaeon

Live

Members Instruments Years active Other projects
Joe Jones Bass 2023 Grave Robber, Blasted Heath, Gøatherdr

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

  • ...Of Scars and Soil... (May 30, 2017; Independent)[49]
  • Body of Christ (March 19, 2019; with Timōrātus and Bismoth)
  • The Ascension of Extinction (September 4, 2020; Rottweiler)
  • Dead Winter Fields (April 16, 2021; Rottweiler)
  • Entropy (July 2, 2021; Rottweiler)
  • The Arch of Time (September 10, 2021; Rottweiler)

Live releases

  • LIVE @ Rusted Recordings Studio Volume 1 (2022)
  • LIVE @ Rusted Recordings Studio Volume 2 (2023)

Singles

  • "Invert the Inverted Cross" - Horde (2018)
  • "Drink from the Chalice of Blood" - Horde (2018; collaboration with Ascending King)
  • "You Shall Be as Gods" (2020)
  • "DeathMarch" (2020)
  • "Dead Winter Fields" (2021)
  • "Entropy" (2021)
  • "The Arch of Time" (2021)
  • "The Song of September" (2021)
  • "In Anger's Midst" (2023)

Compilation appearances

  • The Bearded Dragon's Sampler: Third Times a Charm (2017; The Bearded Dragon Productions)
  • Metal from the Dragon (Vol. 1) (2017; The Bearded Dragon Productions)
  • Nosral Sampler #1 (2017; Nosral Recordings)

Documentary appearances

  • True American Black Metal (2020)

References
  1. Beard, Mason (May 1, 2017). "Interview: Symphony of Heaven". Indie Vision Music. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  2. Beard, Mason (July 26, 2017). "Nosral Recordings Signs 2 Bands". Indie Vision Music. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  3. Sullivan, Christian (January 1, 2020). "New Signing to Kick Off 2020". The Metal Onslaught. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  4. Voigt, Andrew (July 8, 2021). "Five Death Metal Bands You Need To Know About". HM Magazine. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  5. NARAKU666 (November 24, 2017). "Symphony of Heaven". Encyclopedia Metallum. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  6. Beard, Mason (February 10, 2017). "Symphony of Heaven releases "Stratagem"". Indie Vision Music. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  7. thrashboy (May 14, 2017). "One Man Solo Project 'Symphony Of Heaven' Releases 'Stratagem' Single/Lyric Video". The Metal Resource. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  8. Agyepong, Jeffrey (February 12, 2021). "Interview: Symphony of Heaven". Beyond the Grave Music. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  9. Beard, Mason (May 31, 2017). "Symphony of Heaven releases "...Of Scars and Soil..."". Indie Vision Music. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  10. thrashboy (June 1, 2017). "One Man Solo Project 'Symphony Of Heaven' Released Debut EP '...of scars and soil...'". The Metal Resource. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  11. Beard, Mace (June 1, 2017). "News: Symphony of Heaven releases "...Of Scars and Soil..."". The Bearded Dragon's Metal. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  12. thrashboy (June 25, 2017). "One Man Solo Project 'Symphony Of Heaven' Releases '...of scars and soil...' Lyric Video". The Metal Resource. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  13. Beard, Mason (June 23, 2017). "Symphony of Heaven - "...Of Scars and Soil..."". Indie Vision Music. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  14. Beard, Mason (November 10, 2017). "IVM Premiere: Symphony of Heaven - In Anger's Midst". Indie Vision Music. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  15. thrashboy (November 28, 2017). "One Man Spirit Filled Extreme Metal Band 'Symphony of Heaven' – 'In Anger's Midst'". The Metal Resource. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
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  23. ""True American Black Metal" by Filmmaker Bruce Moore Film Releases September 30th". Ghost Cult Mag. September 18, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
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  26. Chauve (December 17, 2021). "Symphony Of Heaven Release Their Staggering New Album of Blackened Melodic Death Metal - "Maniacal Entropik Discordium"". Bloody News. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
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  40. "Ep. 144 Tyler Brown 3: Christian Metal". The Days Grimm Podcast. October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
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  42. "TODAY IS THE DAY!!!". Instagram. October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  43. "**ATTENTION**". Instagram. October 22, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
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