Heathen Foray: Oathbreaker

Heathen Foray began their journey with the ambition to blend the heaviness of death metal with lighthearted and catchy melodies that will stay in your mind long after you heard them. This authentic mix, seasoned with folk music elements, paid off, as the band’s sing-along themes and skull splitting riffs earned them a following of underground metal fans and media tastemakers. Whereas other bands in the general vicinity of this genre mix tend to dress up in medieval clothing or play Vikings on stage, Heathen Foray made a clear statement that their kinship with the Pagan ways is a modern interpretation of them. What else is a modern Pagan than an activist for a cleaner environment, sustainable living, and social solidarity? This led to their music often being described as “Neo-Pagan-Metal” and their songs being advocates against climate-change and oppression. “Oathbreaker” embraces these ideas both lyrically and musically. The album sees the band return to their melodic and uplifting musical roots that will remind fans much more of earlier albums like “The Passage” and “Armored Bards” rather than the much darker “Weltenwandel” from 2020.