Hailing from Charleston in West Virginia, the ‘Mountain State’, Altarheart began in early 2023 as a solo endeavour from multi-instrumentalist Anthony Conn. Anthony released an array of singles working alone, as well as Deny Thyself, a full-length album of his distinctive, melodic, progressively minded metalcore before he welcomed his brother and accomplished drummer, Alex Conn into the Altarheart fold.
The new, expanded Altarheart released the Creatures Here Below EP in October of 2024 and JesusFreakHideout proclaimed the release to be “heavy, bold, and enjoyable from start to finish”. They also noted that Altarheart were becoming “an act to keep an eye on”, something that Rottweiler Records clearly agreed with as they promptly signed the band for the release of their next full-length album – which is about to be unleashed! Prone To Wander sees Altarheart taking giant strides forward and fulfilling all the potential shown by Creatures Here Below in abundance…
Having drawn you quietly into its sphere of influence, Prone To Wander’s opening track, ‘Wayward’, explodes in a dazzling display of aggressive vocals, adrenaline fuelled rhythms, powerful electronics, sublime melodies and anthemic choruses. It’s a dramatic, compelling opening gambit that propels you deeper into the musical realm of Altarheart. What follows is the accomplished realisation of a unique musical vision. Each song sees the Conn brothers working from different areas of their expansive sonic palette, painting in different hues of emotion, conjuring different atmospheres.
There’s an exploratory feel to this collection, with new ideas and new territories opening up in the face of Altarheart’s determined creativity. This music is challenging and demanding, but its diversity is key to the longevity of its appeal – there is so much to discover and digest. In ‘Consider The Lillies’ beauty and melancholy work in strange harmony with harsh vocals and muscular riffs – force and frailty entwined. ‘Rustbelt’ sees tranquillity in a head on collision with abrasive, destructive heaviness – meditative passages of calm reflection like safe harbours in a tempestuous sea of rage – while ‘Island Of One’ serves up a remarkable plethora of riffs, each one an exemplary addition to the album as a whole.
Nor are Altarheart lacking when it comes to streamlined, tightly focussed tracks – look no further than ‘Weaken My Flesh’, featuring Michael Grice of The Light Superior, or the superbly structured ‘Reconcile’ for evidence of that. Ultimately, Prone To Wander leaves you not only with the sense of potential fulfilled but also of immense possibility. This album is an achievement in itself, but also a step in a journey still to unfold.
Mixed and mastered by Anthony Conn, Prone To Wander affords space and clarity to every element of Altarheart’s complex sound; the incredible range of vocal styles, from harsh growls to melodic refrains, anthemic roars to narrative enunciations are all allowed to shine to superb effect. Complete with powerful, thought-provoking artwork, Prone To Wander will be released by Rottweiler Records on September 25th. The ride is about to begin…
Line up:
Anthony Conn – Guitars, Bass, Vocals
Alex Conn – Drums
Additional vocals on ‘Mortal Man’ by Scapegoat
Additional vocals on ‘Weaken My Flesh’ by Michael Grice
Genre: Progressive Metalcore
For fans of: August Burns Red | Bring Me The Horizon | Refiner | The Light Superior
Find out more about Altaarheart at IPR here
Further information:
https://www.facebook.com/AltarheartMusic
https://www.instagram.com/altarheart_music/
https://altarheartrr.bandcamp.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6qOTpOOQd1BxRIH3Tzvnhk
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/altarheart/1696371764
https://www.rottweilerrecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RottweilerRecords/
https://www.youtube.com/c/RottweilerRecordsOfficialYouTubeChannel
https://rottweilerrecords.bandcamp.com/artists
https://www.instagram.com/rottweiler.records
