Bay Area thrash metal veterans Heathen have announced their sixth studio album, Lifetime in Hell, set for release on February 19, 2027, through Napalm Records. The band have also shared the album’s first single, “Escapegoat,” accompanied by an official music video.
The upcoming record marks Heathen’s first full-length release since 2020’s Empire of the Blind. Produced by Zeuss at Planet Z, the 11-track album features drum recordings by Jason Bittner and a guest appearance from guitarist Jeff Loomis on “Glass House.”
Speaking about the new single, vocalist David White said: “‘Escapegoat’ is a song that has been a long time in the making. It takes you on a journey through intense riffing and heart-pounding drum rhythms and is the first piece of the puzzle we wanted you to experience as a glimpse into the intensity and bigger picture that we feel this album will bring.”
Guitarist Kragen Lum also discussed the concept behind the accompanying video, explaining that the song explores how people use distractions to escape the pressures of everyday life.
“We live in an increasingly superficial and plastic world, surrounded by artificial images, endless distractions, and expectations that can sometimes become too much to handle,” Lum said.
Regarding the upcoming album, White added: “After touring extensively around the world in support of Empire of the Blind, we’ve spent the last year or so recording whenever we could make it happen, and we’re finally finished with this new album! We’re very proud to announce Lifetime in Hell.”
Heathen will embark on a U.S. tour with Forbidden and Void beginning October 23 in Las Vegas, followed by a European tour with Exhorder and Evil Invaders in February and March 2027. Additional UK dates with Evil Invaders are scheduled for late March.
Watch the official video for “Escapegoat” below.
Lifetime in Hell track listing:
1. One Last Mistake
2. Escapegoat
3. Glass House (feat. Jeff Loomis)
4. Sanity Charade
5. Lifetime in Hell
6. Goddess of the Light
7. Demons Making Trophies of Men
8. The Bitter End
9. Darkness Bleeds
10. Respite for the Damned
11. Exit Strategy
Heathen 2026 U.S. tour dates (with Forbidden and Void):
October 23 – Las Vegas, NV – The Usual Place
October 25 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Urban Lounge
October 26 – Denver, CO – Federal Theatre
October 28 – Iowa City, IA – Gabe’s
October 29 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club
October 30 – Chicago, IL – Reggie’s Rock Club
October 31 – Lakewood, OH – Mercury Music Lounge
November 1 – New Kensington, PA – Preserving
November 2 – Leesburg, VA – Tally Ho Theater
November 4 – Worcester, MA – Palladium
November 5 – Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus
November 7 – Albany, NY – Empire Underground
November 8 – Lititz, PA – Mickey’s Black Box
November 9 – Greensboro, NC – Hangar 1819
November 10 – Greenville, SC – Radio Room
November 12 – Winter Park, FL – Conduit
November 13 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
November 15 – Destin, FL – CLUB LA
November 17 – Austin, TX – Come and Take It Live
November 18 – Dallas, TX – Trees
November 20 – Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad
November 21 – Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
November 22 – Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom
Heathen 2027 European tour dates (with Exhorder and Evil Invaders):
February 25 – Karlsruhe, Germany – Substage
February 26 – Geiselwind, Germany – Eventzentrum Strohofer Geiselwind
February 27 – Andernach, Germany – Juz Live Club
February 28 – Lindau, Germany – Club Vaudeville
March 2 – Aschaffenburg, Germany – Colos-Saal
March 3 – Hamburg, Germany – Gruenspan
March 4 – Roskilde, Denmark – Gimle
March 5 – Drachten, Netherlands – Poppodium Iduna
March 6 – Antwerp, Belgium – Trix
March 7 – Utrecht, Netherlands – Pandora
March 9 – Göttingen, Germany – musa e.V.
March 10 – Berlin, Germany – BI NUU
March 11 – Bielsko-Biała, Poland – Rude Boy
March 12 – Prague, Czech Republic – Futurum Music Bar
March 13 – Vienna, Austria – Szene
March 14 – Budapest, Hungary – Barba Negra
March 16 – Munich, Germany – Backstage
March 17 – Zürich, Switzerland – Dynamo
March 18 – Innsbruck, Austria – p.m.k. Innsbruck
March 19 – Bischofswerda, Germany – East-Club
March 20 – Bochum, Germany – Matrix Bochum
March 21 – Paris, France – Petit Bain
Heathen 2027 UK tour dates (with Evil Invaders):
March 23 – Bristol, UK – The Fleece
March 24 – Birmingham, UK – The Castle & Falcon
March 25 – Glasgow, UK – Audio
March 26 – Manchester, UK – Academy 2
March 27 – London, UK – Underworld
Photo by Ty Fox
