Johannesburg-based industrial thrash metal powerhouse Chaos Doctrine is set to unleash their highly anticipated third album, Bellum, on Friday, April 26. This significant release will be accompanied by an electrifying launch show on Saturday, April 27, at Studio 69, along with the unveiling of an entirely new merchandise campaign. Just ahead of this release, the band is dropping their next single, ‘Heretic,' and it's heavy as hell!

‘Heretic’ marks the fourth single from Bellum, following the industrial thrasher Lifting the Veil (May 2022), the doomy and orchestral ‘Martyr’ (November 2022), and the face-smashing groove machine ‘One of My Bad Days’ (July 2023).

“When 'Lifting the Veil' was released, the band hailed it as their fastest track yet. That was true, until now!" says drummer Jason Eedes. “Heretic is a brutal lesson in the next level of heaviness that Chaos Doctrine is capable of. It is undoubtedly the heaviest and fastest track we have done to date. This is why we decided that it would be the fourth single from Bellum: it is a crazed testament to what we do, who we are, and what we can do!”

Band guitarist and producer Alec Surridge adds, “When we wrote Heretic, we set out to bring a different level of aggression, but balancing it with well-thought-through songwriting, classic groove, and the distinct signature Chaos Doctrine sound.”. The song embodies repeated, unexpected progressions, taking you to the breaking point with speed and aggression before a symphonic industrial breakdown of epic proportions that continues to change before you once again find yourself in the throes of insane death metal.

With a title like ‘Heretic’ being delivered by a band with a name like Chaos Doctrine, one would expect nothing short of a full-frontal assault on all things religious. But one would be wrong. This track turns out to be a lecture in ancient history, or more specifically, Egyptology. Vocalist and lyricist Dr. D explains, “It is no secret that we love history and myth. What better way to combine all of these than to use an ancient alien’s lens and explore the deliberately suppressed history of the most hated Pharaoh, Akhenaten?”. Bass guitarist and band visual artist co-conspirator adds, “Weaving together tales of the Annunaki with the Heretic Pharaoh’s abolishment of polytheism in favour of his sun disc gave us a great theme for the track’s art to really reflect the lyrics and intent of the track.”

"Heretic" feels like being hit by a bullet – or a bullet train. Shredding guitars, blast beats, and old-school death metal vocals are immediate. The shelling is briefly interjected by a superb interlude of perfectly mashed groove and melody before the lecture in Egyptology is completed through another barrage of heavy artillery. A brief listen should confirm this for you. But it will take more than one listen to fully appreciate the artistry of this portrait of a deliberately forgotten heretic.

Stream ‘Heretic’ starting Friday, April 19, and stream 'Bellum' on all major digital platforms starting Friday, April 26. Contact the band for a physical copy, or keep an eye out for the supporting merchandise campaign on FreakFlag.com. Spread the doctrine now!

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