Victims of Deception
| Victims of Deception | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Heathen | ||||
| Released | April 12, 1991 | |||
| Genre | Thrash metal | |||
| Length |
64:41 68:21 (Bonus track) | |||
| Label | Roadrunner | |||
| Producer | Heathen and Rob Beaton | |||
| Heathen chronology | ||||
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Victims of Deception is the second album by the US thrash metal band Heathen, which was released in 1991 by Roadrunner Records. It was re-issued by Metal Mind Productions in 2006, as a digipak in a limited amount of 2000 numbered copies.
This album is considerably more technical and progressive than its predecessor. It features many tempo changes, complex song structures, odd time signatures, longer song lengths, and more frequent guitar solos. It is considered among the most technical thrash albums ever, and part of the so-called "technical/progressive thrash" movement of the late 80's, early 90's (other pivotal albums in this era [chronologically] included Toxik's Think This, Metallica's ...And Justice for All, Watchtower's Control and Resistance, Megadeth's Rust in Peace, Dark Angel's Time Does Not Heal, and Coroner's Mental Vortex).
The band did not have a bass player at the time this album was recorded. The bass tracks on this album were played by Blind Illusion guitarist/frontman Marc Biedermann. The band had many bassists on this albums supporting tour. Singles were released for the cover of Rainbow's "Kill the King" and "Prisoners of Fate".
The bonus track "Hellbound" is a cover of Tygers of Pan Tang. The intro of "Hypnotized" features excerpts from a speech by evangelist Jim Jones. It was the band's last studio album for 19 years until the 2010 release of The Evolution of Chaos.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hypnotized" | Lee Altus, David White | 8:36 | |
| 2. | "Opiate of the Masses" | Altus, White | 7:51 | |
| 3. | "Heathen's Song" | Altus, White, Jim Sanguinetti | 9:26 | |
| 4. | "Kill the King" (Rainbow Cover) | Ritchie Blackmore, Ronnie James Dio, Cozy Powell | 3:34 | |
| 5. | "Fear of the Unknown" | Altus, White | 7:09 | |
| 6. | "Prisoners of Fate" | Altus, White | 6:21 | |
| 7. | "Morbid Curiosity" | Doug Piercy, White | 6:28 | |
| 8. | "Guitarmony" | Piercy | 3:32 | |
| 9. | "Mercy Is No Virtue" | Altus, White | 6:28 | |
| 10. | "Timeless Cell of Prophecy" | Altus, White | 5:23 | |
| 11. | "Hellbound" (Bonus track; Tygers of Pan Tang Cover) | Tygers of Pan Tang | 3:40 |
Credits
- Dave White - Lead Vocals
- Lee Altus - Guitar
- Doug Piercy - Guitar
- Marc Biedermann - Bass
- Darren Minter - Drums