''Heavener'' is the fourth studio album by American metalcore band Invent Animate. The album was released on March 17, 2023, through

UNFD UNFD (pronounced as an initialism ˈjuːˈenˈefˈdiː/ is an independent record label based in Melbourne, Australia. The label is home to a number of Australian artists including Thornhill, Ocean Grove, Hellions and In Hearts Wake, and int ...

. It was self-produced by the band and

Landon Tewers Landon Khale Tewers (born September 27, 1989) is an American musician and producer. He is a former band member of Before Their Eyes, where he was the rhythm guitarist and unclean vocalist. He is best known for being founder and the lead vocalist i ...

The Plot in You The Plot in You is an American rock band formed in Hancock County, Ohio in 2010. Originally a side project of former Before Their Eyes member Landon Tewers, the group is composed of Tewers, guitarist Josh Childress, bassist Ethan Yoder and ...

Critical reception

The album received generally positive reviews from music critics. ''Distorted Sound'' scored the album 8 out of 10 and said: "It would be cheap of us to compare this album to the notions of Heaven and Hell. Slightly sacrilegious also. What Invent Animate deliver is an in depth examination of two of the most complex life lessons humanity can accost; grief and self-acceptance. The idea that nothing is permanent and learning to embrace that is something very few bands execute well. Yes, there are some stumbling blocks within ''Heavener'', but on the whole, this is an album we implore everyone to listen to at least once, if only to draw an individual interpretation of life's experiences." ''

Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...

'' gave the album 3 out of 5 and stated: "No question, ''Heavener'' is proof that Invent Animate remain one of the most compelling acts in progressive metalcore. It's just that the real intrigue lies in where they go next now they've left this baggage behind..." ''New Transcendence'' gave the album an almost perfect score 9/10 and saying: "This might be an unpopular opinion, but ''Heavener'' feels like the first time Invent Animate have tried anything measurably different in several releases—if not ever. Largely, the album is a success, and with songs like 'Shade Astray', 'Void Surfacing' and 'Emberglow' it really isn't a surprise. If anything, Invent Animate are victims to their own immense success, as ''Heavener'' only stutters in the context of their own discography, but overall remains an incredibly strong listening experience in its own right. The takeaway? Invent Animate remain at the top of the progressive metalcore food chain, and Heavener opens up a huge number of new directions for the band to expand into next."

Track listing

Personnel

Invent Animate * Marcus Vik – lead vocals * Keaton Goldwire – lead guitar * Caleb Sherraden – bass * Trey Celaya – drums, rhythm guitar, backing vocals Additional personnel * Invent Animate – production, engineering *

– production * Daniel Braunstein – mixing, mastering * Hayden Clay Williams – artwork

References

{{Authority control 2023 albums UNFD albums Invent, Animate albums