Severed Heaven

Severed Heaven

Severed Heaven are a metal group from Leeds, United Kingdom, active since 2004. Their music combines black metal, death metal and doom metal, and they are described as an all-female quintet in their early line-up.

Background

The band forms in Leeds in 2007 according to their early history, and their first line-up consists of Lauren “Satanica” Price on vocals, Leanne Warren and Vanessa Murray on guitars, Charlotte Bleasdale on bass, and Anna Stewart on drums. Later membership changes bring in Hayley Morgan on drums, and Lena Abé replaces Vanessa on guitar. The current verified line-up includes Lena Abé and Shaun Taylor-Steels.

Severed Heaven develop a style built around guitar harmonies, heavy passages and harsh vocals, with a distinctive “chug” sound. Their material sits across black metal, death metal, doom metal and metal.

Releases and activity

The band releases a self-titled debut EP, which helps establish them and leads to regular live activity. Their first full-length album, Incessant Darkness, follows in 2010. That record includes new songs alongside heavier re-recordings of earlier material.

After the album’s release, the group continues to gig widely across the UK. They appear on the BBC programme Singing With The Enemy with Lethal Fixx, share stages with Gallhammer, Gorgoroth, Hecate Enthroned, Sworn Enemy, Hate, Shining and Nemhain, and play the Dames Of Darkness festival. They also take a headlining slot on the unsigned stage at Bloodstock Open Air in 2009.

Line-up notes

Anna Stewart leaves after Incessant Darkness and is replaced by Hayley Morgan, who is also associated with Torture Garden, Daear and Forest Perversions. In 2011, Lena Abé joins from My Dying Bride. The band later works on a second full-length album while continuing to perform live.

Reception

Incessant Darkness receives strong critical attention, including a 9/10 review from Queens Of Steel.