Heavy Temple Announce Lineup Split
Heavy Temple are splitting up, but not breaking up. Already, bassist/vocalist High Priestess Nighthawk was the lone remaining original member of the band, and as she notes in the social-medias posts below, she’s already been through a number of different versions of the band since they got together. With drummer Siren Tempestas and guitarist Thunderhorse, Heavy Temple were very quickly building a reputation for lethal live shows and had an album in progress that was poised to be a breakthrough moment for them.
As to what the future might hold for them, I don’t know, and it seems like the change is pretty raw at this point for any real future plans to be discussed outside of finishing out their currently-booked tour schedule for next month, hitting SXSW and more. I’m not sure if they’ll still do the April dates at the Decibel Metal and Beer Fest and/or Grim Reefer, but as Nighthawk says, the intention is to play “everything on the calendar.” So there you go.
And when she says the band isn’t done, I tend to believe her, even if this means it’ll probably way longer before that album arrives.
Announcement follows:
Heavy Temple is ever evolving, and will continue on, playing everything on the calendar. We’ve been five different incarnations over 7 years. It’s understandable that a change in the line up is a shock, and ideally it would have been a gentle transition, but things happen. I am sad, as I’m sure some of you are, and that is humbling. I notice that some of you are mad. Relationships are complicated. Sometimes they don’t turn out the way one expects, and heartbreaking decisions have to be made. I know we will all go on to do great things, and I look forward to meeting more awesome people on that journey.
I just woke up to a million text messages. If I may attempt to clear some things up. I started Heavy Temple 7 years ago in my basement, alone. This is the fifth incarnation of the band. This was and in many ways still is my dream line up, but with every personnel change the sound has just gotten better. I am grateful for my time with them. I made a very difficult decision because I felt we all had different expectations, and couldn’t commit to a heavy touring schedule. I tried to keep everyone happy and still keep myself happy and I failed. This has nothing to do with the “direction” of the band, nor did I use that word. They’re both amazingly talented and I know they’ll go on to do amazing things. I’m not perfect, and I’ve made mistakes. It’s very hard work being in a band, and sometimes things don’t turn out the way you plan. I’m sorry that we’re parting ways. I plan on moving forward, as I always have, because making music is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do.
Heavy Temple Rides to SXSW
March 2019
03.12 Skylark Social Club Charlotte NC
03.13 JJ’s Chattanooga TN
03.14 Spiderhouse Austin TX Wicked Bad Presents SX Stoner Jam
03.15 The Lost Well Austin TX Northwest Hesh Fest & Austin Terror Fest Present…
03.16 Freetown Boom Boom Room Lafayette LA
03.17 Green Lantern Lexington KY
04.14 The Filmore Philadelphia PA Decibel Metal & Beer Fest
04.20 The Ottobar Baltimore MD Grim Reefer Fest
Heavy Temple is:
High Priestess Nighthawk (low end and vocal power)
Siren Tempest (rhythm)
Thunderhorse (6 string axe slinger)
https://www.facebook.com/HeavyTemple/
https://www.instagram.com/heavytemple
https://heavytemple.bandcamp.com
https://www.van-records.de/
https://tridroid.bandcamp.com/album/chassit
if this isn’t an argument to go out and see the bands you like, i don’t know what is. i am glad i saw them open up for royal thunder with backwoods payback last year & i am looking forward to seeing them with a new lineup.
Sonofa! This trio was/is vicious & I look forward to more gigs (is the gig on 2.23 still happening?!) 1st time was b4 I was c&s back in ’14 at KFN where the guitarist & drummer “douched out” (from my horrid hazy recollection), and Bearadactyl stepped it up that night for the 1st time as a 2-piece b4 I even knew what they sounded like with a guitar. Weird introduction! Then summer ’17 and early and middle ’18 saw ’em continue to hone those doomic teeth. Hope to see Siren Tempest & Thunderhorse in some capacity, & always looking forward to new gigs & riffs from The Temple. This band hurts my neck.