Nearly four years after the release of their acclaimed third album Horses in the Abattoir, Toronto-based darkwave duo Traitrs, consisting of Sean-Patrick Nolan and Shawn Tucker, emerge from the shadows with a searing new single, Burn In Heaven. Their latest release plunges into the volatile intersection of religious fanaticism, spiritual possession, and the perilous tension between belief and empirical truth, marking one of the band’s darkest and most arresting works to date.
From its first moments, Burn In Heaven engages with relentless, motorik percussion that pulses with ritualistic intention. Layered with cavernous vocals, spectral synth textures, and serrated guitar lines, the track conjures a pitch black storm, bringing forward menace and transcendence.
The song is based on the haunting true story of Anneliese Michel, a 23-year-old woman subjected to 67 exorcisms before succumbing to malnutrition. Her death remains a chilling testament to the catastrophic consequences when dogma overrides medical care.
"The song deals with possession and the extremities of faith vs science," explains the band. "It examines the instilled religious beliefs where people think they're going to get a pardon by god for horrifying acts when they get to heaven. It's this idea that shaped the entirety of our new record."
ZR