Heathen is an American thrash metal band from the San Francisco Bay Area, active since 1984. Alongside Exodus, Testament and Death Angel, they are widely credited as one of the driving forces of the Bay Area thrash scene. Their first two albums, Breaking the Silence (1987) and Victims of Deception (1991), remain genre benchmarks; after a hiatus in the 1990s the band returned with The Evolution of Chaos (2010) and Empire of the Blind (2020). In early 2026 they signed with Napalm Records and are currently working on a new studio album.
Heathen released a cover version of the Iron Maiden classic "The Prisoner" on the occasion of the band's 50th anniversary; the single is accompanied by a music video.
The maxi single Never a God was released on April 23, 2026 on vinyl and digitally through Napalm Records.
Heathen signed a contract with Napalm Records and announced that they are working on a new studio album.
The band launched a North American tour as support for Coroner as part of the Dissonance Over the West series.
Guitarist Lee Altus, founding member of the band, left Heathen in 2025; the lineup stabilized around guitarist Kragen Luma.
