There is something of a contrast in the elements of Heathen Apostles’ sound in that it is simultaneously as dark and lugubrious as a rainy-day funeral and as wild and sinful as a whiskey-fueled bonfire bash in the desert. As such, this L.A. four-piece is too punk to be pure roots, and too roots to be pure punk. Instead, their worlds-collide approach to song-crafting amounts to what can only be described as gothic Americana, doom country, or dark roots. And their new album, Dust to Dust, is further proof of what a hard-working and talented band Heathen Apostles truly is.

Appropriately consisting of thirteen tracks, Heathen Apostles’ Dust to Dust proves a more creatively nuanced effort than the band’s past albums, with new subtle pieces of each composition revealing themselves with each listen, both musically and lyrically. Multi-instrumentalist Chopper Franklin (The Cramps), vocalist Mather Louth (Radio Noir), bassist Thomas Lorioux (Kings of Nuthin’), and violinist Louis Mascaro work as well together at making music as the four horsemen of the apocalypse do at creating death and destruction. In other words, they’re pros. And after almost seven years of making music, having played quite a lot of shows and released four full-lengths and a bunch of EPs, this group of artists clearly still has plenty to offer.

Dust to Dust opens with the fiery “Burn it to the Ground,” then moves to the cinematic Southwestern feel of “Rise.” “Two for the Road” is a drunkard’s twisted tale, while “One True Belief” is an exotic piece with excellent violin accompaniment, complemented by Louth’s lovely yet haunting voice. Other standouts on the album include: “Paradise Lost,” “Home Sweet Holmes,” and “Easeful Death.” Heathen Apostles also offer up a cool version of the traditional song “In the Pines.” The last three tracks on Dust to Dust are the entirety of the band’s 2018 The Fall EP.    

Dust to Dust by Heathen Apostles is now available from Ratchet Blade Records and the band’s Bandcamp page in CD and digital formats.