Heathen at the Whisky: Thrash Legends on Renewal, Resilience, and the Road Ahead

Heathen at the Whisky: Thrash Legends on Renewal, Resilience, and the Road Ahead

The Sunset Strip has seen its share of metal history, but few nights buzz with the kind of electricity that hits when Heathen rolls into town. Just hours before their set opening for Coroner at the legendary Whisky A Go Go, the band gathered backstage—equal parts relaxed, focused, and ready to ignite the room.

Frontman David White was joined by bassist Jason Mirza, drummer Blake Anderson, and guitarist Kyle Edissi, each bringing their own chapter to the band’s evolving story. With new music on the horizon, a fresh single already spinning, and a renewed sense of momentum after years of pandemic‑era uncertainty, Heathen are clearly entering a new era—one built on gratitude, grit, and the unmistakable fire that’s kept them a cornerstone of Bay Area thrash for decades.

What followed was a candid, energetic conversation about lineup changes, resurrected songs, life on the road, and the band’s determination to keep pushing forward. If Heathen’s future sounds anything like their mood backstage, fans are in for one hell of a ride.

Backstage at the Whisky A Go Go before their set opening for Coroner

We’re here with David White of Heathen. First of all, we’re at the world‑famous Whisky on the Sunset Strip. What are you looking forward to most about playing such an iconic venue?
David: Just a killer response, hopefully playing well, and getting to see some friends. This is a hometown show for a lot of the guys in the band, so we’ve been looking forward to it. We love playing this place. It’s not our first time, so it’s going to be electric tonight.

How has this tour with Coroner been going so far? I think you’re only on day three.
David: This is day three, yeah. We just did the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise last weekend and then jumped straight into the tour. The first couple of days were everyone getting their bearings—dialing in the sound, getting everything sorted between the bands, plus some local openers. We’re still getting the machine running smoothly so all the cams work together. It’s coming together, though. Today has been much better in terms of timing and flow. Should be good.

Let’s talk about the new song you just released, “Never a God,” which is a cover from one of your earlier bands. What made you decide to revisit that track now?
David: It’s from my old band Laughing Dead, and we always loved that demo. I was really proud of it. Kragen and I talked about revisiting it for a long time. That demo is actually part of the reason we changed keys on the last record—we dropped to a lower key because it’s more comfortable for me and has a grittier tone that I like. We wanted to pay homage to that era and finally let this song see the light of day. It’s such a good song, so we wanted to give it a go.

You recently released a live record, Bleed the World. What made you decide it was the right time to put out a live album with the current lineup?
David: We’ve wanted to do a proper live record for a while. We recorded one in Greece years ago with Lee, but getting it finished was a chore—we just couldn’t get it across the finish line. On our recent U.S. tours, our soundman Jonah captured some great recordings and mixes. When we listened back, we realized the material was strong enough for a live release. So we compiled the best performances, cleaned them up, and put it together. Live albums aren’t as celebrated as they used to be, but I love having one. And for some of the older songs—like the ones from Breaking the Silence, which we’re proud of even though we didn’t love the production—it’s great to hear them with the power and punch we always wanted. “Goblin’s Blade” on the live record sounds massive.

One of the tracks on the live album is your cover of The Sweet’s “Set Me Free,” which originally appeared on Breaking the Silence. What made you bring that one back?
David: That was a last‑minute thing back in the day. We were about to go into the studio, came into rehearsal one night, and Lee said, “Hey, what do you think about covering ‘Set Me Free’?” I was like, “What? Where’d that come from?” We learned it, it had a great groove, and we felt it would fit the record. The label loved it and pushed it as a single and video. It’s just a great song. Fast‑forward to 2022—we were on tour in Europe, having a great run, and I asked the guys if they’d relearn it so we could bring it back. We started playing it again in the States, then took it to Australia, and people loved it. It was cool to revive it after so long. Live, it turned out killer, and it sounds awesome on the record.

Did anyone from The Sweet ever comment on your version?
David: Yeah, back when we recorded it originally, we reached out for permission. Andy Scott sent us a message saying he was pleased with it. That was great to hear.

Empire of the Blind was released in the middle of the pandemic. What was it like putting out an album during such a historic moment?
David: At first, it seemed like it was going to be a nightmare. We had almost a full year of touring planned, and the record was originally supposed to come out in June. Then COVID hit, and everything had to be canceled. We couldn’t tour, obviously, and the release date got pushed to September. All we could do was wait and see what happened. The surprising thing was that during COVID, everyone was stuck inside and listening to music. People were actually buying records. Empire of the Blind ended up doing really well—we recouped the album in less than a year, which we had never done before, and that was during a pandemic. So what we thought would be a total disaster ended up being okay. And when we finally went out in ’22, we had a great turnout on the road. You just never know how things will play out. All we could do was sit back and let it unfold.

Now, Lee Altus is no longer with the band. What went through your mind when he left? He’s been part of Heathen almost as long as you have.
David: Yeah, but back in 2005 Exodus asked him to join, and that’s his favorite band. For him, that was a dream come true—getting to play in the band he grew up loving. He did both bands for a while, and we even toured together, but Exodus got busy and did their thing. He was actually going to tour with us in 2020 for the new record, but the pandemic blew all of that up. After that, we had to make a decision. We needed to keep moving forward. He couldn’t do the 2022 tour with us, so we talked to Kyle and asked him to join. He’s been playing with us ever since. We just keep rolling. Lee will always be considered a member of the group, but it’s up to him whether he wants to participate. We’re not going to wait around—we’re moving forward and letting the chips fall where they may.

Could I ask the other members a question?
David: You can ask them as many questions as you like.

How did you wind up joining Heathen?
Blake Anderson (drums): How did I end up joining? I heard from Jason last fall. I’d been playing with Warbringer for most of last year during their tour cycle, and we have a lot of mutual friends and overlap. Maybe it’s a better question for them, but I think they reached out based on that. It was a really easy fit compared to some of what I’d been doing recently. It just made sense. Joining up with them has been super smooth—they’re great hangs, the music is great, and it’s been a good experience all around.

Kyle, how did you wind up joining Heathen?
Kyle Edissi (guitars): I’d been in contact with Kragen over the last few years on social media. He knew me from my band Invicta. When they announced the 2022 European tour with Toxik, I messaged him and said, “Hey, if you need a merch guy or a tech, I just want to get out on the road. I’ve been home too long.” His response was, “Well, actually, we need a guitar player. Do you want to audition?” So I auditioned—and here I am.

And Jason, so you don’t feel left out—how did you join Heathen?
Jason Mirza (bass): Dave and I have been friends since ’89—since the Laughing Dead days. That’s where I met him. I lived in the same studio they practiced in. When I moved back to L.A., I met Kragen and we started a band called Psychosis, so I’ve known these guys forever. In 2013, their bass player at the time, Jason Viebrooks, had an accident and couldn’t play. They asked me, “Hey, can you learn a set? We’ve got a show.” I said, “Yeah, sure, no problem.” I did that, and that was basically my audition. About five years later, they said, “Hey, what about that Jason guy? He can do it.” And that was it.

Okay, cool. Thank you guys. Back over to you, David—just a few more questions. Any new music on the horizon? You have a new single out; what’s next?
David: We have a new single, and it’s actually going to be an A‑ and B‑side. The physical copy won’t be out until, I believe, April. When that happens, we’ll officially drop the second song. We’ve got some other material recorded that isn’t quite finished yet, and the new album is about halfway done in terms of recording. It’s already written—we have drums and guitars tracked. We just need to get into the studio with our producer. He’s been really busy with a lot of different projects, and we’re the patient band waiting for him to fit us in. Hopefully, once we finish this tour, we can make some real traction on the record and get it wrapped up. It’s right there—we’re so close. In the meantime, we want to keep the momentum going by releasing singles every few months. We’ve got enough material to do that. We’re trying to change the trajectory from what we’ve done in the past. There were big gaps between releases, and sometimes life just gets in the way. We’re pushing through that now. So yeah—new single out, another one coming soon, and more after that.

Do you have any messages for Heathen fans who are reading this and have been following the band all these years?
David: We just want to thank you guys so much. The support has been amazing—especially for Empire of the Blind and going back to The Evolution of Chaos. We’re looking forward to a bright future, and we hope you’ll come along with us. We hope to see you at the shows—come make some noise and have fun with us. We just want to bring the party to your town. So buckle up.

IN CONCLUSION

As the house lights dimmed and the Whisky began to fill with the unmistakable hum of a crowd ready for impact, Heathen were already shifting gears from conversation to performance mode. What stood out most backstage wasn’t just their history or their technical pedigree—it was their hunger. After decades of navigating lineup changes, industry shifts, and even a global shutdown, the band feels more energized than ever, driven by a renewed creative spark and a deep gratitude for the fans who’ve stayed loud and loyal.

With new singles on the way, an album nearing completion, and a touring schedule that shows no signs of slowing, Heathen are clearly steering into a new chapter with purpose. If their backstage vibe was any indication, the future isn’t just bright—it’s blistering. And for the fans who’ve been there from Breaking the Silence to Empire of the Blind, the message is simple: the party’s far from over, and Heathen are ready to bring it to your town.

(Interview by Ken Morton – Photo by Scott Waters)

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