Tampa’s ferocious hardcore punk band Heaven’s Gate has dropped their debut full-length, Tales from a Blistering Paradise, a relentless eight-track assault that’s out now on Beach Impediment Records (LP) and To Live a Lie Records (CD/cassette). Formed in 2021, Heaven’s Gate—vocalist Tony Foresta (Municipal Waste), guitarist Mike Goo (Warthog), bassist Jeff Howe (Reversal of Man), and drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz (Cannibal Corpse)—channels seething rage into a blast-beat-driven behemoth.
Recorded by Ryan Boesch at Candor Studios, mixed by Will Killingsworth, and mastered by Joel Grind, Tales from a Blistering Paradise is a “white-knuckle” onslaught of hardcore, punk, and extreme metal. The album’s packaging, designed by Steak Mtn, features a cover photo by Mazurkiewicz of a 1990s Clearwater “Our Lady” apparition in a window—a nod to Florida’s bizarre cultural underbelly. Limited to 150 red and 150 yellow vinyl copies for mailorder, alongside CD and cassette formats, it’s available at beachimpedimentrecords.bigcartel.com and tolivealie.com, with shipping expected in 2-3 weeks.
The tracklist evokes Florida’s dark, surreal history, from religious mirages to psychic towns and infamous crimes. Tracks like “The Causeway Cannibal” and “Bog Bodies” deliver crushing intensity, with Foresta’s snarling vocals, Goo’s gritty riffs, Howe’s driving bass, and Mazurkiewicz’s blast beats. The band’s veteran pedigree ensures a polished yet visceral attack, appealing to fans of Converge, Napalm Death, and His Hero Is Gone. “Florida, baby!” says Mark from Beach Impediment, capturing the album’s raw spirit.
With no confirmed 2025 live dates, their chaotic EP-era shows with bands like Deathwish had a strong stage presence. Tales from a Blistering Paradise is a brutal testament to Florida’s hardcore punk legacy, tying into the state’s oddball lore with Mazurkiewicz’s 30-year-old photo.
Tracklist:
- Frail Mary
- Walls
- Much Worse
- Cassadaga
- The Causeway Cannibal
- Bog Bodies
- Blood and Guts
- Freedom Square
Grab your copy before the limited vinyl vanishes!