Bay Area thrash veterans HEATHEN have released an official cover of IRON MAIDEN’s classic track „The Prisoner“ as a tribute to the British heavy metal icons‘ 50th anniversary. The release is accompanied by a full official music video and features custom artwork by Dan Goldsworthy. The band will also embark on an extensive North American tour in summer 2026.Bay Area thrash metal legends HEATHEN have returned with a new release that pays direct homage to one of heavy metal’s most iconic bands. Following their celebrated comeback single „Never A God“, HEATHEN have unveiled an official cover of IRON MAIDEN’s classic track „The Prisoner“, complete with an official music video, timed to mark the 50th anniversary of IRON MAIDEN’s founding.
The release has been crafted with meticulous attention to detail. Samples drawn from the British television series of the same name have been woven into the track, lending the cover an authentic atmospheric quality that honours the spirit of the original. The accompanying artwork was created by Dan Goldsworthy, known for his work with Accept, Inhuman Condition and Haken, and draws visual motifs from the HEATHEN classic „Goblin’s Blade“ while incorporating a clear nod to IRON MAIDEN’s legendary mascot Eddie. A custom band logo rendered in the style of the Maiden typeface completes the visual identity of the release.
Guitarist Kragen Lum described the recording process as both a natural and deeply personal creative decision, noting that IRON MAIDEN have been a defining influence on HEATHEN since the band’s earliest days. Musically, HEATHEN retain the energy and melodic precision of the source material while imprinting their own unmistakable thrash sensibility across the track’s driving verses, anthemic chorus and celebrated instrumental passage.
Complementing the release, HEATHEN are set to undertake a substantial North American tour throughout the summer of 2026. The run begins with a series of support dates alongside thrash institution METAL CHURCH before HEATHEN headline their own shows across the Midwest, Northeast and Canada, with Void joining as special guest.
Photo: Ty Fox