“Prone To Wander” Is A Display Of Pure Progressive Metalcore |

Altarheart Announces New Album

A new album has appeared on the radar: the upcoming release “Prone To Wander” by the unconventional Altarheart, a band whose Metalcore and experimental elements are its most striking features. Released by Rottweiler Records, “Prone To Wander” will be available starting September 25, 2026, but in this article, we’ll take you on a tour of what you can expect from this intriguing album.
Hailing from Charleston in West Virginia, the ‘Mountain State’, Altarheart began in early 2023 as a solo endeavour from multi-instrumentalist Anthony Conn. Anthony released an array of singles working alone, as well as Deny Thyself, a full-length album of his distinctive, melodic, progressively minded metalcore before he welcomed his brother and accomplished drummer, Alex Conn into the Altarheart fold.
The new, expanded lineup of Altarheart released the EP “Creatures Here Below” in October 2024. “Prone To Wander,” Altarheart’s new album, marks a major step forward for the band, fully realizing the potential that “Creatures Here Below” had already more than demonstrated.

The truth is that Altarheart has produced material that is far superior to anything they’ve released before. “Prone To Wander” is an album that could be described as experimental, while still staying within the parameters of Metalcore.
The vibe of “Prone To Wander” oscillates between experimental sounds, the riffs and heavy beats typical of Metalcore—plus the familiar “breakdowns”—and certain echoes of Industrial Metal and Nu Metal. That’s the vibe right from the first track, “Wayward,” which kicks off with a bang: heavy, tight, dry, and cutting riffs; guttural and clean vocals in an anthemic tone; and an orchestral foundation that provides the perfect backdrop. Featuring Scapegoat, the next track is “Mortal Man,” a song that takes us on a journey into extreme music.
“Not Well” features a bouncy riff and an unrelenting rhythm, while “Rustbelt” is much more in line with Altarheart’s experimental side—even its chords and harmonies seem to head in a different direction than what most metalcore bands are used to, making it one of the most interesting tracks on the album. The twisted riffs operate on a different wavelength, and even their climactic passages are worth noting.

But if we’re talking about experimentation, perhaps we should add “Consider The Lilies” to the list—a melodic and atmospheric track that lends the metalcore sound a sort of anthemic quality—and we can note the same vibe in “Low Souls,” with its melancholic, mid-tempo atmosphere. There’s also “Brother, Sister,” another anthem-like track featuring raw screams, with background instrumentation that gives it a distinctive edge.
“Weaken My Flesh” is another track featuring a special guest—in this case, Michael Grice of The Light Superior, who lends his deep vocals to an atmospheric and climactic piece—while “Streets Of Mold” makes use of low, heavy tones in the style of Korn, in a track that oscillates between relentless pounding and the background instrumentation.
Another standout on “Prone To Wonder” is undoubtedly “Island Of One,” a true metalcore assault highlighted by heavy riffs and the varying tempos with which Altarheart manipulates the rhythm; in that vein, “Reconcile” is not to be missed—a musicalized cry of despair, one might say, with an orchestral structure that will surprise more than a few listeners.
Finally, “For Those Who Have Wandered Away” is the track that brings the album to a close, serving as a sort of musical declaration or proclamation.

Without a doubt, Altarheart’s sound is something different—totally distinct from the trends dominating the metalcore scene. The band’s experimentation with sound and orchestration creates a unique atmosphere in every track on “Prone To Wonder.” That said, it’s true—there are no guitar solos or anything that comes close to traditional metal—but we have to be fair and honest: Altarheart is on a different path than most, and that in itself is worth a lot. Moreover, it’s done with good taste and careful thought, featuring production tailored specifically to the case.
Mixed and mastered by Anthony Conn, Prone To Wander affords space and clarity to every element of Altarheart’s complex sound; the incredible range of vocal styles, from harsh growls to melodic refrains, anthemic roars to narrative enunciations are all allowed to shine to superb effect. Complete with powerful, thought-provoking artwork, Prone To Wander will be released by Rottweiler Records on September 25th. The ride is about to begin…

And to get ready for the official release, Altarheart is featuring two music videos on rotation: one for “Mortal Man” (featuring Scapegoat) and the other for the track “Low Souls.” We’ve included them below so you can get a taste of what’s to come with “Prone To Wander,” and, as always, here are the links to these great folks’ social media accounts…

https://www.rottweilerrecords.com

https://www.facebook.com/RottweilerRecords

https://www.facebook.com/AltarheartMusic

https://www.instagram.com/altarheart_music