Heathen is a thrash metal band from the San Francisco Bay Area, formed in 1984. Heathen have released five studio albums between 1985 and 2010 which received critical acclaim in the heavy metal community. Their debut album Breaking the Silence was particularly well-received and is considered a classic of the thrash metal genre. They are considered to have helped shape the sound of thrash metal in its early years, combining melodic overtones with heavy, aggressive riffs. While the band has not released any new music since 2010, their albums remain highly influential in the metal music community and their live performances still draw large crowds to this day.