Heaven’s Gate, which plays Good Intentions in St. Petersburg, Florida on May 30, 2025. Credit: Photo by Dave Decker

For Florida fans of heavy music, Heaven’s Gate is a band to hang a hat on. The supergroup features members of Cannibal Corpse, Horsewhip, and Municipal Waste, but more importantly wears the Bay area on its sleeve—and in the case of a new album, quite literally.

The cover of Tales From a Blistering Paradise features the since-destroyed Clearwater Virgin Mary apparition, and opens with an ode of sorts to the religious figure, “Frail Mary.” Tracked in part by Ryan Boesch at Tampa’s Candor Studios, the LP also takes us on the bridge “The Causeway Cannibal” and even to “Cassadaga” in unsurprisingly brutal fashion.

Flanked by two Sunshine State bands with equally-hardcore bonafides—Gainesville’s Rubes and Melbourne Thrash outfit Mass Panic—Heaven’s Gate releases the record with a show and party at one of the best vegan restaurants in town.

Tickets for the Heaven’s Gate album release show at St. Petersburg’s Good Intentions on Friday, May 30 are $15 at the door.

Readers are invited to submit their own events to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s things to do calendar.

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