By Stephen Kasenda
HEAT “H.E.A.T.” (2008)
Sweden continues to amaze me in the last couple of years, providing a lot of entertainment from almost all musical genres. This time, H.E.A.T. blew me away with enthralling, grandeur melodic rock in the vein of classic 80s heroes such as Bon Jovi, Europe, Survivor, and Giant. Most of the members are very young, probably in their early 20s, but thumbs up for their songwriting capability and musicianship. Kenny Leckremo, the singer, has a Joey Tempest pipe with a gentle blend of Jimi Jamison. His vocal range is phenomenal and at times we can hear a metallic edge on his voice.
Ignited by "There For You", this instant favorite has a memorable chorus. Then they take you to the higher level with "Never Let Go" – an anthemic chant mixing Talisman and Europe that stands out as the best track of the album for me. Guitarists Eric Rivers and Dave Dalone are twin killer combos, shredding swiftly throughout the songs, especially on tracks such as "Straight Up" and "Straight For Your Heart". "Cry" is a beautiful midtempo ballad with a heartfelt, passionate delivery and a thick 80s texture. "Follow Me" is another power ballad and no doubt, is a great song as well. "Bring The Stars" has an affecting emotional touch with massive vocal harmonies. If you can get the 2cd version, it worth your penny as the second disc contains the song, "1000 Miles", a huge and pompous 80s track.
If you like Europe's "Out" and "Prisoners" era or Giant's first two albums, you will love this amazing album instantly. Not to forget that Stormvox has done a splendid job with a flawless sound production. If this was released in 1988, H.E.A.T would have sold out a 30,000 capacity stadium and topped charts across the world. This is a five star album and a must-buy if you're into glam metal and melodic rock.
Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.
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