• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

November 2024

• Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
• Lionville: Supernatural
• Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
• Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
• Lonerider: Down In The Dust
• Seventh Crystal: Entity
• Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
• Beardfish: Songs For Beating Hearts
• Impellitteri: War Machine
• Brothers Of Metal: Fimbulvinter

October 2024

• Casandra's Crossing: Garden Of Earthly Delights
• DGM: Endless
• Daytona: Garder la Flamme
• Fate: Reconnect 'N Ignite
• Frost*: Life In The Wires
• Aries Descendant: From The Ashes Of Deceit
• Fans Of The Dark: Video
• Radioactive: Reset
• House Of Lords: Full Tilt Overdrive
• Cleanbreak: We Are The Fire

September 2024

• Sinner's Blood: Dark Horizons
• Serious Black: Rise Of Akhenaton
• Eclipse: Megalomanium II
• SteelCity: Reverence
• Hydra: ReHydrated
• Heartwind: III
• Gabrielle De Val and the Dragonlords: Tiger
• Find Me: Nightbound
• The Nail: The Nail
• Timeless Fairytale: A Story To Tell
• Stryper: When We Were Kings
• Phil Mogg: Moggs Motel
• Pure Reason Revolution: Coming Up To Consciousness
• Jordan Rudess: Permission To Fly

August 2024

• Siege Perilous: Creation's Call EP
• Paralydium: Universe Calls
• Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. II
• Bite The Bullet: Looking For Paradise
• All For Metal: Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)
• Hammerfall: Avenge The Fallen
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 2

[ More Music Reviews ]

H.E.A.T.: Freedom Rock

Melodic Hard Rock/AOR

Rating: 4.0/5.0

StormVox Records
www.myspace.com/heatsweden
www.heatsweden.com
Review: Craig Hartranft,  05.31.2010

Somewhere between classic 80's AOR and melodic, with a touch of glam, hard rock is Sweden's H.E.A.T. They gained some major recognition and fine reviews across the greater European theater with their premier self-title work. For their sophomore follow-up, Freedom Rock, H.E.A.T. stays the course. Catchy melodies, strong vocal arrangements, fiery guitar solos, and larger-than-life hooks drive every song on this disc. It's sounds good, and ever so effortless for this Swedish sextet.

H.E.A.T. can rock hard as on Beg, Beg, Beg, Nobody Loves You, or Danger Road, or simply deliver arena ready melodic rock on We're Gonna Make It to the End or Stay. Either way the blistering, often quick, guitar work throughout gives these songs a piercing edge. Some listeners might suggest Freedom Rock is heavier, more brisk, than their first release. What's absent here is a typical rock ballad, with closest being Shelter or Everybody Wants to Be Someone. But they latter may start like a ballad, but ultimately soars like edgier AOR.

Overall, H.E.A.T.'s Freedom Rock delivers the goods once more, solid melodic hard rock ala the 1980's. My only concern is that H.E.A.T. may trending towards formulaic repitition, like Last Autumn's Dream for instance, rather than breaking new ground. Nevetheless, they have a good thing going, and they do it very well. Very recommended.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

H.E.A.T.'s Freedom Rock delivers the goods once more, solid melodic hard rock ala the 1980's, though some may find certain tunes heavier than their previous outing.

Alphabetical Index

eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]