{"id":40460,"date":"2014-05-13T07:31:08","date_gmt":"2014-05-13T12:31:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/?p=40460"},"modified":"2014-05-13T10:36:54","modified_gmt":"2014-05-13T15:36:54","slug":"h-e-a-t-tearing-down-the-walls-cd-review-cd-review-cd-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/2014\/h-e-a-t-tearing-down-the-walls-cd-review-cd-review-cd-review\/","title":{"rendered":"H.E.A.T | Tearing Down The Walls<\/em>"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Alexandra Mrozowska<\/span>
\n– Columnist —<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Tearing_Down_The-_Walls_cover\"In 2008, the Swedish melodic rock act named H.E.A.T emerged from the Nordic wilderness to bring catchy guitar-laden melodies and huge \u201880s-infused choruses back with their self-titled debut album. Six years later, they return after some major line-up changes (the departure of their original singer Kenny Leckremo in 2010 and the guitarist Dave Dalone a year ago) and two more albums (Freedom Rock<\/em>, 2010, and Address The Nation<\/em>, 2012 \u2013 the latter introducing Leckremo\u2019s replacement Erik Gr\u00f6nwall). Their newest effort, a fourth in their overall catalog, has just seen the light of day. And as its title reads \u2013 there might be a little havoc out of the listening experience, if one\u2019s to take \u201ctearing down the walls\u201d with the band\u2019s music literally. Are the 12 tracks on the album able to cause at least a tiny crack on the wall of your house, or does it work like a bulldozer that got out of hand? Assuming that your house insurance policy\u2019s paid and all the papers are safe in a filing cabinet, let\u2019s check it out.<\/p>\n

A mellow acoustic intro with solemn symphonic overtones makes one wonder is it really H.E.A.T new album \u2026 or maybe not? Before you can even think of any different band who\u2019d fit such a picture better, however, a sudden six string attack and one of Erik Gr\u00f6nwall\u2019s trademark high-pitched screams should convince you it\u2019s the same Swedish group known from taking their listeners down the \u201cdanger road\u201d and the fruitful acquaintanceship with the \u201clate night ladies.\u201d <\/p>\n

The first track, \u201cPoint Of No Return,\u201d is something the listeners familiar with the pomp rock aesthetics so characteristic to H.E.A.T should be satisfied with. Its swirling keyboards, blistering lead guitar work and melodic, powerful choruses, all in place, followed up by \u201cA Shot At Redemption\u201d which sounds somewhat country-ish. The well-crafted chorus, on the other hand, bears a resemblance to the early Tyketto. The third track is \u201cInferno,\u201d with its raw, aggressive, Cr\u00e4shdiet-esque verses juxtaposed with the infectiously catchy melody of the choruses. <\/p>\n

A disturbing, odd interlude \u201cThe Wreckoning\u201d \u2013 as if borrowed from the horror movie score \u2013 smoothly transforms into the title track, being slow-ish and mellow music-wise but nevertheless much upbeat in terms of lyrics. Similarities to the late \u201880s and mid \u201890s bands such as Tyketto, Blonz, Trixter or Harem Scarem are also quite obvious here. Towards the second half of the album, there are more gems to come; \u201cMannequin Show\u201d, a synthesizer-driven song with fine vocal harmonies, the perfectly crafted melodies of the \u201cWe Will Never Die\u201d and \u201cEye For An Eye\u201d, or the shimmering guitar solo in \u201cEmergency\u201d. There\u2019s also the feisty riff of \u201cEnemy In Me\u201d and keyboard-driven, melodic and very nostalgic \u201cLaughing At Tomorrow\u201d. And yes, only one soaring tearjerker \u2013 with the exception of piano-based \u201cAll The Nights,” the entirety of Tearing Down The Walls<\/em> is pure rock.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere must be something in the water\u2026,\u201d sings Erik Gr\u00f6nwall in the next to last track \u201cEnemy In Me\u201d of Tearing Down The Walls<\/em> album \u2013 and after having listened to the fourth album released by the Swedish band, you have to believe the lead singer. There must be something in the water all across Scandinavia indeed, otherwise there\u2019s no explanation for an increasing number of the talented bands of younger generation, able both to stir interest in the younger listeners and bring back the smile upon the faces of old melodic rock troupers. H.E.A.T definitely remains one of these. And, with what is probably their finest album to date, the newly released Tearing Down The Walls \u2013 the Swedes will continue on carrying the torch of melodic hard rock, arena rock \u2026 or whatever you\u2019d call this genre based on hooks, melodies, blazing guitars and massive keyboards. And for the fourth time around H.E.A.T proved they\u2019re able to literally \u201ctear down the walls\u201d with their catchy but dynamic sound \u2013 this time having it in black and white on the album cover.<\/p>\n

Genre: Melodic Hard Rock<\/p>\n

Band:
\nErik Gr\u00f6nwall: Vocals
\nEric Rivers: Guitars
\nJona Tee: Keyboards
\nJimmy Jay: Bass
\nCrash: Drums<\/p>\n

Track List:
\n1. Point Of No Return
\n2. A Shot At Redemption
\n3. Inferno
\n4. The Wreckoning
\n5. Tearing Down The Walls
\n6. Mannequin Show
\n7. We Will Never Die
\n8. Emergency
\n9. All The Nights
\n10. Eye For An Eye
\n11. Enemy In Me
\n12. Laughing At Tomorrow<\/p>\n

Label: earMUSIC<\/p>\n

Website: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/heatsweden<\/a> – www.heatsweden.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5\/10<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Alexandra Mrozowska – Columnist — In 2008, the Swedish melodic rock act named H.E.A.T emerged from the Nordic wilderness to bring catchy guitar-laden melodies and huge \u201880s-infused choruses back with their self-titled debut album. […]<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":36718,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10848],"tags":[2317,4903,8523,2847,9301],"class_list":{"0":"post-40460","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arcrvws2014","8":"tag-cd-review","9":"tag-earmusic","10":"tag-h-e-a-t","11":"tag-melodic-hard-rock","12":"tag-tearing-down-the-walls"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40460","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40460"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40460\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}