Gain 2020
Rating: RRRRR
Review by Kimmo Toivonen
What better way to start the new year than with a review of one of the most anticipated 2020 releases? Especially when you can throw the full set of R’s to it and proclaim it as a very potential ”Album Of The Year”?
The previous H.E.A.T. album got very mixed reactions. The band flirted with pop sounds which irritated a lot of people. I didn’t mind the pop influences, I was more concerned about some of the harder-edged songs which were frankly a bit boring. I’m glad to say that with ”II” the band has found their way back to their roots, yet moved forward. This is the album that should please most H.E.A.T. fans - it rocks hard but it’s still very melodic, there’s hooks everywhere!
The bouncy, groovy ”Rock Your Body” is the album opener, and it’s bound to be the kind of song that works well live. It reminds me a little bit of ”Skin To Skin” by Heaven’s Edge, but it’s basically a very classic H.E.A.T. track that makes a statement - ”the H.E.A.T. is on again”.
”Dangerous Ground” rocks a bit like ”Kickstart My Heart” with a trademark H.E.A.T. chorus, catchy as hell. Another killer live track I’m sure. With ”Come Clean” the band takes a more keyboard-driven approach and sure enough, the song is an instant AOR classic.
”Victory” is something different, a highly melodic yet rather heavy rocker with a chorus that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Sabaton album! The bluesy ”We Are Gods” is my lest favourite track of the album, it doesn’t seem to take off despite its’ big chorus. I’ve warmed up to it a little over the last weeks, so it doesn’t jeopardise the album’s rating…
”Whoa Ohh Whoa Ohhh”.. yeah, they have one of ”those songs” here, and what a song it is. ”Adrenaline” is another AOR gem with an irresistible chorus. You’re probably already familiar with ”One By One”, the album’s first single. It’s a great song and if you like it, you’ll most probably enjoy the rest of the album.
”Nothing To Say” is The Ballad of the album, and it’s one of the standouts here. A heartfelt, great vocal from Erik Grönwall. Somehow this song reminds me a bit of Roxette’s finest moments. its’ melodic bliss is followed by another slice from the same cake, ”Heaven Must Have Won An Angel”. It’s simply a stunning melodic rocker. ”Under The Gun” doesn’t win any prizes for an original song title, and to be honest it’s one of the less memorable songs of the album, but still pretty good. It’s a fairly straight-forward hard rock song with a shout-along chorus. Could be a winner live, I don’t know.
Last but not least, there’s the second single, ”Rise”. It’s a stomping melodic monster with a bit of a Gotthard meets Pretty Maids vibe. The power metal choir from song ”Victory” returns to the scene of the crime…
I hope this is the big ”breakthrough” album for H.E.A.T., it definitely should please their existing fan base and basically any melodic hard rock fan. With the harder-edged tracks they shouldn’t have any trouble to find their way to the metal playlists either.
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