REVIEW : H.E.A.T. --- Into The Great Unknown (2017)

So the time has come for this great band to release its brand new opus entitled "Into The Great Unknown". H.E.A.T. released four great, and already classics, records so far plus an amazing live one. With Kenny Leckremo, the first two albums were both pure melodic rock stuff with class and quality. Due to some personal reasons, Kenny left and Erik Gronwall took the place behind the mic.

With Erik H.E.A.T. became edgier but still extremely melodic and delivered a bunch of some excellent efforts ('Address The Nation' is still my favorite). Their last "Tearing Down The Walls" was, and still is, a damn superb sample of pure melodic hard rock/AOR bliss. But enough with the past and let's see what the cat dragged in with H.E.A.T.'s brand new "Into The Great Unknown".

I think that the album's title is a bit prophetic of what to expect from H.E.A.T.'s newest step. And, yes you are guessing right; the boys this time pulled out a few new tricks from their sleeve and enriched their sound with some more modern formulas that sometimes works and sometime doesn't!!  Of course, the well-known elements of the band's previous records are here (hooks, choruses, melodies, guitars e.t.c.) but the boys of H.E.A.T. decided not to take the safe path but to experiment a bit.

"Bastard Of Society" kicks-off things here with a classic H.E.A.T. way and that means a big in-your-face sound, crunchy guitars, Erik's passionate vocals and a chorus to die for. "Redefined" is a more laid-back, key-driven track which is gettin' better with the chorus. The new elements are obvious here. "Shit City" rocks big time!!! Yes, this is a cool n' anthemic rocker with a positive vibe in it. "Time On Our Side" is probably the most modern song that this band has ever recorded!! It's not a bad one but I think that H.E.A.T. can write better songs.

"Best Of The Broken" is punchier, edgier with a huge chorus line, but once again it includes these new modern effects that ruin the final result. "Eye Of The Storm" is just killer and it's a ballad!!!! Yep, hands down for this superb song! "Blind Leeds The Blind" features a mind blowing chorus line and it's like a fist in your face!!!! Genius!! The pop-ish and mellower "We Rule" it's o.k. while the modern "Do You Want It" put a smile in my face. The song that closes the new opus is the heavier "Into The Great Unknown" that is a  rather average one.

A bit 'difficult' album, if you ask me. For sure, not an instant classic for this band's standards. "Into The Great Unknown" includes 5-6 killer melodic hard rock/AOR gems that it's worth every penny just for those tunes!! My opinion is to check out H.E.A.T. 's brand new album to judge on your own 'cause at the end it's always a matter of music taste. 

Rating : 8/10