H.E.A.T

H.E.A.T. - Welcome To The Future artwork
Album Reviews

H.E.A.T. – Welcome To The Future

April 25, 2025 Frank Jaeger

Just a few months ago the band played before an enthusiastic crowd at the Hard Circle festivals in Germany, where they rocked the stage with an energetic live show and the charismatic presence of Kenny Leckremo their singer who returned in 2020 after a ten year break from the band. Now the Swedes welcome us to the future with their eighth studio album. A Little Bit Of History H.E.A.T. was founded in 2007 and supported Toto on their Tour, the first studio album was recorded and released in 2008. Immediately, they were celebrated in their home country as best newcomer by a domestic radio station and played festivals, one of them being the prestigious Sweden Rock. The following year they participated in the Swedish qualifier competition to the Eurovision Song Contest where they made it to the final round. In 2010, Kenny Leckremo left the band who released four more albums with singer Erik Grönwall before Kenny returned. Welcome To The Future is the second album after the reunification with their original singer. Style Sweden brought us a plethora of rock and metal bands, most of them either Death Metal oder Melodic Metal. H.E.A.T. is one of the latter. Even in 2008, whey they released their debut album H.e.a.t., the band sounded like they were a little late to the party, like, twenty years too late. The plushy hard rock sound would not have been out of place in the end of they eighties and still the band is true to its roots and continuous to serve us popous, melody-driven songs designed to be played loud and sung even louder by the listener, the style that sounds like sun, highway and convertible cars, long hair and cosmetic products, cheesy videos and scantily clad californian Ladies. Oh, and not to forget …READ MORE

H.E.A.T - II
Album Reviews

H.E.A.T – II

February 26, 2020 George Dionne

Swedish rockers H.E.A.T have been quite the busy band as of late.  In 2017 they released their highly acclaimed album Into the Great Unknown.  They followed that up with their 2019 live album Live at Sweden Rock Fest.  Now they return with their sixth album simply titled II.  As the band describes it, “This is what we would sound like if we made a debut album 2019, hence the title.” “Rock Your Body” is led by a pounding drum beat and the cocksure vocals Erik Grönwall.  It serves as both an anthem and a calling card for the band. “Dangerous Ground” barrels along like a chase scene in the latest Fast & Furious movie.  On the album’s latest single “Come Clean,” Grönwall passionately laments about a lost love. The track is a great display of the bands vocal harmonies and guitar work.  The same can be said for “Heaven Must of Won An Angel.” “Victory” adds some heavier distortion to get you ready for the equally as heavy track “We Are Gods.”  You can just picture a sea of fans pumping their fists in unison to this one. Grönwall channels some of David Coverdale’s bluesy tones here.  The only time the band slows down is on the ballad “Nothing to Say,” but there is so much power in it’s delivery that the album’s overall pace isn’t affected.  Bluesy undertones return on “Under the Gun,” while the album closes with more energy than it began with on “Rise.” II is a 45 minute Melodic Rock powerhouse from start to finish.  While H.E.A.T issue a wink and a nod to their 80s arena rock heroes; their energy, passion, and power is unmatched. TUNE INTO METALEXPRESSRADIO.COM at NOON & MIDNIGHT (EST) / 6:00 & 18:00 (CET) TO HEAR THE BEST TRACKS FROM THIS …READ MORE

Live Reviews

H.E.A.T (Live)

May 17, 2014 Mick Burgess

Maybe it’s something in the water or perhaps the food, but whatever it is Sweden has produced more than their fair share of bands who have the knack of penning a catchy tune or two with Abba, Roxette, The Cardigans, Europe and not forgetting the incredible Hellacopters and Talisman right at the top of that list. With their third album Tearing Down The Walls picking up plaudits from fans and critics alike, it looks as though H.E.A.T are well on their way to adding their name to that list so it was with great anticipation that Newcastle welcomed the Swedish Rockers to the O2 Academy for their first ever show in the City as part of their four date whistlestop UK tour. True to their name H.E.A.T raised the temperature throughout their set with a performance packed with energy and passion with songs more catchy than the clap and more “woah, woahs!” than a boat load of Bon Jovi’s. In fact Bon Jovi is a decent reference point for H.E.A.T, certainly in their early days before they became cowboys and dreamt of becoming Bruce Springsteen. Front man and former Swedish Idol winner Erik Gronwall was electric, literally, leaping wildly across the stage as if 10,000 volts had been shot through him. With charisma and personality oozing from every pore, Gronwall had the audience eating out of his hand while he shared their drinks. With supercharged Rock anthems like Inferno and Breaking The Silence based on sky-scraping melodies and soaring choruses this was hard to resist. Mannequin Show drew from the same melodic well that Abba so successfully drank but backed with punchy guitars that surely Benny and Bjorn would love to have added to a song or two of theirs. With a large turnout on a red hot Saturday night, …READ MORE

Live Reviews

SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL 2009 (Day 2)

June 5, 2009 Patrik Gustavsson

RAGE Like Twisted Sister would later that day, German originated Rage’s gig also served as a 25th anniversary. Not of a specific album, but a career. Yes, it has been that long. Because of this, Rage’s set list was fairly varied, but still concentrated on later albums that includes some of the band’s most beloved works anyway. A Rage gig is based on the songs and the musicianship contained therein almost exclusively, as visually the veteran band hardly have anything exciting to offer. The musicianship in Rage very seldom, if ever, disappoints, which was indeed yet again the case, though the sound suffered from slight distortion issues here and there throughout the set. An anniversary, but still just Rage, which is part of this band’s modest appeal. (“St” Patrik Gustavsson) GRAND MAGUS And so it came: the rain. Lightly at first, but it would resurface. Rain is usually a rarity at Sweden Rock Festival. During Grand Magus’ gig, the weather would hover between that of light rain and sunshine. The light and shade aspect is kinda how Grand Magus music works too; doomy parts trade places with catchy NWOBHM-likened riffs. The band would fare well with a great sound to boot. The Traditional Metallers third and latest effort, Iron Will, turned out to be a breakthrough of sorts for the trio, which shows in the reception of the likes of “Like The Oar Strikes The Water”, “Silver Into Steel” and the majestic title track. Heck, the band still sounded great by the end of their riffy display, despite sipping beer in between every song performed. (“St” Patrik Gustavsson) VOLBEAT These Danes’ lucky star has seen a considerable rise the last year or so; the turnout appreciated to rival that of Europe’s a couple of days later, and by broad daylight (which …READ MORE

Live Reviews

ROCK WEEKEND FESTIVAL 2008 (DAY 2)

July 20, 2008 Patrik Gustavsson

Day 2 of 2, Saturday July 19th LION’S SHARE Lion’s Share took a break from recording its new album by playing Rock Weekend, and had to do so in front of a rain soaked few. This band never seems to get a decent break for whatever reason; they certainly have a good enough set of strong songs in their arsenal, and last year’s Emotional Coma was a great comeback record after a six year silence where new recordings are concerned. The few people that had bothered to gather though, got treated to a couple of songs from the anticipated follow-up. These songs, “Heavy Cross to Bare” and “Judas Must Die,” show great promise in that a worthy successor is to be expected. There seems to be an anti-attitude amongst many people towards this band in its home country, for reasons unknown, but good on Lion’s Share for soldiering on with showed enthusiasm anyway, despite the crap weather and poor turnout for their set. With Patrik Johansson (Astral Doors) on board, they have secured one of Sweden’s best current singers in any case, and his characteristic voice blends in perfectly with the darker, more sinister direction which Lion’s Share is clearly taking its music. H.E.A.T. Fittingly enough, the sun breaks through the mold just as H.E.A.T. are about to go on stage. Not an awful band by any means, but what initial appeal they offer just wears off quick for whatever reason; feels like less interior than exterior, with a great deal of fluff in-between. Maybe it’s because only bits, not the whole, of the songs stays with you enough for this kind of music, coupled with the fact they dress like Hysteria-era Def Leppard. Unlike the latter, it’s hard to imagine their songs being a mainstay for years to come, …READ MORE

SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL 2008
Live Reviews

SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL 2008 (DAY 4)

June 8, 2008 Patrik Gustavsson

LIZZY BORDEN Well, at long last, Lizzy freakin’ Borden made it to Swedish soil! About damn time! Front man and namesake had promised a worthwhile show prior, and that’s what the audience got as Lizzy continually changed from portraying one demonic character to the other, switching masks for what seemed to be almost every song, in addition to his makeup. Indeed, the band’s new image looks cool rather than the dated Shock-Rock of the 80’s. The music, however, has not dated negatively at all. Reportedly, Lizzy had problems hearing himself through the monitors during the duration of the performance, which, although this led to an off-key performance at times, the voice itself proved to have endured well over the years as well. For persevering arguably the hottest weather during the entire festival, the audience were in for a real treat as they got a fair share of American Metal, indeed. “There Will Be Blood” opened fittingly, and, although the latest album Appointment With Death may not be nearly as good as the comeback Deal With the Devil, songs lifted from it sat alongside the likes of “We’ve Got the Power”, “Rod of Iron” and “Me Against the World” just fine in the live setting. The questionable inclusion of dull covers “Born to be Wild” and “Long Live Rock N Roll” were the only, albeit slight, downsides to an excellent performance that was part of added exposure in Europe for the band which went on to perform at Bang Your Head and now are confirmed headliner’s for Keep It True XII next year. (Patrik Gustavsson) H.E.A.T. H.E.A.T. have been the hyped Swedish newcomers this spring it seems. Whether it’s questionable if they cater to anyone else than AOR-mid 80’s style connoisseurs on CD, live they come into their own a tad …READ MORE