Review by Gary Spiller for MPM
Explosive hard-rocking London quartet The Heat Inc land their eponymously entitled debut EP this week and it has hit the ground with an almighty thump sending shock waves reverberating 360 degrees.
This EP is a stripped-back industrial grade no frills five tracker; 20 minutes of how rock n’ roll can be delivered without any pretentious polish.
Balls to the wall to coin a phrase; full-throttle gasoline guzzling downright dirty four cylinders that drive this beast hard and fast down the highway! Influences are worn proudly on the collective sleeve but don’t crowd out the identity of this alley-creeping tiger which is about to spring a good few surprises once it’s allowed out to play.
No doubt about it, these four gents are gonna grab a slice of the action and strangle every last ounce of energy from it before stomping upon its beating heart.
Crashing through the ceiling of the basement EP opener ‘Down In The City’ takes no prisoners with its punchy intro, courtesy of Marco Simoncelli’s six strings, that has a hint of Blondie’s ‘Call Me’ to it; less glam more caustic.
Someone had let The Ramones in on the act before the tub-thumping rhythms of Nicolas Rigot’s bass and Maurizio Vitale’s drums give a great foundation for Jon Dodd’s Iggy-esque vocals to enter the fray. This has Stooges stamped indelilibly upon its inner workings with a hard-rocking outer.
The pace doesn’t relent as debut single ‘Raptors’ demolishes what’s left of the basement before heading back up the stairs and straight through the front-door to take the party out on to the street.
It’s a Ramones-edged rocker in the Australian style as given forth by such AC/DC disciples as Airbourne and Black Aces. Running off into the darkened alley with devil-horns aloft, knocking back bourbon mayhem is ensured.
‘Sammy Swing Easy’ takes a divergence from the opening tracks with it’s deliciously dirty blues licks from Simoncelli combined with Dodd’s swaggering emotive vocals. This is the opulence of The Stones at their finest melded with the raw-feeling of Ginger Wildheart. Just delightful.
Brooding, darkness noir with a smoldering confidence ‘Polaroids’ swaggers down the street darting in and out of the pools of light before the soulful haunting sax outro laid down by Terry Edwards (PJ Harvey) gives an unexpected twist to the track. It’s uncluttered yet ethereal with an underlying rhythm that is reminiscent of some of the very early 70s grooves utilised with good effect by Quo.
Second single ‘Your After Love Song’ wraps up proceedings with a fine flourish. The bourbon bottle is drained of its last drop but there’s enough swagger left for this anthemic rocking swipe that you could imagine the offspring of Iggy Pop and Ginger Wildheart bringing to the altar of rock. Lighters lit and held aloft!
The Heat Inc have conjured up a fine slab of rock; oft punk-fueled, occasionally blues edged, steeped in darkness with deep emotions this is a fine way to introduce themselves.
Purchase the EP here www.theheatinc.bandcamp.com or stream here https://ingroov.es/the-heat-inc
