Bristling with attitude and dripping with cool, The Heat Inc tell us they’re “London’s loudest band”. I’ll take that after the evidence of this, their debut album that mixes the raw with the achingly stylish.
It’s a rollercoaster ride full of thrills and big hooks, poetry and blood up the walls, switchblades and silk sheets.
Straight out of the gate, ‘Souvenir’ is a big and ballsy bit of hard-hitting rock ‘n’ roll with floating guitars, shimmering haze and snake hipped vocals from singer Jon Dodd, the gasoline drenched ‘Draw Blood For Proof’ continuing to rain down the pummeling fury.
With guitarist Marco Simoncelli bringing taught-Stonesy riffs laced with amphetamines to set alight ‘Little Knuckle Charlie’, it’s the rhythm section of Nicholas Rigot and Maurizio Vitale who add a punky MC5 vibe and ”98′ has echoes of the grand pop hooks of Pulp but without their feyer attitude.
These boys know how to do anthemic arena fillers as ‘Get Wild’ and ‘Samson’ sound huge but neither have an ounce of fat on them and material like ‘Akasaka Murder Squad’ have an exciting brutality.
Arguably saving the best until last, ‘Ultraviolence’ is a beauty of a song, all dangerous curves and whispered promises and it sets The Heat Inc out as ones to watch, bringing their bubbling mix of The Clash, Link Wray, The Stooges, The Who and The Doors to a positive high.
Why is it that so many good bands are called ‘The…’? Answers on a postcard please. Looking and sounding every inch an eight-legged rock ‘n’ roll machine, The Heat Inc aren’t just one of the loudest bands around but real contenders to truly put the sex, fire and fun back into the scene.
Music to satisfy the souls of old punks and young scrappers alike, this sonic attack is built to tear down walls and party ’til you puke. Turn it up, baby!
Asleep In The Ejector Seat
01 Souvenir
02 Draw Blood For Proof
03 Little Knuckle Charlie
04 ’98
05 This Thing Called Love
06 Akasaka Murder Squad
07 Get Wild
08 Ms. Willie Mae
09 Samson
10 Ultraviolence
To pre-order Asleep In The Ejector Seat on vinylgo to:
https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/product/the-heat-inc/asleep-in-the-ejector-seat
Review by Justin Marque for MPM
