Tearing Down the Walls

Tearing Down the Walls is the fourth album by H.E.A.T, on which the band with Erik Grönwall further accelerates its modern melodic rock. Released on earMUSIC, it keeps the polish established on the previous album while adding a firmer, more energetic feel. Big choruses, driving rhythms and Grönwall's soaring voice mesh at a high level, making a record that concentrates the pleasure of Scandinavian hard rock. In 2014 the band opened for Scorpions and headlined the last-ever Firefest in England. The racing “Point of No Return” lights the fuse, and the lead single “A Shot at Redemption” became a signature song with its robust hook. On “Mannequin Show” and “Emergency,” aggression and melody cross vividly. A structure that sets off the instrumental “The Wreckoning” also gives the album dynamics. More than merely flashy, ensemble tightness and vocal conviction run throughout, powerfully showing the band is no mere nostalgia act. Balancing early brightness with modern weight, it is an accomplished record.