Review: H.E.A.T – Welcome To The Future

earMusic (April 25^th, 2025)

Reviewer -Jason Hopper

H.E.A.T, the premier hard rock band of this century, have returned with their latest release ‘Welcome To The Future‘. The band have been firing on all cylinders since their debut all the way back in 2008.  A change of singers and a return to their original singer years later never slowed their momentum. Some may have favorites, others may say one or two albums have a noticeable decline in quality, but for my money, their seven prior full length studio albums showcase a winning streak that most bands cannot maintain.

So here we are with my most anticipated album of this year. Would the band be able to maintain their winning streak?  Yes…for the most part. My feelings on the album match my feelings on the first three singles released. Two were spectacular, and one was good, but a bit uninteresting.

First single ‘Disaster’ is an absolute triumph! An instant classic that, upon first listen, made me smile like a Cheshire cat. It had me fired up for months in anticipation of the album and future singles. ‘Bad Time for Love’ simply could not compare when that was eventually released. It also has the misfortune of following ‘Disaster’ in the album order. It’s such a stark tempo difference that it cools things down too soon at the start. The second song on the album should have been the third single, ‘Running to You’, a high energy blast that is not an equivalent tempo but not the drop off that ‘Bad Time…’ is.

From those singles so goes the rest of the album. You have killer tracks like ‘Children of the Storm’, with its fiery chorus not too dissimilar to opening song ‘Disaster’ and a thumping rhythm that’s the band’s bread and butter, anthemic and powerful. ‘Losing Game’ has a blues-tinged swagger showcasing that the band does not have to go full throttle to construct a catchy as hell hook that reverberates in the back of your mind well after you have stopped listening to the album.

Finally, there’s ‘Tear It Down (R.N.R.R) which sounds like a hybrid of old-school Bonfire and Accept if they formed a supergroup. It has vitriol mixed with power, making it the perfect song to listen to when you’re exerting yourself in the gym, on the job, or flying down the highway. Kenny Leckremo’s best vocal performance and my second favorite track.

So outside of ‘Bad Time for Love’, what other songs could have been better? There’s three in a row that, for me, give the album a bit of a dip. ‘In Disguise’, a mid-tempo rocker, has the most boring chorus on the album. It’s a tad flat in its delivery and lacks any urgency.

I will give credit to ‘The End’ for trying something a bit different. The band goes for some pomp in the bridge and chorus, not dissimilar from bands like Styx and Asia.More than any other song, Jona Tee’s keyboards take center stage and are pushed forward in the mix. At times, the band’s rhythm drops away, leaving only Jona’s striking keys and Kenny’s vocals, delivering that familiar pomp characteristic. I know there are fans who will absolutely dig this track, but the drop offs ruin the momentum for me.

Finally, Rock Bottom’ feels derivative of several of their past songs, elements that have been mashed together, almost like I have heard this song before. Not a bad song, just too familiar sounding.

I want to be clear that a few mediocre songs should not sway you away from purchasing this release. While it is not as strong as 2022’s ‘Force Majeure’, a band can only top themselves so many times before there’s an inevitable drop off. Do not mistake drop off and dropping off a cliff.  This release has more top-quality tracks than some bands’ entire catalog.

Once again, another one of their albums to make many people’s Top 10 lists for the year. 17 years since their first release and the band remains one of the best in the genre, going toe to toe with the melodic rock legends of the industry.

Track list:

1. Disaster
2. Bad Time for Love
3. Running to You
4. Call My Name
5. In Disguise
6. The End
7. Rock Bottom
8. Children of the Storm
9. Losing Game
10. Paradise Lost
11. Tear It Down (R.N.R.R)
12. We Will Not Forget

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