Way back in the mists of time, concert recordings weren't about fulfilling contractual obligations or stop-gap releases to maintain a band’s profile. Kiss' 'Alive' and Thin Lizzy's 'Live And Dangerous' were career-making masterpieces that cemented their reputations and proved their calibre. In recent years, the live record has become solid rather than spectacular, lacking the thrilling magic of those legendary 1970s offerings. Until now.
Recorded at The Garage in London in May of last year, H.E.A.T treat this gig with the celebratory bombast of a sold out Wembley Stadium appearance circa 1985, and the comparatively small audience laps up every second of it.
It immediately becomes clear what a fantastic catalogue of songs H.EA.T have amassed over the course of four albums. From the twin-jet engine intro of Point Of No Return and A Shot At Redemption to the closing double whammy of Breaking The Silence and Living On The Run, the band deliver a non-stop feast of anthemic gluttony.
With moodier rockers like Downtown and Mannequin Show alongside juggernauts Enemy In Me and Inferno, the variety in their repertoire makes for a perfectly-paced set that is flawlessly executed.
Erik Gronwall is simply stunning, as his sky-scraping voice nails every single note. Considering his relentless activity on stage makes the energiser bunny seem like a tortoise, that's an impressive feat. Also, anyone concerned about how the power of their live sound would be affected by the loss of second guitarist Dave Dalone needn't worry. Eric Rivers is a supremely gifted player, whose lead work is so melodically proud and incisive that he captivates with each and every break.
Jimmy Jay's punch-first-ask-questions-later bass, meanwhile, combines with Crash's clattering drums and Jona Tee's orchestral canvas of keyboards to maintain the adrenaline-fuelled attack.
Such is the immediacy that a tangible atmosphere of dry ice and sweat almost seeps out of the speakers as the band swagger through All About Tonight, Emergency and In And Out Of Trouble. Which leads us to the only fault: there's no accompanying concert film. Anyone who has seen the band live will testify to being blown away by their kineticism, so why hold back the footage?
There's no doubt H.E.A.T are ready for the major leagues, and on this showing it's only a matter of time until they're headlining the kind of arenas these songs demand to call home.
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