H.E.A.T – Freedom Rock [Japanese Collector’s Edition Double SHM-CD]

And now to complete the H.E.A.T collection, we have “Freedom Rock [Japanese Collector’s Edition Double SHM-CD]“, a release with different artwork featuring 3 excellent bonus tracks and a bonus CD with a rare, hard to find bonus.

After H.E.A.T’s superb debut many wondered if they could manage to come up with a new cracker with their 2nd album and I must say that “Freedom Rock” is even better, delivering a more bombastic production, better arrangements and plenty of stunning, killer songs.
This new album sounds even more AOR than the debut, and I love it.
Kenny Leckremo’s voice has grown to be even stronger between these two albums and he sings in a really confident way, smooth, like a mixture of Mickey Thomas (Starship) and Mark Free (Signal, Unruly Child).

The album opens up ‘We’re Gonna Make It To The End’, a fantastic soundtrack-like AOR tune plenty of keyboards and riff-strong guitars that builds up the song to a first class chorus that grabs a hold of you and your in AOR heaven. What a start of the album and it just gets better.
‘Black Night’ is a duet with Kenny and Tobias Sammet (Edguy, Avantasia) and it’s a cracker with layers of melodies and the chorus is powerful with strong background vocals.

‘Shelter’ is the ballad of the album and what a song then, this would have been a major hit back in the 80s for sure, because the chorus is a winner with Giant feel over it. The melodies and Kenny’s voice makes it a perfect match.

‘Nobody Love You Like I Do’ is filled with brilliant twin guitars and the sing-a-long chorus is huge with classy harmony vocals and H.E.A.T rocks big time on this one.
‘Everybody Wants To Be Someone’ starts slow but turns out to a excellent AOR-rocker with a phenomenal chorus and heavenly background vocals, a song that won’t leave your head. This reminds so much of Starship at their peak.

‘I Can’t Look The Other Way’ is one of the finest AOR songs from this century and it gave me goose-bumps (well, all songs on this album do). This is a superb bouncing number with a punchy drum sound and Jona Tee gets extra room to shine with his keyboards. The chorus is huge with catchy hooklines… this is pure AOR magic and listen to the harmonies, whoa, classy stuff for sure.

As bonus tracks we have 3 songs from the ‘Beg Beg Beg’ EP, being the title track slightly different in its single version, and there’s the non-album cuts ‘Tonight’ and ‘Living In A Memory’, both wonderful AOR tunes.
The bonus disc on this Japanese Collector’s Edition Double SHM-CD is the self-titled debut, in its only version including the rare ‘1000 Miles (US Extended Mix)’, a very American FM AOR styled version.

“Freedom Rock” is a true AOR masterpiece for the genre in this new century, for many the best H.E.A.T album ever.
A MUST

Avalon / Victor Entertainment ～ MICP-20001 【ＳＨＭ－ＣＤ】
Ｈ Ｅ Ａ Ｔ 「Ｆ Ｒ Ｅ Ｅ Ｄ Ｏ Ｍ  Ｒ Ｏ Ｃ Ｋ 」（Ｃ Ｏ Ｌ Ｌ Ｅ Ｃ Ｔ Ｏ Ｒ Ｓ  Ｅ Ｄ Ｉ Ｔ Ｉ Ｏ Ｎ）

Disc 1
01 – We’re Gonna Make It To The End
02 – Black Night
03 – I Can’t Look The Other Way
04 – Shelter
05 – Beg Beg Beg
06 – Danger Road
07 – Stay
08 – Everybody Wants To Be Someone
09 – Nobody Loves You (Like I Do)
10 – I Know What It Takes
11 – Cast Away
12 – High On Love
13 – Who Will Stop The Rain
BONUS TRACKS:
14 – Beg Beg Beg [single version]
15 – Tonight [single B-side]
16 – Living In A Memory [single B-side]

Disc 2
01 – Intro
02 – 1000 Miles
03 – There For You
04 – Never Let Go
05 – Late Night Lady
06 – Keep On Dreaming
07 – Follow Me
08 – Straight For Your Heart
09 – Cry
10 – Feel It Again
11 – Straight Up
12 – Bring The Stars
13 – You’re Lying
14 – Feel The Heat
15 – 1000 Miles (US Extended Mix) [Exclusive Japan bonus]

Kenny Leckremo: Vocals
Dave Dalone: Guitars
Eric Rivers: Guitars
Jona Tee: Keyboards
Jimmy Jay: Bass
Crash: Drums

BUY IT !
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/MICP-20001
.