LIFE OF A HERO – Letting Go (2021)

It is when you are least expecting it that some of the world’s greatest moments appear from nowhere. From a year of adversity rises a collective of known musicians with a very definitive end goal.
“Letting Go” is the debut album from British act LIFE OF A HERO consisting of current members of Midnite City & Vega and boasts the unique vocal talents of Russ Grimmett – son of the legendary singer Steve Grimmett (Grim Reaper).
When you have the guitarist, bassist, and drummer of Midnite City performing together here, you only can expect quality, add to that Russ Grimmett’s impressive vocals and a strong, punchy melodic hard rock / AOR songwriting plus a production inspired by the glorious era, yeah, we have a winner here.
Midnite City’s Pete Newdeck not only play, but also mixed & produced, and the whole thing has been mastered by no-other than Harem Scarem’s very own Harry Hess, who also features as a guest vocalist.

”Letting Go” is forty fantastic minutes of totally infectious and catchy songs. The bombastic nature of every song on offer oozes oomph and pizzazz – a cracking combination to get pulses racing and fists punching the air in delight.
The album bursts into life with an immediate thunderstorm, courtesy of ‘3D’. Heavy hitting and massively infectious, ‘3D’ is rock infused metal to head nod and foot tap to fairly vigorously. The title song ‘Letting Go’ picks up the pace and tempo, and will definitely increase the vigorousness of head nodding to an almost head banging style.
The killer hooks across the opening two songs has been absolutely incredible, and I defy anyone to not be smiling right now… maybe even grinning.

The melodious intent has been right off the charts too, and that’s where it stays for the punchy hard rocking ‘In My Dreams’. Blending in elements of AOR, Russ Grimmett and co. are definitely taking the rock road, and not the metal one that his father Steve is on.
Three songs in and ‘Letting Go’ has your full attention, the melodic rock flavour very strong, and extremely captivating.

Pace increases once more for the rampant rocking ‘Caught In A Lie’ – the urgency and purpose at an all time high. The typical blunt and in your face British rock style is non-evident, Life Of A Hero opting for a much more melodic AOR infused style. I must mention the energy levels too – very high, very intense, and seemingly never ending!
None more so than the blisteringly energetic ‘Don’t Waste My Time’. Life Of A Hero would be more than just the life and soul of a party, they’d be the lifeblood, rocking the joint ’til dawn – and no-one would ever leave. That’s how infectious and captivating they are, and the album too.

A change of pace sees the album slow down a little, but lose none of it’s oomph and punch – ‘Stay For A While’ bordering on ballad territory, but keeping one foot firmly planted across the border in hard rock country, where the smell of AOR remains strong in the air. The nearest the album gets to the (aforementioned) British rock style, is the bustling ‘Down And Out’ – a more aggressive and in your face rock anthem. Blunter than anything heard so far, ‘Down And Out’ is traditional British classic rock.
Unlike ‘Risk It All’, an up tempo and highly energetic gallop of head bangingly infectious and catchy melodic hard rock. The band are just oozing electricity, shocking the senses with anthem after anthem of happy mood inducing, instantly likeable hard rock.

‘When We Let Go’ is the most AOR orientated song on offer, and is a majestic swoon of epic proportions. A melodic rock swagger comes to the fore with ‘Shine A Light’ – at least for the first thirty seconds or so. Then a pace change, and ‘Shine A Light’ is galloping furiously like a champion race horse in the final furlong. Pace changes again for the chorus break, and this roller coaster of a rock swagger is beautifully rocking back and forth.
One of the hardest hitting and punchiest songs on offer, ‘Falling Apart At The Seams’, also has one of the most rousing choruses ever. It’s incredible how high the energy level has been all album. Yes, all album.

Just because of the family name with “Letting Go” I – and probably like many others – was expecting a metal album. How wrong we all are… this is a breathless journey of melodic hard rock with AOR – and one helluva big surprise too!
Coming out of nowhere LIFE OF A HERO is an unexpected highlight of the year, easily one of the best 2021 debut bands so far delivering a captivating and infectious eleven song swagger of high energy, and quality.
HIGHLY Recommended

01 – 3D
02 – Letting Go
03 – Caught In A Lie
04 – In My Dreams (feat. Harry Hess)
05 – When We Let Go
06 – Falling Apart At The Seams
07 – Risk It All
08 – Shine A Light
09 – Down And Out
10 – Don’t Waste My Time
11 – Stay For A While

Russ Grimmett – Vocals
Pete Newdeck – Drums. Keys, Backing Vocals
Miles Meakins – Guitars & Backing Vocals
Josh “Tabbie” Williams – Bass & Backing Vocal
Alex Nash – Guitars & Backing Vocals
Harry Hess – Guest Vocals on 4

BUY
www.amazon.co.uk/Letting-Go-Life-Hero/dp/B09HF4YMGF