Hailing from London, The Heat Inc. play unreconstructed rock ‘n’ roll with the attitude of Iggy Pop, the cool of Jon Spencer and the manic energy of Chuck Berry. On social media they make the claim of being London’s loudest rock ‘n’ roll band. For most people, you’d immediately suspect hyperbole, but with The Heat Inc. they must just be right. A self-titled effort, the band’s debut EP is a five-track affair that is slated for release at the end of March via Melted Dino Records.
The first thing you notice when you fling The Heat Inc. into the player is just how damn good the thing sounds. Recorded at RYP Recording Studios, in London, with Michael Smith (Elvis Costello) behind the dials, it sounds huge and yet raw at the same time. It makes for one hell of a first impression. Putting their best foot forward, the band positively explode out of the speakers with Down In The City. Built around the spidery percussion of Maurizio Vitale and the taut bass of Nicolas Rigot, the track is the perfect soundtrack to a youthful rampage, Jon Dodd’s vocals going from a whisper to a roar as Michael Smith layers sheets of Marco Simoncelli’s guitars into the mix. Second track, Raptors, is just as good – a fast-paced track that struts with the hauteur of Mick Jagger over a beat that just won’t quit.
The first sign of the band slowing down, Sammy Swing Easy, takes the Rolling Stones and mixes them up, The Fly style, with hints of Queens of the Stone Age and The Hives. Despite the modern sheen, it’s a soulful track that harks back to the days of Ruby Tuesday and the band execute it with panache. In contrast, Polaroids sees Jon on his knees, howling at the moon as his libido runs unchecked through the lyrics. However, just as you think you’ve got a handle on the song, they turn down the lights and whack up the heat with a closing sax solo… it’s an unexpected outro but it’s exactly what the song needed and it sounds amazing. It leaves the chunky riffing of Your After Love Song to round the EP out in fine style. A mid-paced track with a melody that nods to early U2, it underscores the significant ambitions that lie at the heart of the band, and it’s easy to imagine a crowd standing, lighters in the air, as the band round out a sweaty, exhausting show with this one.
In all honesty, spotting the words “rock ‘n’ roll” on a band’s bio can turn out to be just as much a curse as a blessing. However, whilst The Heat Inc. are undoubtedly a product of their influences, they have found ways to mould them into their own unique shape, resulting in a wildly entertaining EP that, thanks to Michael Smith’s expert production, positively leaps from the speakers. An EP you’ll want to play often and loud, The Heat Inc. have big things ahead if they can bottle the same lightening over the course of a full-length offering. 9/10
