review: Hot Breath

Hot Breath Hot Breath

The Sign Records

18 October 2019

Sound: The Swedish band Hot Breath plays classic-style, real-deal heavy rock, something like 1977-1979, with a constant, stubborn, persistent uptempo beat and the guitar is always functioning on the mode “big rock on.”

Production: Hot Breath wants the sound of genuine, honest electric heavy rock of the late 1970s, with real drums, big riffs and a whole big sweaty feel like an intense bar band that will play the pubs in Iowa, New York, London, Rio, Berlin or right in your neighborhood.

Instrumentation: Expect a vibrant energy of big rock and roll. Mosh, dance, bang your head or whatever you want to the big riffs and raucous solos. The rhythm section sounds great. You can hear the bass and the drums sound great and real. The band has confirmed to this publication: “All the drumming on the recordings are played live by a real human being.” There you go, straight from the horse’s mouth.

Vocals: The voice is good, and keep in mind that this is a young band and this is their debut. The singing is full of heavy rock attitude and a great energy. There is a bit of backing vocals, but it’s mostly one voice rocking out.

Songs: In 22 minutes the band delivers six rocking, catchy songs. The songs are concise and get to the rocking right away.

Lyrics: The lyrics are all about human problems and the attitude of a young indestructible rocker. These are a young person’s lyrics, the lyrics of a go-getter, basically. If there are any profanities, they are not prominent.

Potential audience: Metal fans and heavy rock fans that want the young energy of late 1970s big rock should find what they need here.

Similar bands: AC/DC 1977 Let There Be Rock; Motörhead’s Overkill (but only the uptempo songs; not the bluesy songs); The Ramones; Van Halen 1978; the rocking songs of The Runaways, Kiss (when they rocked; not the disco stuff), Scorpions 1977, U.F.O., and other bands from around this period, too many to mention here.

Assessment: This is a hot rocking debut for fans who want uptempo late 1970s classic, heavy, hard rock; punk and heavy metal, all before the 1980s. This debut keeps the music uptempo and rocking for the duration. It’s a fantastic start for them. Let’s hope they don’t wimp out nor slow down. We are not ready for this band to start giving us sappy ballads. Let there be rock, indeed. facebook.com/hotbreathgbg/