Wild Heat // Hustle // Album Review

The recording of this album began way back in May 2019 with the first single swiftly following the following month. However, as the band headed back to the studio to continue recording in early 2020, that pesky pandemic hit and the world stopped. To keep the momentum as best as possible, the Wild Heat took the decision to release the album’s title track as a YouTube exclusive in December 2020, however, May 2022 finally saw the completion of Hustle.

With Hustle being the follow-up to the 2018 debut album Call of the Void, Wild Heat vocalist Tommy Bell states that the band have refined their sound but maintained the energy from that debut, but as they say the proof is in the pudding.

The album is 10 tracks that span approximately 38 minutes and for the full time, you will be toe tapping, singing and having a lot of fun.

Opening with ‘Red Lights’ the heavily 80s-influenced Rock begins and you can feel that there is so much fun and flat-out rocking fun that is on the way. The guitar’s riff and solos give you that warm feeling inside. The tracks are full of high-octane brilliance that we all associate with a time gone by, when music didn’t have to be overly complicated, it was down to the quality and sound. What Wild Heat have captured is that aspect of making music that make people feel good, In fact I would go as far as saying Hustle makes you feel a lot better than good. I didn’t stop having a massive smile on my face from as soon as I pressed play.

‘Dynamite’ picks up the pace some and will see you flicking your hair from side to side, even if you are follicly challenged, as you steady your glass to ensure that none of your drink is wasted.

‘Filthy Love’ is another of those tracks that just make you get on your feet and leave it all out there, but you will be so engrossed that you don’t care. It just feels so good to have so much fun, especially as we continue moving from covid to a cost-of-living crisis and everything else that’s happening in the world.

Music like this is exactly what we all need to escape from all the shit and remember how to have a good time.

Ed Ford

Hustle will be released Friday 28^th October 2022 via The Distortion Project and Code 7 Distribution.