HEAT OF DAMAGE is a four-piece Metal band from Sacramento, California. Originating in a state that has brought the Metal world countless legendary bands, they are rooted in a place incredibly rich with music. The Bay Area has brought Thrash bands such as METALLICA and EXODUS to bands such as THE DEFTONES and PAPA ROACH. We could go on and on with an extensive list of other influences that have all laid the foundation upon which HEAT OF DAMAGE continues to build upon. They use the same dynamics and energy during the recording process that continue to show during their live performances. From the suburbs of Sacramento, humbled with years of dedication and a constant drive to refine their craft have brought them to the forefront of the Northern Californian metal scene. They stay true to their roots while never losing sight of what's before them: something new. Is there something special waiting to be realized in those suburbs? HEAT OF DAMAGE aspire to take their brand of heavy music to the masses, one metal-head at a time. Let's see what they bring to the show.

The first track, "Siegfried's Last Bow," is a monster. The song is just under eight and a half minutes and starts with a minute-long clip from some old movie before the actual intro begins. The intro itself is nearly two minutes in length and transits between heavy and thrashing riffs. The rest of the beast is smooth transitions to the thrashing beats of the drums. The vocals themselves are quite good as well. The clean vocals throw a BREAKING BENJAMIN vibe, but the screams vibrate Thrash all the way. The song is literally a roller coaster of rhythms and melodies that quickly give way to the quick change of pace.  "Thoughts & Prayers" follows the beast of a track. This one is not so long but is still closer to five minutes. The double bass of the drums rolls us into a slugfest. The chugging of the guitars gets your head to bobbing and you can feel the tempo within your head. The vocals begin with some distortion but again follow up with some great clean work combined with screams. The song contains some great transition work and shows more of what HEAT OF DAMAGE are capable of. "Guardian Angel" shows the softer side of the band. The riffs are lighter but still hold a heavy sound. David Haug shows that his vocal range can hit those softer notes as well. His voice tunes very well within the monster seven-minute ballad.

"Voyage To The Highlands" is yet another colossal song. Turning in at just over nine-minutes, we are beginning to turn towards METALLICA and TOOL ballads. The song begins with a bong hit that one cannot manage, but easily gives way to a soft guitar intro. The bass guitar hits you just right in the ears, and keeps a balance throughout the musical intro. After three-minutes of this relaxing vibe, it quickly turns to this double bass and chugging guitar work before throwing into full Thrash mode. The song takes you literally on a trip of transitions and melodies. If there was to be a combination of the aforementioned bands, this would probably what it would sound like. It is a very bad-ass instrumental piece that will likely be put on my playlist for sure. "Damnation" concludes the album with another monster track. The seven-minute fiasco is a thrasher and the chugging beat of the drums make some beautiful heavy sounds. Again, David Haug shows a balance and an ability to tune to the music created around him. The transitions between Thrash and a Nu-Metal sound flow really good together. Even near the halfway point where the music simply slows down to an almost blues breakdown just fits the song perfectly. But it's really quirky when they throw this Rastafarian style in between everything. It reminds me of something IWRESTLEDABEARONCE would do. But the song is goddamn good.

I feel like I am at a loss of words. HEAT OF DAMAGE have brought something pretty damn unique to the Bay Area. Their mastery of musical songwriting is shown very well through each and every song. The vocal stylings of David Haug genuinely fit the style the band has created even while throwing some nods to the monsters of the Bay. I seriously found myself wanting more after nine-tracks of just damn good music. The instrumental is an amazing piece by the band, which reminded me a lot of the old instrumentals of METALLICA, but yet still holding a new style all its own. Could we be seeing more of HEAT OF DAMAGE? I certainly hope so. Even after close to an hour worth of music, I want more.