HEART ATTACK MAN - FREAK OF NATURE
Having started their headline tour the new album Freak Of Nature this week, Heart Attack Man share heavy themes with highly energetic music making it a great listen for listeners from all walks of life to feel like they’re not alone in the world they may feel so isolated in.
‘Practiced In The Mirror’, the album’s opening track, starts with mellow guitars and birds chirping before singer Eric Egan’s voice is brought in carrying the same tone. The track rings out signaling the idea of achieving what one has worked so hard to get to, but still having the feeling it isn’t right. The track ends with Egan’s voice calling out the lines “Hold on, stay a while, make yourself comfortable” before leading into the next track.
Having been co-written with Nick Wheeler of All American Rejects, the album’s title track gives the energetic tone Heart Attack are most known for. Being the first track released in preparation for the album, the track shares an extremely energetic bridge leading into the chorus and insane drums from Adam Paduch and guitars by Ty Sickels.
The ending of ‘Freak of Nature’ leads perfectly into the next track, ‘Like a Kennedy.’ Beginning with a transmission of a news report following the Kennedy assassination, the track touches on feeling like those that have prayed for your downfall are beginning to win, and feeling like you’re losing yourself. During the chorus reprise, the line “Take me out like a Kennedy” is interrupted by a gunshot before erupting into the last energetic chorus.
‘Stick Up’ is a track Egan had teased earlier through the band’s tiktok account. Imagine realizing just how insane the world is. How unfair. That’s what this song captures. The feeling of realizing how horrible the real world is and just how many people are blind to it and feeling like there’s nothing you can do to help, and instead feel yourself lost in the world.
‘9 On Your Bedside’ gives that same energy Heart Attack Man is known for while also giving a sense of nostalgia from bands we loved listening to growing up. The track shows some of the idea of breaking out from things holding you back, and rising up better than before, ready to take on the things ahead of you.
‘Clown School’ also shares that same nostalgic feeling in the guitars from Sickels. Wishing you could get back years you lost seems to be the theme of this track. Knowing you’re surrounded by people who may be feeling just as lost as you are is both an endearing yet terrifying thought, and this track seems to encapsulate that.
Ending with ‘See You On The Other Side’, the song shares slightly softer vocals from Egan in the beginning. The track touches on realizing it’s okay to not know where you are in life, and knowing there are other people that are in the same situation as you. Instead, you’re living life as it comes, and enjoying it, not missing out on things you wish you had done in the past.
This album overall gives a clear idea of what it feels like to not truly feel like you’re where you belong in the world. On one hand, you may think you’re in the right place in your life, but when it comes to future aspirations, you may feel lost and feel you don’t belong anywhere. Many of the tracks in this album help give that idea, as well as showing how to get through them.
Niki Davidson
★★★★☆