Releasedate:   27-02-2026
Label: Creator-Destructor Records

From New Bedford, A Wilhelm Scream are back with their eighth full-length, Cheap Heat, and some of the questions hovering over this one are: Is it any good? Does it have any “Boat Builders”-type anthems? Do they get even more techy? And the answers are yes, not really, and hell yeah! Which is good enough for me to give this album at least 10 more spins before I move on to the next thing.

From the get-go, the band leans into their more aggressive tendencies. The thrashy riffage undercurrent that has always separated them from your standard melodic punk band is alive and well. The riffs are crushing as always, and the rhythm section feels as locked-in and merciless as ever.

“Somebody’s Gonna Die” sets the tone immediately. It’s a really good song, and I think it will remain cemented in their live setlist even a few albums down the road. I’ll even add it to one of my go-to playlists. By the time “Midnight Ghost” kicks in, you understand why it was chosen as the lead single. According to guitarist Ben Murray, it came together naturally in the studio, trading riffs and ideas back and forth, and that collaborative spark translates into a track that balances intensity with a darker melodic edge. It hits hard and it’s catchy — another one for the playlist.

“I Got Tunnel Vision” and “Let It Ride” are both fast, catchy, and aggressive. They’re not going to blow any minds, but they’re not going to make you want to press the “skip” button.

“Fell Off” — this is where it’s at. As soon as I heard the guitar tapping intro, I was like, here we go — a step up in the tech department. The guitars lean more in a metal direction here. If you know A Wilhelm Scream, you’re here for this. I particularly like the closing riff on this song.

“Poison II” is the closer, a bit slower and more melodic in certain sections. It still retains some glimpses of technicality here and there, and they even throw in a guitar solo into the mix for good measure. The album ends abruptly at the end of this song. I was expecting a bit more, but hey, that’s what you get — deal with it.

All in all, A Wilhelm Scream still sound hungry. There’s confidence and muscle in these songs — the boys are not stopping anytime soon.

Line up:

• Nuno Pereira – lead vocals
• Trevor Reilly – rhythm guitar, co-lead vocals
• Nicholas Pasquale Angelini – drums
• Brian J. Robinson – bass, backing vocals
• Ben Murray – lead guitar 

Links:

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