Freak of Nature, the full-length follow-up to 2021’s Thoughtz and Prayerz EP, sees Cleveland-based rock outfit Heart Attack Man at their most polished, focused, and refined to date, with all the powerful hooks and aggressive attitude that have brought the band to notoriety. Lyrics are at their most raw and honest, while instrumentals are at their most dynamic. The record is abundant with tone and mood shifts that the band has not toyed with as extensively in previous works, with several slow-burning, mid-tempo songs seated between the heavy hitting anthems that have become the band’s trademark.

The first notes of the album open with a clean, softly strummed guitar and supple, tame vocal on “Practiced in the Mirror”, before diving headfirst into the bombastic lead single and title track. This juxtaposition of calm and reserved emotion erupting into full volume is a trick that the band explores at length in the span of these ten songs, with single “Like a Kennedy” and album closer “See You on the Other Side” expanding from small and tight verses into massive sing-along choruses. On the mellower end of the album, “Stick Up” is a particular highlight - with vocalist Eric Egan’s pointed and charged lyrics clearly conveying his message, though this time through a much softer and somber lyrical delivery. This idea carries through on “God Called Off Today” and other slower-paced songs, weaved into the album with expert intention, crafting a track listing that makes for a thoroughly engaging and dynamic listening experience.

This experimentation with more reserved moments does not, however, mean that there is any lack of full-bore, signature Heart Attack Man, with overdriven guitar riffs and angrily spat vocals in abundance as well. “C4” begins with a smacking snare drum introduction before a fuzz-tinged guitar introduces itself beneath Egan’s chaotic yelps. “On Your Bedside” begins once again with a quietly sung vocal, though there is a swelling electric guitar throughout that hints at what’s to come - pinch harmonic-laced riffs and downbeat-slamming drums. This energy continues on “Clown School”, a tongue-in-cheek standout, with lyrics that exclaim “I’m so proud of you for graduating clown school,” before concluding with the squeak of a clown nose. This playful sarcasm is present in Egan’s lyrics throughout and has solidified itself as a crucial component to the band’s signature.

Freak of Nature cements Heart Attack Man as a staple of aggressive, punk-driven alternative music. All the band’s definitive musical elements are present - with an elevated, charged, and invigorated energy about them. The album presents itself unapologetically and authentically, playing to all the band’s strengths and maintaining a consistent identity.

Rating: 7/10