Heavy Pettin's 'Rock Generation' - Album Review

After my many power metal-related blogs of late, it is time to return to something a bit more grounded and also to return to the UK - to Scotland to be more precise. I have largely found myself in mainland Europe recently given all of this power metal love, but something closer to home is now required. Each year I tend to cover a few albums which I did not expect to be writing about. Often these are from bands that are just not that prolific, or who have not really existed for a long time - and Rock Generation by Heavy Pettin somewhat falls into both camps. Heavy Pettin formed in Scotland back in 1981, and were somewhat a part of the NWOBHM movement. I say somewhat, as the fact that their debut album Lettin Loose came out in 1983 makes them latecomers in terms of that scene - and also because they were largely more of a melodic hard rock band than a true heavy metal band. This never stopped bands like Praying Mantis, Demon, and Saracen being seen as part of the NWOBHM movement, though, so I think that Heavy Pettin just about qualify - even if they generally sound a lot more polished and American than most of their peers. Queen's Brian May and Queen collaborator Mack produced Lettin Loose, which perhaps shows where Heavy Pettin's headspace was at the time - whilst 1985's Rock Ain't Dead looked and sounded more like a US hair metal record than anything from Saxon or Venom. In some ways, Heavy Pettin are likely the closest in vibe to Def Leppard from the original NWOBHM era, but the Sheffield band found more significantly more success, and by the time 1989's Big Bang had been released Heavy Pettin were essentially over. A couple of archive and compilation-type releases aside, the band was not heard from again until frontman Stephen Hayman and guitarist Gordon Bonnar resurrected it in 2017 with a new line-up. I saw them live in 2019 as part of a co-headline UK tour with Rock Goddess, and they impressed in a small Bristol venue which had attracted a fairly healthy crowd. At the time the band were talking about releasing new music, and an EP 4 Play dropped the following year. The four-track release was certainly decent, and it harked back to the melodic nature of the band's past, but the band never really kicked on from there. The last few years for Heavy Pettin, beyond the odd gig here and there, had seemed quite quiet, then, and I had wondered if they had quietly called it a day again, but behind the scenes they had been working on their fourth album - which culminated in Rock Generation dropping last month, 36 years after their last one. Line-up changes likely slowed the band's progress, though. Bonnar left the band a few years ago, and was replaced by Richie Dews (Dare), and bassist Jez Parry, who played on 4 Play, also left - with Dave Boyce (Samson; The Quireboys; Grand Slam) coming into replace him. As such, Hayman is now the only original, and really only long-time, member left. Returning from 4 Play, though, are guitarist Dave Aitken and drummer Mick Ivory - with the former taking the place of Bonnar as Hayman's main writing partner. In terms of sound, Rock Generation is noticeably heavier than the band's previous albums, in line with 4 Play, but the trademark melodic and slightly Americanised approach remains. Hayman's voice remains in good shape, with his melodic, slightly nasal, quality on display throughout, whilst him and Aitken have managed to write a number of songs which hark back to the past whilst allowing a more modern production job to add weight.

The album took a few listens to fully settle with me. I was a little disappointed at first, especially given how good the opening title track is, but it is an album that gets better with time - and there is a lot of good stuff here, even if the material is not as bright and upbeat as might be expected. As mentioned, though, the title track is great - and it kicks off the album in fine fashion. Paul McManus (Glasgow; Gun; La Paz) plays the drums on the opening song instead of Ivory for some reason - but otherwise the new-look Heavy Pettin showcase their weight here. Rain and thunder fill the speakers, before a slightly southern acoustic guitar melody breaks through - and the rest of the band soon crash in with some big guitar stabs. The band's heavier sound is on display from the off, then. These opening guitar and drum crashes herald the song's first verse, which mixes tough rhythm guitars with melodic clean guitar lines - over which Hayman sings. As mentioned previously, he sounds good throughout this album. He sounds older and more nasal - but his knack for a melody remains, and his voice still has a power to it. The verses are snappy and easy on the ear as a result, and in part thanks to the ever-present guitar chug, whilst the chorus takes things to the next level - harking back to the more anthemic basis of the band's core older sound. Gang vocals, plenty of harmonies, and some fists-in-the-air vocal melodies make the chorus one of the album's best - and it sticks in the brain after only a couple of listens. There is plenty of 1980s glitter to be found during the chorus, then, whilst the mix of melody and heaviness throughout the song ensures the album gets underway nicely. Faith Healer (Kill My Demons) opens with the tolling of bells and a brief spoken word section, before a groovy mid-paced riff kicks in - with the tolling bell acting as a nice accent as the riff cycles through. Whilst the last song featured a good mix of clean and distorted guitars, this song is much more riff and groove-focused throughout. The main riff is one that will really get heads moving live - and the verses are built around a slightly smoother version of it, which allows Hayman's snarling vocals to rise above it. There is a good amount of energy to the piece despite the mid-paced grooves - with Ivory's drumming feeling punchy. The chorus is another really strong effort, too, with Hayman going again for a more anthemic approach - whilst the band harmonise well with him to create some infectious hooks. A busy, shredded guitar solo later adds some more energy to the piece - and the groovy anthem is a personal favourite here. Brother Sister follows a similar pattern, with a similar groovy riff kicking the track off. The overall structure of the track is a bit different, though, with the repeated, elongated harmonised vocals delivering the song's title often surfacing throughout, expanding a chorus feel over big parts of the song, whilst the riffing is a little more sparse during the vocal-led moments. There are harder-driving moments, but there are also moments where hung chords back Hayman's voice - and the mix of riffing styles here does help the song to stand out from what has come before. A clean guitar-led bridge section also offers a brief change of pace - before it morphs into another shredded guitar solo.

Oblivion goes for a more overtly melodic feel, and the heaviness from the opening three songs is reined in somewhat - and the band harks back to their smoother 1980s sound here. Duetting with Hayman throughout is Roni Lee (Venus & The Razorblades), and her voice adds a bit of a smoothness to the verses - where she takes over during the second half of them to contrast nicely with Hayman. The two sing together during the bigger chorus, which harks back nicely to the 1980s, with plenty of big harmony vocals and some more emotive hooks. Musically, the song feels smoother and more spacious overall. A few bigger riffs are thrown in here and there, but generally there is much more of a clean guitar depth here - which helps to build on the more emotive vibe which the vocal arrangements are pushing. Whilst the song is not a ballad, as it feels too big and driving for such, it certainly channels some ballad-esque vibes at times - even if the overall package feels more melodic hard rock in scope. Mother Earth returns to a heavier feel, and the band really pick up the pace here. Much of the album up to this point has been largely mid-paced, but this song feels more energetic overall - with a snappy guitar rhythm which recalls 1980s John Sykes somewhat. The verses are powered by this juddering guitar pattern, then, which keeps everything moving - whilst Hayman snarls his way over the top of this heavier pattern. Still wanting to ensure a more melodic sheen, though, the chorus is another big one - with some of the biggest vocal arrangements on the album. The harmonies and gang vocals here are very powerful - but they sound very loud compared to the rest of the song, so much so that it makes Hayman's verse leads sound a bit too quiet. A better balance could have been struck, then, but the chorus is still a powerful effort which sticks in the brain. There is also a bit more guitar interplay between Aitken and Dews here, with some harmony guitar instrumental sections later on - before a shredded solo takes over. X-Rated feels like an attempt to conjure up a sleazy 1980s sound. Whilst Heavy Pettin always had an American influence, they never truly crossed over into sleazy territory - and this song also, just about, stays the right side of that line. There is clearly a big injection of hair metal here, though, with Hayman doing his best Vince Neil at times - whilst party gang vocals and a barrelling, bluesy guitar riff drive everything. In fact, there are guitar motifs here which remind me a bit of Poison's Nothin' But a Good Time - and that is certainly the overall vibe which is being sought here. The song feels a bit dated as a result, but the big, dumb chorus is very easy on the ear - and I can certainly see it going down well live. The song has grown on me as a result, and it does shed some of the modern heaviness heard elsewhere, which helps to shake things up. Bullets and Pills returns to something heavier and more akin to the album's core sound - although it does open a little slowly with some clean guitar melodies. Once the main, dry-sounding riff kicks in, though, the song generally sits on the groove it conjures up throughout - and there is quite a bit of energy here as a result. The opening clean guitar motif does return occasionally throughout to allow for a slightly dynamic feeling - but in the main the song is a simple, groovy hard rocker. The chorus does retain a little of the sleazy feel of the previous song, with similar harmony vocals and overall vibe, but the song is tougher thanks to the meatier riffing.

Line in the Sand also goes for a heavier sound, but there is also a murky, atmospheric feel here which has not really been present on the album up to this point. The mix of clean and distorted guitars returns from the opening song - but this is no anthem, with the track instead feeling a bit more expansive. The riffing feels heavier overall, and the clean guitar melodies have a fuzzy edge to them which creates a bit of a grungy backing. As such, the song sounds quite different to anything else here. Hayman's voice also has some effects on it during parts of the song, which gives him a menacing sound at times, whilst elsewhere the typical harmonies which are used throughout allow more of the band's core sound to shine through. There is certainly an attempt to feel a bit more modern here. I like how the band have generally straddled the line on this album between updating their sound and staying true to their roots - but this one is perhaps too modern sounding for the band, and the overall murk is a bit out of character with everything else. Live Ur Best Life, irritating title aside, is a bit more typical of the album's core sound. The overall heaviness generally is retained throughout thanks to the ever-present guitar riffing, but there are plenty of 1980s-inspired hooks here to allow the band's original era to shine through. It is not as sleazy as some of the other cuts here, but this is a song which is very clearly from a 1980s act - with the massive chorus harmonies and the bluesiness to much of the riffing showing this off throughout. After sounding a bit strange during the last song, too, Hayman is back to his usual self here. The higher-pitched, nasal approach that he tends to take is really well suited to songs such as this - and the chorus is another which has really grown on me over my repeated listens to the album since it dropped last month. The album then comes to a close with This Life, is quite similar overall to the previous song. As such, it very much showcases the album's core sound from the off - with a tough guitar riff and plenty of grit and energy throughout. Like much of the album, it is a mid-paced track with plenty of groove - and Hayman again sounds powerful throughout. In fact, there are parts of the song where he perhaps sounds his most powerful. The chorus has a real snarl to it which nicely suits his slightly aged voice - and he really soars above the harmony and gang vocals of the rest of the band here. It makes the chorus a strong moment to close the album out on, then, whilst the verses and big guitar solo section are full of power. The song does not really do anything different to what has been heard on the album up to this point, but it nicely distils the band's core sound down to a simple and memorable arrangement - and it works well as a closing statement thanks to the groove of the riffs and the strong chorus. Overall, then, Rock Generation is very much a welcome comeback from Heavy Pettin. It sounds different to what came before, but there is enough of the essence of the band's past to make the connection - and Hayman's voice is also distinctive enough to link the two eras. 4 Play hinted at what was to come but I feel the songwriting here is generally stronger, and the current Heavy Pettin line-up clearly have a lot more to offer. They are currently on tour in Europe with Uriah Heep, and will also kick off 2026 doing so - but I hope that there are some UK dates in the band's future - as I would like to see them live again and presenting some of the songs from this album alongside some old favourites.

The album was released on 24th October 2025 via Silver Lining Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Rock Generation.