| Second Heat | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cover art by Guy Aitchison | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 11, 1987 | |||
| Recorded | November–December 1986 | |||
| Studio | Prairie Sun Recording, Cotati, California | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal | |||
| Length | 35:51 | |||
| Label | Shrapnel | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Racer X chronology | ||||
| ||||
Second Heat is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Racer X, was released on February 11, 1987, through Shrapnel Records. [1]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 5/10 [3] |
| Rock Hard | 9.0/10 [4] |
In a contemporary review, Rock Hard defines Second Heat "a thoroughly convincing piece of work, which can also boast an unusually impressive production" and predicted that Paul Gilbert would be "the first Shrapnel guitarist, who will make a name for himself beyond the circle of guitar freaks." [4]
Andy Hinds at AllMusic considered Second Heat superior to its predecessor and described it as having "some of the most amazing dual-guitar work ever recorded" thanks to the addition of second guitarist Bruce Bouillet in accompaniment with Gilbert. The rhythm section of drummer Scott Travis and bassist John Alderete was also praised as being "one of the most formidable around." Highlights listed included "Hammer Away", "Living the Hard Way" and the instrumental "Scarified". However, criticism was directed at the band's cover of "Moonage Daydream" by David Bowie: Hinds dismissed it as a "backdrop for (you guessed it!) more shredding" at the expense of "all the charm and subtlety of the original". [2] Canadian journalist Martin Popoff found the album "hobbled by the rudimentary, cloddish, New Jersey rock club tones" and cited as the "most memorable thing about this album" the cover of Judas Priest's "Heart of a Lion", "apparently given to the band by Halford without Downings's or Tipton's knowledge." [3]
In 2005, Second Heat was ranked No. 480 in Rock Hard magazine's book of The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time. [5]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sacrifice" | Jeff Martin, Paul Gilbert | 4:03 |
| 2. | "Gone Too Far" | Martin, Gilbert | 2:55 |
| 3. | "Scarified" (instrumental) | Gilbert, Scott Travis | 2:40 |
| 4. | "Sunlit Nights" | Martin, Gilbert, Bruce Bouillet | 3:35 |
| 5. | "Hammer Away" | Martin, Gilbert | 3:44 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Heart of a Lion" (Judas Priest cover) | Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing, Rob Halford | 4:04 |
| 7. | "Motor Man" | Martin, Gilbert, Bouillet | 3:46 |
| 8. | "Moonage Daydream" (David Bowie cover) | David Bowie | 3:30 |
| 9. | "Living the Hard Way" | Dave Gonzales, Gilbert | 3:33 |
| 10. | "Lady Killer" | Martin, Gilbert, Bouillet | 4:01 |
| Total length: | 35:51 | ||
Racer X
Additional musicians
Technical
Greg Howe is the self-titled first studio album by guitarist Greg Howe, released in 1988 by Shrapnel Records. Prior to its recording, Howe had sent a demo tape to Shrapnel founder Mike Varney in 1987, after which he was signed to the label.
Paul Brandon Gilbert is an American hard rock and heavy metal guitarist. He is best known for being the co-founder of the band Mr. Big. He was also a member of Racer X, with whom he released several albums. In 1996, Gilbert launched a solo career, for which he has released numerous solo albums, and featured in numerous collaborations and guest appearances on other musicians' albums.
High Gear is the first studio album by the American hard rock band Howe II, released in 1989 through Shrapnel Records. Howe II was a short-lived group fronted by guitarist Greg Howe and his brother Albert Howe on vocals.
Speed Metal Symphony is the first studio album by the American heavy metal band Cacophony, released in 1987 through Shrapnel Records.
King of Clubs is the debut solo album by Paul Gilbert formerly of the heavy metal band Racer X and the hard rock band Mr. Big.
Acoustic Samurai is an acoustic live solo album by Paul Gilbert, guitarist of the heavy metal band Racer X and of the hard rock band Mr. Big. It was recorded live in Tokyo's Hard Rock Cafe and released in 2003.
Racer X was an American heavy metal band formed in 1985 in Los Angeles, California. The group has gone through a hiatus, and a few lineup changes with bassist Juan Alderete and vocalist Jeff Martin being the sole constant members. The band is signed to Shrapnel Records.
Juan Alderete de la Peña is an American musician, best known as the longtime bassist of Racer X and the Mars Volta.
The Scream was an American, Los Angeles, California-based hard rock band, originally formed in 1989 as Saints Or Sinners. The band originally featured former Angora singer John Corabi and former Racer X members guitarist Bruce Bouillet, bassist Juan Alderete, and drummer Scott Travis. However, Scott Travis quickly left to join Judas Priest, and was replaced by former Shark Island drummer Walt Woodward III. Scott Travis co-wrote "I Don't Care" on Let It Scream, though he did not actually play on the album.
Dragon's Kiss is the first studio album by guitarist Marty Friedman, released on August 8, 1988 through Shrapnel Records and Roadrunner Records (Europe).
Bruce Allan Bouillet is an American guitarist. He has played guitar for a variety of bands, most notably Racer X, The Scream, DC-10, and Epidemic. Bouillet is known for his technically proficient playing style and speed.
Go Off! is the second and final studio album by heavy metal band Cacophony, released in 1988 through Shrapnel Records. About two years after the album's release, guitarist Jason Becker was diagnosed with ALS, rendering him paralyzed and completely unable to play to this day. Also two years later, guitarist Marty Friedman joined the band Megadeth.
Street Lethal is the first studio album by the American heavy metal band Racer X, released on January 1, 1986 through Shrapnel Records. The instrumental track "Y.R.O." stands for "Yngwie Rip-Off", as it bears similarities to "Black Star" by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, with an almost identical bassline. It later appeared in the 2009 video game Brütal Legend.
Extreme Volume Live is the first live album by the American heavy metal band Racer X. It features solos from four members of the band. It was recorded at The Country Club in Reseda, California.
Extreme Volume II Live is the second live album by Racer X, released by Shrapnel Records. Although it succeeds the release of Extreme Volume Live by four years, the songs on the album were actually recorded at the same time. At the time of the album's release, Racer X was on hiatus.
Technical Difficulties is the third studio album by heavy metal band Racer X, released on December 8, 1999 through Mercury Records (Japan), and on April 25, 2000 through Shrapnel Records and Mascot Records (Europe). The album's title track evolved from the introductory song "Metal Dog" on guitarist Paul Gilbert's 1994 instructional video Terrifying Guitar Trip; it later appeared in the 2009 video game Brütal Legend, and was covered by cellist duo 2Cellos on their 2012 album In2ition, for which they also shot a promotional video. "B.R.O." stands for "Bach Rip-Off", a homage to a previous track, "Y.R.O.", from the band's 1986 debut album Street Lethal.
Superheroes is the fourth studio album by Racer X. It was released in Japan under the name "Adventure of Racer X-Men", and distributed by Universal Japan. This album was released on Paul Gilbert's 34th birthday.
Let It Scream is the first album of the American hard rock band The Scream. It was the only album by the band to be officially released by a major record company.
Project: Driver is a studio album by the heavy metal supergroup M.A.R.S., released in 1986 through Shrapnel Records and Roadrunner Records (Europe). The band's name is made up of the initial of each musician's last name: guitarist Tony MacAlpine, drummer Tommy Aldridge, singer Rob Rock, and bassist Rudy Sarzo. Craig Goldy was their original guitarist, but he left after joining Dio.
Harald "Harry" Gschoesser is an Austrian entrepreneur and musician. He is the founder of the social network for musicians, Speedgig. He is also a former band drummer of Racer X, which is an American heavy metal band based out of Los Angeles, and former drummer of Austrian rock bands No Bros and Speedy Weekend Band.
