HEAVY PETTIN – Best of Heavy Pettin
- Posted on 12-01-2021
What we have here is a rather interesting disc by Scottish NWOBHM/hard rock outfit Heavy Pettin and many of the tracks present here are not altogether that different to some of the early Def Leppard classics from the late 70s and early 80s. While the raw and blistering "Hell is Beautiful" displays several trademarks associated with NWOBHM, others are slightly more polished and melodic (and some feature keyboards), which ties in with what I said before about Heavy Pettin falling somewhere between hard rock and heavy metal.
Even though this collection boasts their best songs, the quality does vary, and some tunes are downright forgettable and devoid of substance, which mostly pertains to some of the bland affairs from the late 80s. Still, the positives outweigh the negatives, and I had a pretty good time listening to such catchy and hook-laden pieces as "In and Out of Love", "Love Times Love", and not least the atmospheric "Devil in Her Eyes". I also have a certain fondness for "Don’t Call It Love" thanks to its memorable chorus.
"Best of Heavy Pettin" might not be one of the history books or as impressive from a purely musical perspective compared to the albums and songs crafted by many of the band’s peers, but it is not without its merits and you should check it out if late 70s/early 80s British rock and metal appeal to you. On top of that, the liner notes are short but entertaining. On a final note, the band is still a living, breathing entity, so it is not as if they are not active anymore.