The world is on fire. The people who are supposed to protect or represent us seem mainly concerned with enriching themselves. Meanwhile, those who present themselves as defenders of the people are being exposed one by one as fraudulous. So, here in 2026, it is high time for an injection of punk into our lives—to arm ourselves against the absurdity we all seem trapped in. The punk heroes of A Wilhelm Scream made waves in the scene during the 2000s with their technical riffs, blistering tempos, and infectious, but gritty melodies. The trilogy of albums Mute Print, Ruiner, and Career Suicide from that period each contain classics that call out exactly these kinds of practices. Just when the world needs them most, A Wilhelm Scream returns with ten unfiltered, organically written punk tracks on their sixth album, Cheap Heat. After all this time, is the band still burning as fiercely as ever?
A resounding yes!
Cheap Heat bursts out of the gate with
Somebody’s Gonna Die, where the two guitars immediately launch a disorienting sonic assault on your eardrums with twin circulating riffs spiraling through each side of your auditory field in different ways. Soon, the vocal line provides narrative footing before the drums are unleashed like a man possessed, firing beat after beat at a scorching pace. By the time the chorus hits, sitting still is no longer an option—you can feel the energy of your youth rushing back through your veins. We’re back in the field at Groezrock 2008, boys!
A Wilhelm Scream sacrifices nothing in terms of passion, intensity, complexity, or songwriting. The virtuosic, almost unfathomable bass lines that occasionally surface are a perfect testament to that.
A Wilhelm Scream has not been idle between Career Suicide in 2007 and Cheap Heat in 2026. Two additional albums followed in 2013 and 2022, though they left little impression on me, and revisiting them now does little to change that opinion. However, Cheap Heat hits all the spot and delivers the adrenaline injection we so desperately need. Scumbag Grift, the second track, is so packed with grit and fire that it immediately ranks among the band’s best. Midnight Ghost leans into a more melodic approach and is somewhat more straightforward, as befits a typical single, yet it is no less memorable. Even on tracks like these, there is more than enough instrumental virtuosity—just listen to that bass run in the intro—and the drums never shy away from keeping the tempo sky-high. Here, it’s primarily up to Nuno Pereira to convey the message through his vocal lines, and he delivers.
Across the rest of the album,
A Wilhelm Scream makes no attempt to tweak the formula—in fact, they only reinforce their point with even more blistering tempos on
Tunnel Vision,
Let It Ride, and
Fell Off. The latter two, in particular, feature even more disorienting guitar work and stand out as true highlights. The second half of the album continues to follow the band’s concept to the letter.
Run opens with a particularly vicious riff, while
Unsolving the Mystery once again boasts an earworm of a riff. Closing track
Poison II creates a bit more space for storytelling and vocals.
Nuno Pereira spits out his final venom, and with its abrupt ending, the track feels more like an epilogue than a standalone song. Still, you can put on any track from
Cheap Heat at random and get the same electrifying experience.
Scumbag Grift remains the shining standout on an album packed with high points.
I may be repeating myself, but this album is top-tier.
A Wilhelm Scream rekindles a level of passion, speed, and intensity that I (and they) left behind in 2009. In uncertain, turbulent times—where the common person repeatedly bears the brunt of decisions made from above—this virile, virtuosic punk is the perfect remedy to break free from the yoke and raise our fists: on the festival grounds, in your personal life, against your political representatives, against your boss. I wish you all plenty of punk-fueled determination.
Cheap Heat stands shoulder to shoulder with its siblings
Career Suicide,
Ruiner, and
Mute Print. An essential album in the highest echelon of punk.
Score:
92/100
Label:
Creator Destructor, 2026
Tracklisting:
- Somebody’s Gonna Die
- Scumbag Grift
- Midnight Ghost
- I Got Tunnel Vision
- Let It Ride
- Fell Off
- Run
- Visitor: Unimpressed
- Unsolving The Mystery
- Poison II
Line-up:
- Nuno Pereira – Vocals
- Trevor Reilly – Guitar, vocals
- Nicholas Pasquale Angelini – Drums
- Brian J. Robinson – bass guitar
- Ben Murray – guitar
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