Album Review: "Hot" by Stew – Cranking Up the Heat in Swedish Rock
Alright, buckle up, because we’re diving into Hot by Stew, a rip-roaring rock album that dropped in 2018. Hailing from Sweden (land of meatballs and surprisingly heavy riffs), this foursome brings the thunder with their blend of Power Metal and Hard Rock. No label backing? Pfft, who needs one when you’ve got Nicklas Dahlgren smashing drums like he’s fighting off trolls, Nicklas Jansson shredding guitar solos faster than IKEA furniture instructions can confuse you, and Markus Åsland pulling double duty on bass AND vocals like an overachieving Viking.
Now, let’s get real for a sec—this isn’t some polished, radio-friendly snoozefest. It’s raw, it’s gritty, and it feels like these guys just wanted to have fun while melting faces. Two tracks stood out so hard they practically tattooed themselves onto my brain: “Dig For Gold” and “If This Will Be The End.”
First up, “Dig For Gold.” Oh man, this track kicks off with a riff so chunky it could double as breakfast cereal. Jansson’s guitar work here is nuts—he sounds like he’s dueling dragons while riding a motorcycle through a thunderstorm. And don’t even get me started on Markus’s vocals; dude belts it out like he’s trying to convince Thor himself to hand over Mjölnir. The lyrics are kinda cryptic but hey, sometimes rock doesn’t need to make perfect sense—it just needs to slap, and trust me, this one slaps HARD.
Then there’s “If This Will Be The End,” which hits different. It starts slow, almost like it’s lulling you into a false sense of chill before WHAM—Dahlgren’s drumming explodes like someone set off fireworks at a sauna party. The chorus sticks to your ribs like lingonberry jam on toast, all dramatic and haunting. You know those songs that make you wanna stare wistfully out a rainy window while contemplating life choices? Yeah, this is one of ‘em.
The rest of the album keeps things spicy too. Tracks like “Might Be Keeping You” bring plenty of energy, though nothing quite tops the gold-digging chaos or apocalyptic vibes mentioned earlier. Honestly, it’s impressive how tight this band sounds without drowning in studio polish. They sound alive, like they recorded half of it live in someone’s garage during a particularly cold Swedish winter.
So yeah, Hot might not reinvent the wheel, but it sure knows how to spin it. If you’re into music that feels more like hanging with friends than attending a fancy gala, give this bad boy a spin. Plus, any band bold enough to name themselves after a cooking ingredient deserves props.
Final thought? Listening to Hot made me realize two things: First, I really need to learn Swedish metalheads’ secret to rocking so dang hard. Second, if anyone ever tells you Sweden only exports ABBA and Volvo parts, shove this album in their face. Literally. Do it.
