Heave Blood & Die - 'Burnout Codes' Deluxe Edition Album Review

May 4
3 min read

Tracklist:

1. Dog Days

2. Men Like You

3. Hits

4. Stress City

5. Mjelle

6. Things That Hurt

7. HEATWAVE 3000

8. Seen It All

9. Radio Silence (2026 Redux)

10. Post People (2026 Redux)

Norwegian upstarts Heave Blood & Die are back with a Deluxe Edition of 2024's 'Burnout Codes', released May 1st via Arduous Records.

'Dog Days' starts things off with a heavy feeling of repressed aggression, which to me feels very Idles-y, especially in the vocal delivery, and the dynamic between the vocals and the guitars, with added synths to give a unique characteristic that works really well, and introduces the world of 'Burnout Codes' in fitting fashion.

'Men Like You' builds gradually from the start, with each element almost fading in unnoticed, each just repeating, but never in a way that feels overly repetitive, with a good spacey synth line and droning guitars, it's short and to the point, and feels almost like a tainted dreamscape.

'Hits' gives us a more intimidating sound while maintaining a similar synth sound to the previous two tracks. The bass sound works really well alongside this in a very understated way. Unfortunately, it feels like the vocals are fighting for position in the mix at times. Good build in the outro, leading smoothly into 'Stress City', which has almost an early Fontaines DC, gritty post-punk feel to it, mixed with those synths to create a sort of dystopian soundtrack.

'Mjelle' amps up the bass, really letting it shine. There are some great vocal harmonies in amongst the foreboding bassline that are echoed in the subtle guitar work, and backed with a steady, straightforward drumbeat, it's a unique sound within this realm, and feels very reflective of the band's hometown.

'Things That Hurt' picks up the pace and verges into a territory very reminiscent of King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard's Nonagon Infinity. It feels like it would be right at home in a cult sci-fi grindhouse film, and that's definitely a compliment. Those subtle harmonies we've seen before work extremely well in this context, and paired with the higher tempo instruments gives a sense of urgent anxiety.

'HEATWAVE 3000' also leans into that sci-fi feeling, but in a more grand way, blending elements that invoke late 2000s British Indie, especially in the bassline, that gives yet another unique layer, building on what's come previously, whilst simultaneously maintaining a steadiness in a very delicate balance.

'Seen It All' drops the pacing down again slightly, and is perhaps the clearest song in terms of mixing, whilst still being drenched in the same soundscape that's been cultivated over the past half hour. It's a very constant song, with minor elements building up and falling down, but still maintaining a steady course throughout, until everything gradually fades out.

'Radio Silence' (2026 Redux) feels right at home within the realms of 'Burnout Codes', being transposed from it's previous home on 2021's 'Post People'. It has a hypnotic feel to it, accentuated by an instrument that sounds like a sitar but I can't place for certain. The way it's recorded and performed makes it feel like there's an entire orchestra behind the band, and it's such an interesting and unique dynamic.

'Post People' (2026 Redux) is an outlier in that it moves into a more clean sound, leaning more towards Dreamgaze/Dream Pop and bands like Slowdive. There are still hints of the sound that has dominated the rest of the record, but it's almost like that sound has been purified, as if it's been taken to the 'Ministry Of Love' by the Thought Police. That might be a dodgy analogy, but it's the closest I can get.

Now I have to say, I hadn't heard of Heave Blood & Die prior to this review, so naturally I hadn't listened to 'Burnout Codes' when it first released and normally I would scoff at a deluxe edition only having two extra tracks, but having gone back and listened to the original versions, I was definitely proved wrong. They expand the album in a brilliant way. It's an album that is weird, trippy, and - despite pulling from many different influences - thoroughly unique in a way that was very difficult to write about.