Racer X : Second Heat

 

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Second Heat

 is the second

 studio album

 by American

Heavy Metal Band 

Racer X 

was released on 

February 11, 1987, 

through 

Shrapnel Records.

Critical Reception

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."

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". 

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."

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