Second Heat

{{Infobox album

| name = Second Heat

| type = studio

| artist = Racer X

| cover = Second heat.jpg

| caption = Cover art by Guy Aitchison

| released = {{start date|1987|2|11}}

| recorded = November–December 1986

| studio = Prairie Sun Recording, Cotati, California

| genre = Heavy metal

| length = 35:51

| label = Shrapnel

| producer = {{hlist|Steve Fontano|Mike Varney}}

| prev_title = Street Lethal

| prev_year = 1986

| next_title = Extreme Volume Live

| next_year = 1988

}}

Second Heat is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Racer X, was released on February 11, 1987, through Shrapnel Records.{{cite web |url=http://www.racerxband.com/music.htm |title=Music: Second Heat |publisher=Racer X Band.com |accessdate=August 14, 2017 |archive-date=February 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210203656/http://www.racerxband.com/music.htm |url-status=live }}

Critical reception

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/second-heat-mw0000652068 |title=Racer X - Second Heat review |last=Hinds |first=Andy |work=AllMusic |publisher=All Media Network |accessdate=August 14, 2017 |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814231814/http://www.allmusic.com/album/second-heat-mw0000652068 |url-status=live }}

| rev2 = Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal

| rev2Score = 5/10{{cite book | last1 = Popoff | first1 = Martin | authorlink1 = Martin Popoff | title = The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties | publisher = Collector's Guide Publishing | date = November 1, 2005 | location = Burlington, Ontario, Canada | isbn = 978-1894959315 | page= 277}}

| rev3 = Rock Hard

| rev3score = 9.0/10{{cite magazine |title=Review Album: Racer X - Second Heat |magazine=Rock Hard |year=1987 |last=Stratmann |first=Holger |issue=23 |url=http://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Breview%5D=6073 |accessdate=August 14, 2017 |language=German |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814220428/http://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Breview%5D=6073 |url-status=live }}

}}

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."

In 2005, Second Heat was ranked No. 480 in Rock Hard magazine's book of The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.{{cite book|title=Best of Rock & Metal - Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten|year=2005|publisher=Rock Hard|language=de|isbn=3-89880-517-4|page=15}}