Heaven & Hell cover

Heaven & Hell

Ava Max · 2020

44 min · 15 tracks · dance-pop

Dance-pop anthems intertwine with personal narratives, creating a vibrant exploration of love and self-acceptance.

Top tracks — play these first

  • →
    H.E.A.V.E.N Start here — establishes the sonic palette early
  • →
    Kings & Queens — This empowering anthem celebrates female strength and independence, effectively capturing the album's overarching theme of self-empowerment.
  • →
    Sweet but Psycho — As a defining single for Ava Max, this track blends catchy hooks with themes of duality in personality, showcasing her ability to craft relatable yet complex narratives.
  • →
    Who’s Laughing Now — This song serves as a confident response to past critics, embodying resilience and growth while featuring a memorable chorus that encourages embracing one's true self.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

46 /100
Foothills
Higher than 10% of albums we've rated

The album combines energetic dance-pop with personal themes but lacks standout depth in songwriting.

What we noticed

  • The album opens with a spoken-word intro that sets a thematic tone, followed by a series of high-energy tracks that maintain a consistent dance tempo.
  • The last three tracks slow down the tempo, providing moments of introspection that contrast with the preceding upbeat songs.
Composition 25% of the score
6/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
7/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
5/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
5/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
6/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • catchy melodies for sing-alongs
  • steady, consistent energy levels
  • empowering anthems for motivation
  • short bursts of excitement

Where this album fits

In the catalog
Breakthrough — This album solidified Ava Max's presence after her breakthrough single.
Themes
female empowerment· personal duality· self-acceptance anthems
Career context
Heaven & Hell is Ava Max's debut studio album, released in September 2020 after her breakthrough single Sweet but Psycho. This album solidified her presence in the pop music landscape following a series of successful singles that garnered significant attention and chart performance.
Stylistic neighbors
Dua Lipa· Tove Lo· Charli XCX

Tracklist

  • 1 H.E.A.V.E.N Start here 1:46
  • 2 Kings & Queens 2:42
  • 3 Naked 3:42
  • 4 Tattoo 2:39
  • 5 OMG What’s Happening 3:00
  • 6 Call Me Tonight 2:51
  • 7 Born to the Night 3:19
  • 8 Torn 3:18
  • 9 Take You to Hell 2:45
  • 10 Who’s Laughing Now 3:00
  • 11 Belladonna 3:23
  • 12 Rumors 3:12
  • 13 So Am I 3:04
  • 14 Salt 3:00
  • 15 Sweet but Psycho 3:07

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata