Power Trip – Live in Seattle
Release Date: 23rd June 2023
Label: Southern Lord
Bandcamp
Genre: Thrash, Crossover.
FFO: Slayer, Enforced, DRI.
Review By: Rob Woodhouse
The fact we have a new Power Trip record to spin is obviously a cause for celebration, but it is of course tinged with a little sadness. Had things worked out differently, we would be due a follow-up to Nightmare Logic by now. Instead, we have Live in Seattle; a reminder of the ferocity that Power Trip possessed in the live arena and that ever-lasting feeling of what if?
Riley Gale is unfortunately gone and all we have left is some great memories, those aforementioned “what ifs” and blinding archives like this record. Live in Seattle has been released previously, but this is its first outing on vinyl. There’s a plethora of colours to choose from… go have a look. A little bit of flab has been cut from the previously available digital version with bits of crowd and band banter cut from the LP, but essentially, there is nothing new here except the format.
As the record opens up into the slow crunch of Drown, the atmosphere gently builds up until Riley commands “Turn it up!” and we dive headlong into the ultra-choppy Divine Apprehension. The frontman calls for a circle pit, and we can only imagine the chaos erupting on that floor.
It’s a raucous old start and everything sounds bloody wonderful. The guitars have a filthy, gritty tone that can easily switch to those all-important Slayer-esque squeals when required. Everything reeks of pure power and energy.
Firing Squad, Manifest Decimation and the groove-laden Executioner’s Tax all fly by with equal ferociousness while that South of Heaven style intro to Soul Sacrifice trudges in like a steamroller. This band were simply electric, and this record only shows that fact off for everyone to hear.
“A slow jam” in the shape of Firing Squad… slow? Yeah, right. This album will take your face off!
It’s really easy to get caught up in nostalgia and wearing those rose-tinted glasses when it comes to bands and rock stars who meet an early demise. They often get lauded as the greatest ever and irreplaceable characters as we mourn their loss. Power Trip were never going to be the biggest band in the world, but they were pretty special at what they did, and their loss has been felt across heavy music. They were leading the charge for younger thrash and crossover bands, and we have a healthy little scene inspired by their success still bubbling away because of them.
(4.5 / 5)
