If you’ve been paying attention to heavy music as of late, you’re undoubtedly familiar with the name Power Trip. The thrashers from Texas released their sophomore full-length, Nightmare Logic, earlier this year and have achieved massive success and praise from some of metal’s biggest names and fans alike. Personally, I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve spun the record, as I consider it to be one of the finest releases in recent memory. I had the privilege to catch the band live for the first time on the Battle of the Bays Tour as they opened for Exodus and Obituary at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ.
Power TripFor those who have never seen Power Trip in a live setting, let me stress the fact that their set is about as chaotic and unrelenting as you may imagine. The band wastes no time in bringing maximum intensity from the very beginning, an energy that remains throughout. One of the main strengths of Power Trip arguably lies in the fact that each member knows their role in the band, and knows it well. At no point does the music waver to make room for overindulgence from any individual instrument, but instead stays consistent from start to finish for the sake of the songs themselves. Now two records in, Power Trip rides the line between thrash metal and crossover, drawing audiences from multiple subcultures, a sound that will continue to develop and grow into its own over time.
Sunday’s set saw a mix of material from the band’s discography, and a near perfect blend at that. Lead singer Riley Gale’s stage presence is an animal all its own as he flails his mic stand into the air and calls for total mayhem from those in attendance without hesitation. You can hear every ounce of aggression in his voice and lyrics. “Territorial pissing contest, it sickens my nerves,” yells Gale on the band’s cut “Crucifixation,” a highlight from the set. The rest of the band certainly supports the cause. Drummer Chris Ulsh continues to do an excellent job of holding the band together from behind the kit, with the rest of the rhythm section closely following suit. The chosen grooves provide the perfect framework for Power Trip’s message to shine in filthy, old-school manner, a message one must see to believe.
Power Trip @ Starland BallroomI honestly don’t believe I’ve ever seen a crowd move as much for an opener as it did for Power Trip. A circle pit instantaneously opened as soon as the opening riff to “Soul Sacrifice” kicked in and didn’t rest until the end. Whether you entered Starland Ballroom on Sunday as a fan of Power Trip or never even heard their name, you undoubtedly didn’t leave without knowing what they stood for. There’s a certain kind of feeling you experience when witnessing such an energy with an extended metal family surrounding you, whether you know its members or not. I am unbelievably excited to hear what is next from Power Trip, as they’ve become one of my favorite bands in a rather short period of time. The future of thrash metal has arrived and these guys are certainly at the helm.
Power Trip are currently on tour with Exodus and Obituary on the Battle of the Bays Tour. Be sure to check out each of these bands at one or more of the dates below:
9/26 — Grand Rapids, Mich. — The Intersection
9/27 — Columbus, Ohio — Park Street Saloon
9/28 — Indianapolis, Ind. — Deluxe @ Old National Center
9/29 — Joliet, Ill. — The Forge
9/30 — Minneapolis, Minn. — Skyway Theatre
10/01 — St. Louis, Mo. — The Ready Room
10/03 — Lawrence, Kan. — Granada Theater
10/04 — Ft. Collins, Colo. — Aggie Theatre
10/06 — Sacramento, Calif. — Ace Of Spades
10/07 — Los Angeles, Calif. — Teragram Ballroom
10/08 — San Diego, Calif. — The Observatory North Park
10/10 — Tucson, Ariz. — The Rock
10/11 — Albuquerque, N.M. — Sunshine Theater
10/12 — El Paso, Texas — Tricky Falls
10/14 — San Antonio, Texas — Paper Tiger
10/15 — Baton Rouge, La. — The Varsity Theater
