Powerplant: Bridge of Sacrifice 12″

Description

Comes with a lyric sheet 11” insert and a download code

ADX5 – Firs Press, Blue & White Vinyl, Edition of 500 each colour

Our take: Powerplant finally brings us the follow-up to their much-loved 2019 LP People in the Sun, and they swing for the fences, delivering one of the most exciting, original, and challenging punk records Ive heard in some time. While Powerplant didnt disappear in the years since People in the Sun, the EPs they released didnt exactly mark a clear trajectory to the second album, so I didnt know what to expect from Bridge of Sacrifice. It turns out its an album full of surprises, smashing genres and moods together in a way that feels bold and inspiring. The first thing youll notice is that black metal is a big part of the mix. Maybe thats always been in the background of Powerplants sound, but its a big part of Bridge of Sacrifice, which features lots of blasting drums and vocals that are both growled and demonically hissed. Sometimes these elements appear together in straightforward black metal part, but more often black metals corpse is raided for parts, with these tropes re-contextualized within Powerplants swirling, psychedelic blend. One thing I really love about Bridge of Sacrifice is that you never know whats coming at you next. Theres the black metal stuff, the plaintive, emotional punk we know from People in the Sun, but also quirky, Wall of Voodoo-esque new wave, huge vocal hooks that wouldnt be out of place on a New Order record, touches of alternative rock, blissed-out space rock, and a big helping of gothic metal thats like some strange, distant cousin of Type O Negative or Danzig (listen to the a-side closer Transactions and tell me its not chock full of Danzig III!). But while Bridge of Sacrifice is thrillingly diverse, it never seems scattered or schizophrenic to me. I think thats partly because Powerplant has such a distinctive voice that, no matter what they do, theyre always gonna sound like Powerplant. But I think theres also some low-key musical genius / mad scientist shit going on that allows them to weave all these crazy parts into songs that feel epic and sprawling, yet unified. Not that its an easy listen. The combination of abrasive and tuneful elements can jar, and if youre just not on board with one of the many genres Powerplant flirts with, there will be moments on the record you simply dont like. But for the wide-eared listener with a craving for novelty and a love of brilliant pop hooks, Bridge of Sacrifice delivers thrills you wont find anywhere else.