Do these guys know how to stop? Overcoming enough hurdles to compete in the 110m Olympic Rock Gods Hurdle Dash Acca Dacca have come out with their seventeenth studio album giving no indication they can stop. “Power up” is the latest offering from a bunch of guys who just want to rock out like they were guys back in the garage.
Every album seems to have a particular style unto itself and this album is no exception. The opening song “Realize” opens with some big notes while little notes dance in the background. There are a number of songs that seem to have a melodic rhythm that would appear a flickering LED light inside a pair of electric devil horns.
Brian Johnson has come back to lead the vocals with his characteristic growly voice. Having damaged his eardrum due to some loud motorsport he took time away from the band to recoup and regroup. Now…he is back in full force with the majority of the cast of Acca Dacca thanks to hard work and a bit of gadgetry that managed to give him back his hearing after monthly sessions with a specialist during two and a half years.
Angus Young has a style of guitar player that is emulated across the globe, and he’s back wielding his Gibson SG axe or a version thereof.
Taking simple enough approaches to guitar riffs and playing them with a particular power that perhaps only he can muster and hold he has crafted his own sound that can be distinctly heard at times during “No man’s land” and “Witch’s spell” that carry a certain characteristic tonality.
Angus is flanked by the son of his oldest brother, Stevie Young, following Malcolm’s battle with dementia that ultimately got the better of him. Angus states that this album is dedicated to Malcolm. What better way to remember the fallen than to carry on as they would? This album carries on as AC/DC intended to start: rockin’ and rollin’. There seems to little deviation in the layout of the songs with a lot of songs starting with a buildup of a single instrument, then another flows in with singing to follow, and then a solo a couple of minutes in. If it ain’t broke why fix it?
“Demon Fire” and “Code Red” run with some fun note play along the fretboard while the drums provided by Phil Rudd provide that solid base behind the set the gives you a sense of confidence in all things rhythm. Phil has been through a few things in the few years including house arrest in New Zealand for drug and other related matters, but now he is back and looks to be in form.
The album cover is simple, but the colours are enigmatic. The glow of the lights shines of the weapons of choice of the band that could just get up and rock. Perhaps this a homage to the late Malcolm Young who is missing from the lineup and they are looking to power on as best they can. The ‘secret’ of the album was poorly kept as they directed their homepage to pwrup.acdc.com for about 2 years. A great nuance.
AC/DC have stuck to their roots bringing out some rock songs that fans of the sound crave. While there are some good songs on this it is hard to be in a band that carries some of the most famous songs in the world behind them but hell they have not deviated from what they know best.
Release Year: 2020
Label: Columbia Records / Sony Music Australia
Category: Album
Country: Australia
Reviewed: Byron Lotz
