Powerdrive is the new project from MG71's Miguel Gayarre and Robin "Robeeo" Lundgren. Miguel tells NM's Bulldog that Powerdrive will be their focus for the foreseeable future.
NoiseMatters was given an exclusive release of Steel Roots to review, and hell yeah we're impressed as you can see in Bon's review to the right. Not 'cos we got it exclusive, but because it is that damn good. After giving MG71 high ratings last month, Bulldog felt it would be fare to get someone else to do the Powerdrive review for fairness (and 'cos no doggie wants to be accused of potential bias). Miguel takes care of bass, guitar and drums on this production while Robin double-hats on guitar and vocal duty. Need convinced before you hear 'em? This is their listed influences:
"Pantera, Metallica, Judas Priest ,Testament ,Alice in Chains and any other fucking metal band that you can think about as long as their guitars can make your ears bleed"
BD.
You can check out Miguel's MG71 and Robin's Robeeo work at the links below, and of course go hear Powerdrive yourself on their Myspace, linked below:
Also check out:
myspace.com/mg71music
garageband.com/artist/MG71
myspace.com/robeeo
NM's MG71 review
Powerdrive - "Steel Roots" review ...NM Exclusive!
reviewed for NM by the humanoid entity designated JohnBonhamAtronWell, where to start…
Ok, here we go, Powerdrive is a bloody apt name. There’s some seriously kick arse riffage going on here! Play the first track, Final Chapter, and you’re immediately sucked into a world of seriously balls-out proper rock. Put it this way, I just watched ‘In The Mouth Of Madness’ (John Carpenter at his most mental… nothing like a good headfuck) before I started this review, and Final Chapter would work absolutely 100% perfectly as the theme for that film. And yes, that’s a compliment, I adore that movie!
There’s a very healthy mix of darkness and full-on musical blitzkrieg. This is some seriously powerful stuff, and it just begs to be turned up to 93 (11 isn’t loud enough), so you blow your windows out. And you will, too, as the guitars and bass rip through some properly gutcrunching riffs, and the Miguel's drumming goes batshit mental in the back.
And then there’s Robin's vocals, and he is, let’s be honest, bloody brilliant at what he does. Whether he’s wailing out the choruses, or growling like some Lovecraftian evil, he gives it every ounce of strength, and God does it show!
Then, you get to track 5, Treat, and realise the virtuoso versatility on display here, with the acoustic guitars and soulful vocals, the calm before the storm, lulling you into a false sense of security, before the big guitar rocks up and blows your eardrums out. I’m kind of almost at a loss to bands to compare them to, but there are definite slight hints of Nightwish in there, as well as a teeny bit of Metallica, plus, just a healthy dollop of the musicianship of bands like Trivium and Dream Theater, amongst their listed influences of legends like Pantera, Judas Priest and Alice In Chains. Or, in other words, they’re fucking stunning. There’s no other way to say it. Listen to them, right now, and let them commit assault on your ears. And then thank christ they did, because this is one band you can’t go through life not hearing. Stand-out tracks: #2, Starting Over, and #5, "Treat".
5 out of 5. Record deal. Give them one. Now.
NoiseMatters rated:
(5/5)
