Power Trip

Hell at the Masquerade, Atlanta, GA

November 14, 2019.

One of the most high powered tours of the year came to Hell at Atlanta’s Masquerade last week featuring the 2018 Grammy winning High on Fire, Power Trip, Creeping Death, and Devil Master. In all fairness, I just couldn’t give Creeping Death and Devil Master enough attention to give them a thorough review. I generally look forward to seeing the opening acts, but I admit four bands on a school night is a bit much, especially when I still have a three hour drive back home from Atlanta and work early in the morning. My apologies to those bands.

That being said, I was excited about seeing Power Trip for the first time. Shows are generally reviewed in one article, but I felt Power Trip were deserving of their own review. They’ve been on my radar for a while. Nightmare Logic was one of my favorite albums of 2017, but I’d yet to see them live.. A young band from Texas, they immediately recall the crossover thrash bands of the eighties without any tired nostalgia for a time long past. There is freshness to their sound that has me more excited about them than any new thrash band in years.

Power Trip did not disappoint. Rippin through a ten song set that included “Firing Squad,” “Soul Sacrifice,” and of course, “Executioner’s Tax.” The band, and especially vocalist Riley Gale, worked the crowd into a frenzy. Several times Gale jumped offstage and climbed the barrier into the crowd, or jumped headfirst into the crowd from the stage. Security had their work cut out for them during their forty minute set as the pit became more intense and fans began pouring over the front rails. It was clear security was worried about it getting out of control. Power Trip raised the bar for headliners High on Fire to surpass their energy.

Like many of the early thrash and crossover hardcore bands, Power Trip aren’t shy about their politics. Gale is known for stating, “We try to make it pretty clear that we might all be white males, but this is not a band for white males to enjoy and be dumb rednecks.” It’s clear that their aggression is specific and that their lyrics may be antiestablishment, but they have no patience for the racism and sexism that often accompanies it.

Power Trip are a refreshing blow to the head for metal. I’m sure they will continue to challenge headliners and fans alike, and I look forward to what the future holds for them.