Album Reviews: AC/DC, Power Up

By Resonate | November 20, 2020

Words by Kris Griffiths

With their 17th offering coming six years after 2014’s Rock or Bust, the Australian quintet’s hungry following was just about at bursting point with anticipation for a new record. Announced via a photoshoot on September 30, and teased across October, Power Up is definitively AC/DC and will satisfy any diehard fan looking for their classic fix. This rock music tour de force has endured many hardships over the last decade, and it would be unfair to expect an offering at the standard set by  Back In Black or Flick Of The Switch, so with that in mind I was free to listen to Power Up without any ungodly, misguided expectation.

There is no mistaking the sharp tones of Angus Young’s SG, the tight, well-paced strut of Phil Rudd’s drums and the crisp raspy voice of Brian Johnson. With the fervor of men many years their junior, the band erupt into opener Realize which could hold its own on any previous DC records. Here though, in Power Up, it stands as a reminder that while the Aussies are in the twilight of their career, they still helped write the rulebook. Songs like Realize and Witches Spell really help capture the vitality of a band that have been away for a while, and single A Shot In The Dark,  provides all of that familiar sleaze and riffage, showcasing the sound that brought the group rock music immortality. 

Through The Mists of Time is huge and melodic, while Demon Fire adds a more ferocious nature to the mix. Some may argue that the album is predictable and well-trodden, however I believe AC/DC simply know their audience and remain masters of their formula. Power Up oozes wisdom and is sonically sound throughout, a definite improvement on  previous efforts Black Ice and Rock or Bust and a fine way to remind their audience, spanning multiple generations, that AC/DC are still kickin’ among us and below us.

Rest in Peace Malcom Young x

5/10

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