AC/DC - POWER UP

#recordoftheday

#review

BAND AC/DC

ALBUM POWER UP

LABEL COLUMBIA

OUT Nov 13th, 2020

OUR RATING 85/100

It’s so difficult express your opinion about a band that really changed your perception of music; with humbleness we try.

POWER UP is the new album out yesterday on COLUMBIA and shows 12 new songs, written by Young brothers; it’s a tribute to not forgotten Malcolm.

The line up is the classic since BACK IN BLACK, except nephew STEVIE YOUNG on rhythm guitar, see on ROCK OR BUST and live member since 1988 during the BLOW UP YOUR VIDEO tour, as a replacement of Mal himself.

The platter is produced again by BRENDAN O’BRIEN and we can hide it..we don’t like his touch, so perfect, so mainstream, as seen in previous BLACK ICE and ROCK OR BUST.

THIS IS HARD ROCK, or ROCK N’ROLL if you prefer. Well-groomed chorus, shorter solos and songs, sound too clean..we prefer something dirty!!

Honestly the works done by VANDA & YOUNG, JOHN “MUTT” LANGE, BRUCE FAIRBAIRN and RICK RUBIN are another things..another world.

But in this POWER UP things worked better..significantly better!

They starts with REALIZE, the well-known second single, squared and powerful, with powerful bass lines, and precise touch by Phil, followed by REJECTION , a song perfect for BALLBREAKER era.

If in SHOT IN THE DARK, dedicated to Malcolm all sounds great, catchy when it needs, THROUGH THE MISTS OF TIME starts slow growin’ in an epic crescendo.

ANGUS is in best shape and he’s comfortable everywhere, throughout the groovy and bluesy KICK WHEN YOU’RE DOWN and WILD REPUTATION or in more full of rhythm SYSTEMS DOWN.

Two songs to remark are stunning WITCH’S SPELL (a bit darker) and DEMON FIRE.

Great NO MAN’S LAND, eighties flavoured MONEY SHOT and last CODE RED end in the best way an album that is a big light in this dark year.