Powerman 5000 - New Wave
by Kevin Wierzbicki
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Powerman 5000 has been around for more than two decades now, releasing a new record approximately every other year, and New Wave marks their 11th effort overall. Fans have long come to realize that singer and founding member Spider One and company give their all on stage and in the studio, and here New Wave starts off with two powerful chunks of the electro rap metal that the band is known for. The paranoia of "Footsteps and Voices" plays out to a banging rhythm as Spider spits ominous lyrics like "They know your name/They've got your number/You're not insane/You're going under!" while "Hostage" is an anthemic description of what happens when, well, they catch up to you. "Sid Vicious in a Dress" is a pounding Rob Zombie-type rocker that is not actually about the late Sex Pistol; rather it's an ode to a severely messed-up woman. "David F***king Bowie" on the other hand is a pulsing, dance-oriented homage to Bowie that incorporates lyrics from some of his songs and references to others. "No White Flags" is a sort of mid-album breather; mellow musically in comparison to the rest of the album and complete with orchestration, the song nevertheless conveys a tension that threatens to explode any second. "Die on Your Feet" rocks to an angry Rage Against the Machine-type groove, and the effort ends with "Run for Your Life," a synth-rocking cut that's informed by the New Wave sound of the '80s. Powerman 5000 is currently on a national tour that runs through mid-November. Find the dates and more about the new album here.
Powerman 5000 - New Wave
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