AC/DC's 'Power Up' - Album Review

It is amazing to think that in the eight years that I have been running this blog, covering many of the new hard rock and metal releases of recent years, and documenting all of the concerts that I have been to; that it has taken until December 2020 for me to write about AC/DC in any meaningful capacity. In fairness to me, the band have only released one album since I opened this blog in 2013, which is 2014's solid Rock or Bust which I got for Christmas that year so it was too late to review it by then, and I am not prepared to pay three figures to go and see them on the rare occasion that they tour - but it seems fitting that AC/DC are finally being written about here, as they have no doubt influenced, either directly or indirectly, many of the bands that I often write about. Despite this however, I think it is fair to say that I have never been the biggest AC/DC fan. I have always casually enjoyed their more well-known albums, and have a lot of respect for their legacy and influence, but they are not a band that I historically reached for too often. Rumours of a new album have been circulating for a couple of years however, and as a result of this continual chatter my knowledge of the band's discography has increased significantly of late - particularly over the last few months. The eventual announcement of the much-hoped for new album a few months ago finally persuaded me to complete my AC/DC collection, and as a result I have been on a real AC/DC kick of late - particularly the second half of the Brian Johnson era, with albums like 1995's Ballbreaker and 2000's Stiff Upper Lip finally getting my attention. I have really enjoyed this relative deep dive into the band's back catalogue, and it has been a great build up to one of the most-talked about rock releases of the year: AC/DC's sixteenth international studio album. Power Up (or PWR/UP as it is sometimes spelt), is the band's first album since Rock or Bust six years ago, and it is the first album to be released since the death of the band's legendary rhythm guitarist and songwriter Malcolm Young in 2017. While Rock or Bust had been recorded without Malcolm Young, with his nephew Stevie Young having taken his place in the band from 2014 onward due to the former's ill health, he had a hand in writing all of the songs for the album prior to his health deteriorating. Power Up is special then, as it is the band's first album to have been put together without significant oversight and direct involvement from Malcolm Young - but his songwriting style is still very much present here. This is because Angus Young, Malcolm Young's brother and the band's lead guitarist, went through the vaults of ideas that the two had come up with over the years and pulled out a number of the best riffs, melodies, lyrics, etc. to put together a new 12 track album in the classic AC/DC style. With long-time members Brian Johnson, Cliff Williams, and Phil Rudd all returning to the fold following medical issues, retirement, and legal troubles respectively - Power Up really feels like the old gang getting back together, with Stevie Young still providing the band's iconic guitar rhythms in place of his late uncle. Considering that this is essentially an album of 'cast offs', as I believe many of these song ideas came from the sessions for 2008's Black Ice, Power Up feels like a very strong modern AC/DC album that does not sound like something that has been thrown together just to get a product out. Most of the songs here are very memorable and, at just over 40 minutes in length, the album really flies by.

While it is easy to joke about all of the band's songs and albums sounding the same, my recent dive into the AC/DC catalogue has taught me that, like Status Quo, there is actually a lot more subtle variety in the band's canon than many give it credit for. It is true that AC/DC have a very recognisable style, and that Power Up is a perfect representation of that long-honed ideal - but that is not to say that each of the album's 12 songs is just rehash of what has come before. Despite both Black Ice and Rock or Bust being enjoyable, solid albums, I feel that Power Up has a venom to it that those albums were somewhat lacking. Some of the tracks here are among the heaviest that the band have sounded in years, with a big production style that allows the band's simple sound to really shine. Opening number Realize is a prime example of this approach. It is a track that really goes for the throat from the off with a big, anthemic riff and a pulsing Williams bassline. Strangely however, despite this great opening, the vocal lines in the verse feel a little off. Their rhythm does not quite catch hold, and every time I hear the song I forget that verse has actually started as the opening lines of vocals feel more like an intro spiel than an actual verse. This strangeness aside however, the song is classic modern AC/DC. Williams' bass really drives everything, while the two Youngs trade simple, meaty riffs throughout - with a great bluesy solo from Angus occurring towards the end. Rejection is less staccato than Realize, with the song's main riff feeling more flowing than angular, and it is a much more melodic track overall with a real focus on Johnson's vocal melodies. While the album contains some of the band's heaviest moments, there are also shades of the albums that Robert John 'Mutt' Lange produced for the band - particularly 1980's Back in Black and 1981's For Those About to Rock (We Salute You). Lange's love of big backing vocals are recaptured here by producer Brendan O'Brien, and Johnson's vocals really shine overall as a result. Rejection is probably the true introduction of Johnson here after the strange vocal melodies found in Realize - with the chorus here particularly seeing him in fine voice with some anthemic melodies. The album's lead single Shot in the Dark is very similar to the band's other more recent singles, although the bluesy stop-start opening is a nice twist, and it contains possibly the best chorus on the album. This really sounds like a throwback to the Lange-era, with a great call-and-response vocal approach taken during the choruses - the whole band using their voices to back Johnson's iconic croon. It also helps that the riffing here is so tight. Stevie Young has his uncle's knack for rhythm playing, while Angus Young's sloppy blues approach works atop this tightness. Through the Mists of Time is a slight change of pace, and it sees the band going for a brighter overall sound - with some stadium pop creeping into the band's established sound. The riffs here are not as big or as brazen, with the Youngs laying down some more restrained, bluesy bounces while Williams' smooth bass playing gives the song a very 1980s feel. It still feels like an AC/DC song, but with a few twists that provide an early album change of mood. I like this poppy take on the band's core sound, with the backing vocal-drenched chorus in particular being a highlight.

Kick You When You're Down returns to the band's core sound however, and it contains my favourite main riff on the album. It opens in a great bluesy fashion, and then soon explodes into the said riff and accompanied leads with a bang - while Rudd lays down something of a percussive backbeat behind them. This is also the song which, to me, showcases what a great singer Johnson still is. At 73, he has lost none of his vocal power, and his performance throughout this song is particularly venomous - his gravelly delivery sounding as good now as when Back in Black was released 40 years ago. This is particularly clear during the strident, aggressive chorus; which again is boosted by some melodic backing vocals. Not to be outdone however, Angus Young makes sure to impress with a couple of great bluesy guitar solos too - making this one of my favourite cuts here. Witch's Spell has a classic AC/DC groove to it, with Stevie Young's droning guitar rhythms backing up a jittery Angus Young lead early on - before a stop-start verse takes over. The verse is one of those that features a riff, and then everything but the drums drop out to allow Johnson to sing - with this pattern being repeated over and over. It works well and allows Johnson's vocals to really shine, but my favourite parts of the verses are the little bass slides that Williams does just as the guitars and bass drops out each time. It sounds really cool, and is something a little different for the band's overall sound - adding a twist to the usual staccato groove that the band are known for. Demon Fire picks up the pace, and really goes for the throat with a heavy and fast sound. Johnson's vocals in the opening have a Hammer horror-esque charm to them, but when Rudd's simple drum beat kicks in the song gets going proper. There is another great Angus Young riff-come-lead here too, that goes to show that despite the number of albums that AC/DC have put out over the years he still has a few tricks up his sleeve. The riff has a sped up blues vibe, and it sounds great when paired with Rudd's pacey drumming. It is a song that is just packed full of energy, which is sometimes all you want from the band. Wild Reputation opens with a pulsing bassline, but the Youngs soon join in with their disparate guitar styles - one panned to the right and the other to the left. This allows the leads and rhythms to nicely stand alone at either side of the track, while Williams pulls everything together with his simple, but potent, bassline. It might not be the catchiest of songs riff-wise, but this approach really helps the song to stand out - and its cause is helped further by another foot-stomping chorus that features Johnson belting out some sultry, groovy melodies that remind me a little of early Mötley Crüe.

No Man's Land almost seems to continue on exactly where Wild Reputation left off, as the song's main riff seems to recall melodies from the previous number, but the song is slower and more deliberate overall. Instead of going for the throat with a big riff here, the song is much more layered, with some melodic guitar arpeggios dominating the verses; and another excellent bassline from Williams that joins in after the early verse moments to add some groove. This might be the best that Williams has ever sounded on an AC/DC album, and I love how prominent his bass playing is here. His rock solid presence allows the Youngs to move around the song a little and play with melody and groove, and it shows what an important asset to the band he has been since he joined in 1977. Systems Down is a little more potent, and gets back to the band's true core sound with a razor sharp main riff and tonnes of groove. The song is very similar to Shot in the Dark, and it could have also been released a single to promote the album and had a similar effect. It is the sort of song that is sure to go down well live if the band ever choose to play it, and this due to its catchy riff and its huge chorus. The chorus is another of the album's best, with more big backing vocals and some seriously infectious vocal hooks. Money Shot is similar, but not quite as potent - with a smoother overall sound that emphasises the vocals rather than the guitars. The chorus is another strong moment, but the riffing overall is not quite as strong as on many of the songs here. Williams' bass is not as prominent this time around either, meaning that the verses feel a little empty compared to the rest of the song when he audibly joins the fray. The song is still a solid AC/DC track, but it is certainly one of the least interesting cuts here for me - although Angus Young's solo is a real explosive bluesy moment that makes up for the riffs not having as much bite as they perhaps should. The album's closing number, Code Red, is a real strutting piece that seems to reference back to the structure of Back in Black with a slow-burning three chord riff - although this soon morphs into a snaking, faster-paced verse based around a knotty guitar line and a deliberate drum groove. It is a song that seems to put a lot of ideas together, but they all mesh to create a cohesive whole. As this is the album's last statement, this approach works well. It is something of a collection of all of the things that have worked well throughout the course of the album, with plenty of riffs, groove, and another strong chorus to give every listener that last hit of AC/DC goodness before the album comes to a close. Overall, Power Up is just AC/DC doing what they do best. The band have nothing to prove at this point, and for a late career album and a tribute to the late Malcolm Young Power Up should be seen as a success. It is very similar in style to the band's last few albums, but with a few heavier moments thrown in to help shake off any onset of winter blues.

The album was released on 13th November 2020 via Columbia Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Shot in the Dark.