POWERGAME – Masquerade

POWERGAME - Masquerade
  • 6/10
    POWERGAME - Masquerade - 6/10
6/10

Summary

Iron Shield Records
Release date: January 18, 2019

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Germany’s Powergame have a passion for NWOBHM.  They cite the genre’s who’s who of bands as their main influences and say razor-sharp riffs, twin guitar-leads, pumping bass, driving drums and distinctive vocals are the ingredients of their songs.

Two things are immediately apparent on first listen.  1. Musically, the band does the NWOBHM genre proud.  They sound very similar to the bands who influenced them: Tygers Of Pan Tang, Samson, Tank, Raven, Holocaust, Angel Witch, Demon and Iron Maiden.  Hook laden riffs are the norm.  Opener “Legion Of The Dead” showcases the twin guitar leads alternately riffing in tandem and trading solos.  2. Following in the footsteps of most of these bands, the vocals are strikingly weak and tough to appreciate.  The passionate but uninspiring delivery brings to mind Burke Shelley of Budgie.  The closer “Blackout”, a Scorpions cover, is a good example.  The vocalist delivers the lyrics flat and makes no attempt to match Klaus Meine’s higher inflections.  Vocals aside, the production is contemporary, crystal clear and impactful.  Song schematics echo those of Iron Maiden and Raven. The album contains tracks worthy of repeat listens; though the listener will find the vocals too distracting in “Final Warning” and the eponymous “Powergame” and the construction of “Ghost Town” is too awkward.

Fans of NWOBHM who enjoy gritty, honest second tier bands like Holocaust, Raven and Diamond Head, will readily forgive the blue collar vocals and appreciate the album.  Listeners who demand more polish and finesse should sit this one out.

TUNE INTO METALEXPRESSRADIO.COM at NOON & MIDNIGHT (EST) / 6:00 & 18:00 (CET) TO HEAR THE BEST TRACKS FROM THIS UPCOMING RELEASE!!!

TRACKLIST (Highlights: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9)

  1. Legion Of The Dead
  2. Lucid Dreams
  3. Puppets On A String
  4. Powergame
  5. Final Warning
  6. The Chase Of The Falcon
  7. For Those Who Died
  8. Baptized In Fire And Steel
  9. Masquerade
  10. Ghost Town
  11. Blackout (Scorpions cover)

LINEUP

Matthias Weiner – guitar, vocals
Marc Zimmermann – bass
Tobias Hoppe – guitar
Klaus-Gerald Fedeler – drums

Author

  • Zac Halter

    Zac was a reviewer here at Metal Express Radio, hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. His interest in heavy music began in the 70s with his father’s Johnny Cash albums. After cousins introduced him to Steppenwolf, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, KISS, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, Johnny Cash didn’t stand a chance. The 80s were spent in full pursuit of everything Metal: searching for new music at record stores, listening to albums, studying the covers and sleeves, and attending concerts. In the 90s, he preferred Death Metal over Grunge and hosted the Death Metal Juggernaut on WUPX in Marquette, Michigan. It was advertised as the only prime time Death Metal radio show in the country.

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