Album Review: MORE POWER. MORE PAIN. // Gideon
Gideon has been a band on my radar ever since I heard “Cold” all the way back in 2017. I was hooked even then by the songwriting abilities and the melodic vocals. It was truly fantastic. 2019 comes, and I am doing a copywriting course that precedes my current job. I choose Gideon’s 2019 album “Out Of Control” for one of my assignments. I am instructed to write a press release and base it around this album. It is a killer. The loud bass riff of “Take Me” knocks me flat out cold. Fast forward to March 2023, and they have a new album out. It’s called “MORE POWER. MORE PAIN.” The title sounds promising. Let’s give it a spin.
I don’t know why this album didn’t initially grab me at first. I didn’t think it was as heavy as their previous records. But on the third or fourth listen, something happens. Jesus, the first few tracks are straight up powerful, and the drums even more so. The production is very impressive, and you can see how the musicianship has grown. On “Too Much Is Never Enough” the guitars collide perfectly with the drums, and the vocals are furious and aggressive. The breakdown around 2:43 is going to send people to the hospital. There are other moments like this littered on the record. I think “Locked Out Of Heaven” is a glorious slice of nu metal, emphasising what the band is good at. The chorus is Deftones inspired, and then it goes into the breakdown. So cleanly produced, yet so disgusting at the same time. Fantastic.
There is plenty of chaos in the title track, it is incredible. Personally, it reminds me of this band called thrown it is absolutely horrible The production works to the advantage of the band. The drums are mixed so cleanly, and you can hear the vocalists’ passion. Then there is a china cymbal which can only mean one thing: spinkick. The atmosphere suddenly drops to a darker place, and it’s like a gate opens in the portal of hell.
Initially, “Take Off” doesn’t grab me. I am not a fan of the cliche nu metal chorus, and I don’t think it works personally. However, the scratches and the breakdown are neat and save the track from being tepid filler. And then – bam. Recent single “Damned If I Don’t turn the passion up to infinity. It is mighty impressive. This is the aggression I look for when it comes to hardcore, and this is EXACTLY what I want to see. Good grief, the breakdown is simple but effective. Another riff that is meatier than a sirloin steak. Fuck, this will go hard live. Same with “Off the Rails”, the passion the singer shows, coupled with the wall of sound is fantastic. Everything sounds so crisp. “The Final Nail” has a riff around 2:10 which transitions into a mean breakdown that’ll get the hardcore kids in the tank tops two stepping. Cor blimey, it’s extremely fast paced.
The album doesn’t let off speed throughout its 46 minute runtime. It is just what you want from a Gideon album. This is music that you listen to when you have an awful day that’s full of pent up aggression. This is what happens when someone pissed you off, and your heart seethes with anger and rage. Gideon will keep you going all year long.
https://open.spotify.com/album/47yiRNHD4U2aZaHLfvAmyB?si=bwqe_xT2RTqDDNPjpd8yNg
Words by Ermis Madikopoulos