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Crossover Punk-Metal Band Comes To Bay Area

By Dave Pehling

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- One of the leading modern purveyors mixing classic thrash metal and hardcore punk sounds, Dallas-based outfit Power Trip brings their explosive live show to the Bay Area for shows in Santa Rosa, Oakland and San Jose this week.

Founded in 2008 by frontman Riley Gale and guitarist Blake Ibanez, the Texas quintet aimed to capture the metal-tinged sound of New York hardcore established in the '80s by bands like the Cro-Mags and Nuclear Assault, but openly embraced influences ranging from Brazilian thrashers Sepultura, Bay Area metal icons Exodus and fellow Texas crossover outfit Dirty Rotten Imbeciles. Building a local following with frequent unhinged performances at house parties and Dallas area clubs, the band released its debut recording Armageddon Blues in 2009 through Philly-based punk label Double Or Nothing Records.

Power Trip - Armageddon blues by OgBrog on YouTube

The band would take a number of years before releasing it's proper first full-length record via noted metal imprint Southern Lord, but the songs on 2013's Manifest Decimation revealed a far more refined take on musical brutality honed by Power Trip's dogged touring regimen. The band got some of it's biggest exposure yet on a tour supporting more traditional thrash acts Anthrax and Lamb of God alongsideSF post-metal crew Deafheaven.

Power Trip - "Executioner's Tax (Swing of the Axe)" by Southern Lord Records on YouTube

The group's latest effort for Southern Lord Nightmare Logic ups the ante once again with some of the most pulverizing, mosh-pit inducing anthems in recent memory over the course of 33 incendiary minutes. Songs like "Crucifixation," the title track and "Executioner's Tax (Swing the Ax)" take square lyrical aim at both the wealthy conservatives in power and religious fundamentalists of all stripes.

For it's current tour, Power Trip are joined by like minded San Diego-based crossover band Mizery and Phoenix, AZ psychedelic punks Destruction Unit. Led by former Reatards drummer and Tokyo Electron guitarist Ryan Rousseau, Destruction Unit has married the chaotic punk of those bands with a decidedly more mind-expanding sound on a pair of albums for Sacred Bones Records. The potent line-up stops at the Arlene Francis Center on Tuesday before moving to the New Parish in Oakland Thursday night. followed by a show at the Ritz in San Jose Friday.

Power Trip with Destruction Unit

Tuesday, April 4, 8 p.m. $12
Arlene Francis Center

Thursday, April 6, 8 p.m. $14
The New Parish

Friday, April 7, 8 p.m. $15
The Ritz

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