POWER TRIP strikes again with the second single from their upcoming Nightmare Logic LP, “Executioner’s Tax (Swing Of The Axe),” as additional tour dates and preorders for the album are issued. Nightmare Logic is out February 24th on Southern Lord. Preorders for the album are now available at this location. New songs stream are blazing below.
Photo by Renate Winter
Lyricist/vocalist Riley Gale explains that “Executioner’s Tax (Swing Of The Axe)” was written in relation to,
“Christian European countries where it was common for the person sentenced to death to have a chance to repent. If they did, they were given a bag of coins, silver or alike. For if they were particularly vile or the executioner felt lazy, it may take more than one swing of that axe to get that person’s head off and that kind of death is certainly one you’d want to be as painless as possible. Hence, the Executioner’s Tax to ensure a strong, lights-out kind of death. It’s more subtly an allegory about that being the motive for a lot of people these days and how the people that feed and heal us (The Executioner and The Priest). They love to get us addicted, fat, sick – so they can feed us, medicate us and nearly quite literally kill many of us. We pay for pleasure of making it taste good or being numb to it all. We are all slowly paying our way out and our lives are built around the Executioner’s Tax – hopefully going out quick and easy. We subconsciously crave for our end, a spoiled one.”
POWER TRIP proclaims “The Executioner’s Tax (Swing Of The Axe)” is the catchiest song they’ve ever written. The song hails from the band’s highly-awaited sophomore release Nightmare Logic, which was produced by Arthur Rizk, engineered by Arthur Rizk and Matthew Barnhart, and mastered by Joel Grind.
Hear the previously-released “Firing Squad”:
POWER TRIP hits the road again next month in support of the album. In addition to an East Coast run with Iron Reagan and others, the band has extended the tour up and down the West Coast with Destruction Unit and many more.
2/24/2017 Walter’s – Houston, TX w/ Iron Reagan
2/25/2017 Siberia – New Orleans, LA w/ Iron Reagan
2/26/2017 Saturn – Birmingham, AL w/ Iron Reagan
2/27/2017 Kings – Raleigh, NC w/ Iron Reagan, Genocide Pact
2/28/2017 Broadberry – Richmond, VA w/ Iron Reagan, Genocide Pact, Concealed Blade
3/01/2017 Soundstage – Baltimore, MD w/ Iron Reagan, Genocide Pact, Concealed Blade
3/02/2017 Marlin Room @ Webster Hall – New York, NY w/ Iron Reagan, Concealed Blade, Krimewatch
3/03/2017 Spirit – Pittsburgh, PA w/ Iron Reagan, Concealed Blade, Protestor
3/04/2017 Now That’s Class – Cleveland, OH w/ Iron Reagan, Concealed Blade, Protestor3/05/2017 The Studio @ Waiting Room – Buffalo, NY3/07/2017 ONCE Ballroom – Somerville, MA w/ Iron Reagan
3/08/2017 Les Foufounes Électriques – Montreal, QC w/ Iron Reagan
3/09/2017 Brass Monkey – Ottawa, ON w/ Iron Reagan
3/10/2017 Velvet Underground – Toronto, ON w/ Iron Reagan
3/11/2017 Marble Bar – Detroit, MI w/ Iron Reagan
3/12/2017 Reggies – Chicago, IL w/ Iron Reagan, Call Of The Void
3/13/2017 Triple Rock – Minneapolis, MN w/ Iron Reagan, Call Of The Void
3/14/2017 Vaudeville Mews – Des Moines, IA w/ Iron Reagan, Call Of The Void
3/16/2017 Riot Room – Kansas City, MO w/ Iron Reagan
3/17/2017 89th Street Collective – Oklahoma City, OK w/ Iron Reagan
3/25/2017 The Mohawk – Austin, TX w/ Iron Age, Glue, The Real Cost3/26/2017 South by So What? – Dallas, TX3/27/2017 Sister – Albuquerque, NM w/ Destruction Unit, Primal Rite3/28/2017 Marquis Theater – Denver, CO w/ Destruction Unit, Call Of The Void, Primal Rite3/29/2017 Beehive Social Club – Salt Lake City, UT w/ Destruction Unit, Primal Rite3/30/2017 WavePOP House – Boise, ID w/ Destruction Unit, Primal Rite
3/31/2017 Real Art Tacoma-The Deal – Tacoma, WA w/ Destruction Unit, Primal Rite. Gag4/01/2017 Astoria – Vancouver, BC w/ Destruction Unit, Primal Rite, Gag4/02/2017 Analog Theater – Portland, OR w/ Destruction Unit, Gag4/04/2017 Arlene Francis Center – Santa Rosa, CA w/ Destruction Unit, Mizery4/06/2017 The New Parish – Oakland, CA w/ Destruction Unit, Primal Rite, Mizery4/07/2017 The Ritz – San Jose, CA w/ Destruction Unit, Mizery,4/08/2017 Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA w/ Destruction Unit, Mizery4/10/2017 The Casbah – San Diego, CA w/ Destruction Unit, Mizery4/11/2017 Rebel Lounge – Phoenix, AS w/ Destruction Unit, Mizery, Gatecreeper4/12/2017 Club Congress – Tucson, AZ w/ Destruction Unit, Mizery, Gatecreepr
More about the band:
POWER TRIP executes music with raw energy. They’ve trimmed the fat on every reference they pull from — whether that’s Hardcore, metal, or punk — to make music that actually cuts in 2017. Hailing from Dallas, the band has toured the world relentlessly for years. Their musical proficiency, perfect song structure, rich tones, fierce riffs, delivery, and collective attitude has seeded them as one of today’s most prolific acts in any astute or heavy genre. POWER TRIP boldly surprises their broad fan base by performing alongside less obvious artists — closing the gap that in 2017’s social climate desperately needs to be filled. One month you can catch them playing with Title Fight, Merchandise, or Big Freedia, the next you can catch them on a long tour with Napalm Death or Anthrax. They’re a powerful storm of aggression, gaining more and more momentum with true, honest spirit.Nightmare Logic has taken POWER TRIP‘s classic Exodus-meets-Cro-Mags sound to new places. With hooks and tightness rivaling greats like Pantera or Pentagram and production by the esteemed Arthur Rizk, Nightmare Logic punishes fans not only sonically but with pure songwriting skill. The sophomore release and second on Southern Lord Records, raises the bar and pushes POWER TRIPto new extremes. Since 2013’s Manifest Decimation, the band admits they’ve not only gotten better at their instruments, but have also reinvented their songwriting process into a more nuanced and clever system. The shift shows on this record and does so without losing any of the aggression so essential to the band.Riley Gale’s lyrics reflect that aggression by honing in on the devaluation of human life by those who’ve gained power through money and politics. By creating a broad dissection of human suffering above reproach from personal agendas, the lyrics attempt to unify and inspire listeners. Coming from the hardcore world, where every band vaguely fights “the man”, wants to live free and break down the walls, POWER TRIP noticeably stands out. Instead of skirting around the fetishization of fighting back, Nightmare Logic focuses in on real oppression felt by many all over the world, whether that’s fighting addiction and the pharmaceutical industry (“Waiting Around To Die”) or right-wing religious conservatives (“Crucifixation”). Taking cues from Discharge and Crass in Margaret Thatcher’s UK,Nightmare Logic delivers poignant social information directly into those homes engulfed in the sour turn of global politics towards right-wing agendas. Touring the world on Nightmare Logic, Power Trip will play to scenes much further outside the bubble of contemporary underground punk music than any other current band, all while pushing the envelope of the modern punk ethos.
Press:
“possesses a certain monolithic quality Lemmy would admire: a massive rawness and a sludgy, heavy hopelessness that thrashes with punk immediacy and metal intricacy…it’s a track preparing for war.” -NPR“Their approach to metal and hardcore is no-nonsense – no gimmicks… just intense riffing and songwriting” – Clrvynt“Power Trip has lost absolutely none of its vicious bite” – Metal Injection
“equal parts righteous bloodletting and revenge fantasy… Power Trip have always found their sweet spot in the reverb-heavy fog of 80’s metal” – Pitchfork
