Powerman 5000 Re-enter the Atmosphere with Their Latest CD, Builders of the Future
By Greg Walkowiak
Spider One
To classify a band or artist as belonging to a particular genre of music, one should also be familiar with the many sub-genres within that primary genre, and in today’s world, that is a task easier said than done, as almost all the straightforward “umbrella categories” ~ rock, metal, rap, pop ~ have splintered into an multitude of subcategories that I could swear continues to increase with each new band that hits the scene. There are veteran bands, however, which, at least to my ear, still fall into long-established major genres, and Powerman 5000 is one of those bands, doling out true electronic hard core as they have since their first release in the early 90s. They’re also one of the only bands to successfully integrate sci-fi elements into their music, living up to their self-given moniker, Hi Fi Sci Fi Electro Metal Robot Rockers. With the new album Builders of the Future, Spider One (vocals), Richard Jazmin (guitar), Nick Quijano (guitar), Gustavo Aued (bass), and Dj Rattan (drums) prove that PM5K remain bastions ~ albeit slightly space-age, more than slightly eccentric bastions ~ of bona fide electronic hard core.
Powerman 5000’s Builders of the Future, which arrives today, is an intergalactic galactic bombshell that explodes with an unmatched power and electronic boom. “Invade, Destroy, Repeat,” the album’s opener, detonates with mega force, sending a clear message that the band is back in full masters-of-their-musical-universe form.
Photo by Michael Mullenix Photography
“We Want It All” is nothing less than a technical masterpiece that my brain happily absorbed. I could feel the sonic vibrations the moment the track kicked it; the hard guitar chords and synthesized techno echoes reverberated throughout my entire body.
The album’s title track is an immediate, unbridled attack on the nervous system. The thunderous booms and electronic wails overpower the senses, but succumbing to this musical onslaught is aural gratification as only Powerman 5000 can deliver it.
Photo by bluestribute entertainment
Slowing the pace a bit, the band offers “I Want to Kill You,” a beautiful, dark piece reflecting the push-and-pull emotions of a relationship. The sound is soothing and surreal; the lyrics ring true on the reality of self-destruction at every level.
Rounding out what I would consider the highlights of the album (although “How To Be a Human” has become the first charting single off of Builders of the Future) is “Evil World,” which addresses a theme to which everyone can relate in one way or another: we are all just here on a guest pass. The tick-tock sound incorporated into the track’s fast beat is inescapable, reminding us that our time is slipping away with each passing moment.
Photo by Tony Devine of Devine Imaging
There is a reason Powerman 5000 have endured and are considered by many to be the ultimate hardcore electronic band, and Builders of the Future reminds us of it; they combine powerful lyrics, technical prowess, other-worldly influences, and intense delivery into a unique style that touches upon musical frontiers they’ll no doubt be the first to conquer.
Builders of the Future Tracklisting:
Invade Destroy Repeat
We Want It All
How To Be A Human
You’re Gonna Love It If You Like It
Builders Of The Future
I Want To Kill You
Modern World
Live It Up Before You’re Dead
I Can’t Fucking Hear You
Evil World
Purchase Builders of the Future via iTunes.
View a full list of upcoming Powerman 5000 tour dates with (hed) p.e. and Sunflower Dead here.
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