POWER UP

by 
AlbumNov 13 / 202012 songs, 41m 7s
Hard Rock
Popular Highly Rated

This is the AC/DC album that no one thought would happen. After a tumultuous period that saw the death of guitarist and co-founder Malcolm Young, the departures of bassist Cliff Williams and drummer Phil Rudd, and the (thought-to-be) career-ending hearing loss of vocalist Brian Johnson, it was widely assumed that 2014’s *Rock or Bust* would be AC/DC’s swan song. “You can’t call an album *Rock or Bust* and then go bust,” lead guitarist Angus Young says. With Johnson, Rudd, and Williams back in the fold, *POWER UP* is a massive triumph. True to AC/DC’s nearly half-century of domination, the album sees the Australian masters in top form, as evidenced by the groove-powered opener “Realize,” the frenetic “Demon Fire,” and anthemic lead single “Shot in the Dark.” Elsewhere, Johnson cowboys up on the western-themed “Wild Reputation” and delivers a classic AC/DC double entendre on the suitably lascivious “Money Shot.” Dedicated to Malcolm, the record features songs that he and his brother Angus worked on together back in 2007 and 2008. “These ideas came from just before we did *Black Ice*, when me and Malcolm had been in the studio for a long time just writing songs,” Angus reveals. “We had so much material.” With the COVID-19 pandemic keeping much of the world on lockdown and just about eliminating live music, AC/DC decided to release *POWER UP* to tide fans over until the band can safely hit the stage again. “I think we waited until the world hit a limit of misery with this thing,” Johnson says, “and just said, ‘Right, time to cheer it up.’”

After 50 years in the game, the band don't reinvent the wheel, but their timely comeback is a hell of a ride

It’s all here, ready to be ticked off: the AC/DC checklist, including Brian Johnson’s mighty screech, the hurricane notes flying from the lead guitar of 65-year-old school uniform-wearer Angus Young, and lyrics that cover the vocabulary of heavy rock in its entirety, from fire and explosions to wild women and booze. 

4 / 5

AC/DC riff again in tribute to Malc on scorching 17th album, Power Up

AC/DC's new album, 'Power Up': Hard-rock heroes remain unapologetically themselves on their best album in 30 years. Kory Grow reviews.

Having survived a confluence of circumstances that made it seem like AC/DC’s studio career was over, the rockers make a welcome return with a rowdy new record

AC/DC, for most intents and purposes, fell apart after the release of Rock or Bust in 2014, so it's a relief to hear Power Up and discover that AC/DC still sound like AC/DC: thick, powerhouse chords and rhythms battle and groove with Brian Johnson, who shrieks for pleasure, not attention.

7 / 10

In 2017, it looked like AC/DC, a band synonymous with resilience, was far too fractured and vulnerable to carry on. Within a two year span,...

7 / 10

There’s a host of different arguments as to where the true heart of AC/DC lies. Perhaps it’s Phil Rudd’s drumming, that steady, unfussy

The band’s first album in six years is a riotous hymn to unreconstructed rock, not to mention something of a medical miracle

8 / 10

Whether it's due to a deliberate effort to remain relevant or driven by legitimate creative impulse, numerous established, decades-old artists cull from the more popular side of contemporary music. No one should be surprised about the approach that AC/DC has taken on its latest album: "Power Up". Wh...

9 / 10

Elliot Leaver reviews the brand new offering from hard rock juggernauts AC/DC! Read his review of 'Power Up' here on Distorted Sound!

Album Reviews: AC/DC - Power Up

3.0 / 5

AC/DC - Power Up review: The sound of perseverance.

They may be down a couple of members and one eardrum but AC/DC's 17th album is still a riot of juddering riffs and anti-PC slogans

The hard rockers know what their fanbase wants and need, and deliver accordingly

Veteran Aussie rockers rise, phoenix-like, to banish the 2020 blues. Review by Russ Coffey

8 / 10