Review / 200 Words Or Less
Powerplant
A Spine/Evidence EP

Static Shock Records (2020) Mirza

Powerplant – A Spine/Evidence EP cover artwork
Powerplant – A Spine/Evidence EP — Static Shock Records, 2020

Elvis fronting Joy Division, That was the first thing that came to mind when the first song on this five song EP kicked off. Then my thoughts continued on to Gallon Drunk’s punk blues. Deep, brooding and slow and it actually sounds a bit different to the remaining quartet. Theo Zhykharyev is crooning like some drunk, evil Elvis (not Danzig!) and then all of a sudden you get the added spice of horror keyboards thrown in. Quirky and intriguing, but as I said, a bit different to the remaining songs while still retaining a clear sound of their own. Opener "A Spine" has a more dance friendly vibe and from then on things go to being a lot more energetic and even mosh friendly, culminating in the almost hardcore-like "Hurlwood", which to me brings back memories of the glorious Murder City Devils. But the pick of the bunch is number three, "Evidence", because the simple synth beat makes you want to dance i a London dive bar and drink cheap cider.

The recording project has gone from being a one man operation run by Zhykaryev to a full live line-up after last year’s LP People in the Sun. Keep a close eye on them and grab your self a copy of this simple beauty.

7.0 / 10Mirza • June 8, 2020

Powerplant – A Spine/Evidence EP cover artwork
Powerplant – A Spine/Evidence EP — Static Shock Records, 2020

Related features

Powerplant

One Question Interviews • February 8, 2021

Related news

Powerplant and the sound of Crashing Cars

Posted in Records on April 30, 2025

Powerplant's Grass

Posted in Records on June 17, 2023

Recently-posted album reviews

Action/Adventure

Ever After
Pure Noise (2025)

Chicago’s Action/Adventure have been grinding the pop-punk trenches since 2014. They have always played pop-punk like it still has something to prove because for them, it does. They went viral in 2020 on TikTok with their song “Barricades” by calling out the exact thing no one in the scene wanted to say out loud. The genre is full of white … Read more

217

In Your Gaze
Time To Kill (2025)

If you didn’t know, hardcore and punk are alive and thriving in Italy. When I come across bands from there, their scene never ceases to amaze me. Italy gave us Raw Power and Negazione in the ’80s, Slander and Strength Approach in the 2010s. Now 217 picks up that lineage with their own mix of fire and reflection by keeping … Read more

Ugly Stick

Absinthe
Hovercraft Records (2025)

Contrary to what I said on Vh1’s Behind the Music, Tim from Hovercraft is one of my favourite human beings. I suppose in some ways that’s not saying much but Tim plays in one of my favourite bands, I’m a fan of his art and on top of those two things and running a label, his day job is saving … Read more