On 22nd February Power Trip will release their new full-length „Nightmare Logic“ on Southern Lord Records with eight brand new tunes. We could talk to Power Trip singer Riley Gale in an interview about the new record, the further plans of the band for 2017 and their influences.
Interview wit Power Trip frontman Riley to „Nightmare Logic“
I feel like every day is a waking nightmare.
AFL: Hey how are you? On 24rd February you will release your new album “Nightmare Logic”. What meaning is behind the title?
R: Nightmare Logic is a term I once saw used to describe certain kinds of cerebral horror movies. More commonly, “dream logic” movies – The Shining, and pretty much everything David Lynch and Dario Argento are considered the classics, however I’ve also seen the term used for movies like Phantasm, Event Horizon, and Nightmare on Elm St. Basically the most horrifying thing about a true nightmare is not being able to differentiate between the dream world and waking life, and I feel like every day is a waking nightmare. So in this instance, this album is about learning the “Nightmare Logic” of living in the modern nightmare, and finding the will to stand and fight and not run.
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AFL: How would you describe the new album and the new songs? Are there any differences between “Nightmare Logic” and your older releases?
R: I think on this album we focused on three things: Making it faster, heavier, and catchier. I think we succeeded in doing all three of those things. Faster and heavier might sound contradictory, but the faster parts rip harder and the heavier parts are just that. For myself, I focused on making songs that were catchier, without sacrificing substance. I think the catchiest songs we’ve written are on this album, but we haven’t lost any intensity. If anything, it’s more intense. Additionally we reached our secondary goal of making it shorter than Manifest Decimation. MD was 35 minutes, NL clocks in at just under 33 minutes.
AFL: What is the message you are trying to get out with your songs? Which themes you are thread on “Nightmare Logic”?
R: Each song tackles a different subject but essentially the message behind Nightmare Logic is that we’re living in this waking nightmare, and our oppressors have created this nightmare for us…. but what they don’t realize is our ability to adapt. In many of these “nightmare logic” movies, the protagonist is able to turn the rules of the world against the enemy and defeat them. I think that’s something that we are capable of doing; the people who struggle against the various systems of can use this nightmare logic to destroy our opposition. It’s about calling out the institutions who have dehumanized us, and evolve into something beyond human, something powerful that can not only bite back at the hand that feeds us poison, but to tear the entire arm off and go in for the kill.
AFL: How did it happen, that you play the style of music? Have everybody in the band different influences and all together is the sound of POWER TRIP? Personally, I feel you sound as a mix between NYHC from the late 80ties and British punk bands like AMEBIX and ENGLISH DOGS. When I read some comments in YouTube to your videos the opinions of the user strongly diverge how you sound. How would you describe your music and which bands would you name to your main influences?
R: When the band started, Blake and I wanted to do something that was crossover, but that was mostly rooted in NYHC and New York crossover. Cro-Mags, Leeway, Nuclear Assault, Killing Time, The Icemen, Breakdown, Prong, etc.. But we loved crossover and metal from all over the spectrum, in the early days I guess it was stuff like Sepultura, DRI, Suicidal Tendencies, Entombed, Excel, Sodom, Exodus, Vio-Lence… it goes on an on. I’ve always loved punk, and when Chris Ulsh joined the bands on drums, it made sense and was easier to bring in the more punk- influenced crossover like Discharge, Sacrilege, Anti-Cimex, and certainly English Dogs. So we started as more of a metal influenced hardcore band, but as we got our chops up, we transitioned more into metal, but still have our roots firmly in hardcore and punk.
AFL: With your music you appeal both hardcore kids and metal fans. Would you say you’re a hardcore or a metal band or it doesn’t matter do you?
R: It doesn’t matter to me at all. It shouldn’t matter to anybody. If you liked the tunes, then what does it matter?
AFL: You will play an US tour in in March and April. You’re looking forward? Is there any show you looking forward most?
R: I’m looking forward to the whole tour because of all the great support bands coming along and playing shows with us, but I’m especially looking forward to the shows with Destruction Unit and Concealed Blade on them. They’d likely be considered too “different” by most Power Trip fans, but I loved mixed bills and I think they’re two of the most punk, aggressive acts out right now. I hope people are ready to hear some amazing openers every night.
AFL: What further plans do you have for 2017? Do you have plans to come on Euro tour again this year?
R: I cannot release the details yet but we will be coming to Europe twice this year with two VERY big metal tours that I so fucking excited about. We’ll be back opening a package with some bands we’ve toured the US with (big hint), and then later in possibly August, in direct support for one of the US’s biggest death metal bands… People are going to lose their shit when this gets announced.
AFL: If you could choose a band you can play a tour together. Which band would you choose and where would you play the tour?
R: I can choose any band with a tour going anywhere? Easy. Metallica would take us as direct support on a world tour. If it were limited to one continent, I would lean towards Europe, but I haven’t been to South America yet so I choose there. Truthfully, it would be Motorhead if that were still possible. RIP Lemmy.
AFL: What are your favorite bands and records at the moment? Have you any insight tips from your home?
R: For contemporary bands the last great thing I heard was the Concealed Blade LP. Ulsh, our drummer’s other band IMPALERS have anew LP that is amazing as usual. The new FORESEEN songs are great. Anything on Beach Impediment Records fucking rips. Obstruction, Razorbumps, Skeleton, Nosferatu, and Nihilistic Fit are all new bands from Texas that have great demos out.
AFL: Riley danke für das Interview. Hast du noch irgendwelche Abschlussworte die du loswerden möchtest?
R: Thank you for the interview! Fuck Donald Trump!
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Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
Band: Power Trip
Title: Nightmare Logic
Label: Southern Lord Records
Format: Album
Release: 24. Februar 2017
Tracklist:
1. Soul Sacrifice
2. Executioner’s Tax (Swing of the Axe)
3. Firing Squad
4. Nightmare Logic
5. Waiting Around To Die
6. Ruination
7. If Not Us Then Who
8. Crucifixation
