Review: “Q2” EP by Mind Power

Most people can’t keep a secret. They can’t keep a new years Resolution and let’s face it, they may say all this and all that, but they probably can’t keep a promise. Fat dude promises his wife or his mother that he’s turning over a new leaf, still ends up eating a chocolate bar in a moment of weakness. We’ve all been there. Promised to cut down your caffeine and still chugging down 7 cups a day? Yeah. Well… Mind Power made the Metal community a promise. That promise was to deliver four new EPs of four tracks in 12 months. The first one, “Q1” is an absolute banger and features guest appearances from John Henry of Darkest Hour and Rob Fusco of One King Down and Most Precious Blood. Well, the band from Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania who feature former members of A Life Once Lost, Dead End Path, Ligeia and Bring The Heat in their ranks are back, bang on time with “Q2” releasing earlier today!

Out of the gate, opening tune “My Failure” sees Mind Power joined by Cody Clark of Gloves Off fame and in blistering form with former A Life Once Lost frontman Robert Meadows delivering some savagely good unclean vocals while being accompanied by some whirlwind kit work and grove Metal riffs a plenty. An interesting and eerie atmospheric bridge then leads into second cut “Crippling” which has a metronomically hypnotising intro riff before moving into some sludge laiden material. Pounding drum fills and huge unrelenting cymbal crashes create a a swirling darkness around those vocals before the almost ambient lead into “Mess”.

The haunting introduction of “Mess” makes way in part for a driven bassline, off kilter almost out of tune melodic guitars and a spoken word lyric about Mental Illness. It’s a deeply personal tale from Meadows which will resonate with anyone who has suffered from disorder. The juddering riffage shifts tempo and the whole thing is designed to make you feel uncomfortable in a good way. “Constant Gloom” has a of a Lamb of God feel to the vocal, something which Meadows is known for, but this is a far heavier battering ram of a tune that replaces the eerie off kilter atmospheric with a straight bludgeoning. Sheer class. Cannot wait for “Q3” and the option to get all 4x EPs on Vinyl at the end of the year! [7.5/10]

“Q2” by Mind Power is out now and available over at bandcamp.