Release Date 24.04.2026
Format CD/LP/Digital
Genre Heavy/Speed Metal
Country Canada
John Ricci is back in action. After tearing up stages with the original Exciter lineup between 2014 and 2018, the veteran guitarist put together a brand new squad. Powerrage brings together serious metal veterans. Joining him on bass is Todd Pilon from the old Witchkiller days, along with drummer Lucas Dery bringing the thunder. On vocals, we get Jacques Bélanger, the maniac who fronted three Exciter albums in the past. Now they deliver their debut album "Beast" via High Roller Records.
This album screams pure speed metal madness. Dan Swano mixed and mastered "Beast" at Unisound, giving the music a massive, roaring sound. Every instrument blasts through the speakers with total aggression. The guitars rip, the drums pound relentlessly, and the bass lines thunder underneath it all. Mario Lopez handled the artwork, perfectly capturing the savage music inside. This is thirty-four minutes of pure metallic destruction.
Ricci brings his signature insane riffing to the table. His playing on "Beast" sounds wild, fast, and totally unhinged. He unloads vicious solos and skull-crushing riffs on tracks like "Dark Wings" and "Haunted Hell". Over the top of this musical assault, Bélanger screams his lungs out. His high-pitched wails and aggressive vocal lines tear through the speakers. The combination of these two old thrashers guarantees a total metal assault.
Down in the rhythm section, Pilon and Dery keep everything moving at breakneck speed. They hammer out intense, fast-paced rhythms that drive the whole album forward. On songs like the punk-infused "I Torture I Kill", the drums attack with total fury. The bass rumbles viciously alongside the frantic drum beats. The energy never drops for a single second. The entire band plays as a relentless, speeding machine.
Powerrage delivers a killer debut. "Beast" supplies fast, aggressive, neck-wrecking metal for total headbanging. The musicianship rules, the production kills, and the songs just destroy everything in sight. Fans of raw, screaming speed metal will blast this out of their speakers all day long. Ricci and crew completely smashed it with this release. Prepare for whiplash.
Score: 8.0
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