Reviewed by Ian Webber

An initial listen to this album brings back nostalgic memories of '80s hair metal as you follow Michael Duncan's soaring vocals through a set of solid, standard metal riffs. Pownd's sound is dominated by guitar driven, bass heavy sections that bring to mind names such as Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath. You would be wrong to think though that their music is completely locked in a previous age, some tight groove orientated guitar work brings a contemporary edge to their sound. This, Pownd's first release for Nightmare Records, is in fact a re-release of a self-produced album the Kentucky band cut in 2003. It has now been remixed and includes eight tracks from the original offering. There is very little not to like about the album, the musicianship is excellent and the production above average. A small annoyance with the packaging of this album was the lack of information and lyrics in the sleevenotes. I would also add a word of caution. Amongst the lyrics I did pick up, there was a good deal of profanity. But although 'Circle Of Power' doesn't hit the target lyrically, it is certainly a musically promising release from a band to be watched.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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