London based crossover band Headcount released single "Power Trip" on January 31st.
By Martin Elliott
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The band’s debut single starts as it means to go on – lean, mean, tight riffs with a touch of groove. Fans of hardcore and crossover will not be disappointed with what’s on offer here, as Headcount offer plenty of incentive for pit antics. Influences are openly on show as Hatebreed and (appropriately) Power Trip spring immediately to mind. The band are clearly motivated by passion rather than derivation though, and these lads have certainly done their homework in capturing the essence of what makes such bands so compelling.
The guitar work on this single is accomplished, with riffs guaranteed to power exuberant moshing and at times virtually willing circle pits into existence. A couple of well-executed solos add extra flavor to the mix. The drumming on offer throughout the track is nothing short of propulsive There’s a step beyond mere time-keeping at which
the drums provide the true driving force to a track and that’s absolutely the case in Power Trip. Two thirds into the track a couple of slower moments lead into solos and you can feel the drums straining at the leash, power being held at bay for the moment of release. An equally well performed balancing act takes the band through a slight breakdown before the final verse kicks in.
Along with the drums, the obvious strength on this single is in the vocals. As crossover is the bastard child of thrash and hardcore, so crossover vocalists can be found at any number of points across that spectrum. The vocals here are heavily into the hardcore side of things, with an intensity that is perfectly placed with the insistent aggression of the instruments. At key moments, though, a higher register is shifted into; something that actually shows more impact on repeat listens.
All in all, PowerTrip is an accomplished single that will certainly satisfy fans of crossover and hardcore and all but the most narrow minded thrash fans. In the track’s energy and aggression, you can practically feel the pit opening up. If Headcount’s aim here was to inspire a desire to see them perform live – mission accomplished.
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