Power Up
| AC/DC
Power Up
Power Up (sometimes shortened to PWR/UP and stylised as PWRϟUP) is the seventeenth studio album by Australian rock band AC/DC, released on 13 November 2020 through Columbia Recordsand Sony Music Australia. It is their sixteenth internationally released studio album and the seventeenth to be released in Australia. Power Up marks the return of vocalist Brian Johnson, drummer Phil Rudd and bassist Cliff Williams, all of whom left AC/DC before, during, or after the supporting tour for their previous album Rock or Bust (2014). This is also the band's first album since the death of co-founder and rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young in 2017 and it serves as a tribute to him, according to his brother Angus.The album was generally well received by music critics and reached number one in 21 countries. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
Show All-
Louder
Power Up basks in the electric glow of the early Brian Johnson era.
-
Variety
The Aussie rock band’s first new album in six years proves that old dogs doing old tricks isn’t a bad thing.
-
Rock Show Critique
This album is a must have for any AC/DC fan and when all is said and done will rank among the bands finest work.
-
Kerrang!
This is wicked. It’s banter. It’s everything you want from music that categorically doesn’t ‘do’ sad. It’s just AC/DC being fucking brilliant. As they sang themselves on Rock And Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution, ‘Rock’n’roll ain’t gonna die.’ In the darkest of times, that’s important to know, and even better to hear. Here’s to you, Malc. Let the good times roll.
-
Rock Music Raider
Truly, this is AC/DC in top form. And may they rock on for many years to come still.
-
Audio Ink Radio
From start to finish, it’s apparent just how much AC/DC stuck to their traditional, straight-ahead rock roots on “Power Up,” which is a good thing. After all, your roots are always your roots. “Power Up” lives up to the hype, delivering the album AC/DC fans have been hoping to hear since 2014’s “Rock or Bust.” It’s a perfect tribute to late, great AC/DC member Malcolm Young.
-
The Independent
An unruly and un-woke 17th album rocks as hard as ever.
-
Sputnik Music
AC/DC will release new music as long as they like, not only because they can, but because after all the years, the success, and sales, they are still blue-collar.
-
The Guardian
The band’s first album in six years is a riotous hymn to unreconstructed rock, not to mention something of a medical miracle.
-
Consequence of Sound
A jolt of joy in an otherwise oppressive year.
-
Blabbermouth
"Power Up" is a fantastic album that Malcom would be proud of, and it's tasty enough to leave fans salivating for more.
-
The Quad
this album fits very well in the band’s discography and compares to the likes of their most classic releases. Even some of the weaker tracks such as “Wild Reputation” and “No Man’s Land” are enjoyable and deserve airtime and recognition. In my opinion, “Power Up” is a welcoming return to form and the band’s finest release since “The Razor’s Edge.” Welcome back, AC/DC!
-
Vinyl Chapters
AC/DC return in the finest of form with their pulsating and raucous new record, Power Up.
-
Cryptic Rock
Overall, AC/DC is a band who could do no wrong. Though long time fans may not find everything they love about Back in Black or Highway to Hell on Power Up, it is not meant to be those albums. This is a tribute to their fallen brother, the late great Malcolm Young. And in essence, Power Up is a testament to the fact that death, retirement, legal issues, and loss of hearing cannot stop the “Rock ‘n’ Roll Train” that is AC/DC, and nothing ever will.
-
Sleaze Roxx
They are playing safe and predictable hard rock without trying anything close to new and innovative these days… And it seems to work for them. I like Power Up, because it is a little bit better than more of the same. Just a little though.
-
Spinditty
If this does turn out to be AC/DC's swan song, they can leave with their heads held high, knowing that they've done brother Malcolm proud. I hope that somewhere, Malcolm and Bon Scott are sharing a few pints while looking down on their bandmates and saying, "Nice work, lads."
-
Metal Master Kingdom
There isn't a song on the album that doesn't have that signature AC/DC groove.
-
Distorted Sound Magazine
Put simply, we don’t need another AC/DC album. We’d all like one, of course, but if Power Up turns out to be their final effort, what a way to go out. For a band in such turmoil just a year or so ago, they’ve pulled the rabbit out of the hat again and delivered arguably their best album for thirty goddamn years. It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll, and AC/DC are still firmly on that mountain summit as they have been for five whole decades.
-
Ghost Cult Magazine
A mix of old and modern, familiar but different, Power Up is an AC/DC album unlike many others and a more than fitting tribute to the late, great Malcolm Young. Maybe you can teach an old dingo new tricks.
-
Spotlight Report
'Power Up' is a reminder that AC/DC are unbeatable!
-
Drew's Reviews
Power Up probably comes to many as a small symbol of relief during quite arguably the most strangest, a somewhat fearful and certainly an unimaginable year anyone has experienced. Loud abrasive guitars, heavy yet breezy power chords and the enduring classic sound in a band nearly 50 years old not only says “We’re back” but offers a bit of normalcy for those in a desperate search for some.
-
Commedia
Not only was the album astounding because it gave the fans of AC/DC a blast from the past, but it also provided the original sounds for newer generations of rockers to listen to and thus, get a taste of the sounds of the older generation.
-
Kerrang!
It's everything you want from music that categorically doesn't 'do' sad. It's just AC/DC being fucking brilliant. As they sang themselves on Rock And Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution, ‘Rock’n’roll ain’t gonna die.’ In the darkest of times, that’s important to know, and even better to hear. Here's to you, Malc. Let the good times roll.
-
The Mighty Decibel
The bottom line here is that if you're a classic rock or casual AC/DC fan, this may stroke your interest for a short period, but it will soon be forgotten like Stiff Upper Lip, Black Ice and Rock Or Bust was. And if you're an old school fan who yearns for the manic electricity of old, don't bother.
-
Deadpress
‘Power Up’ achieves exactly what it sets out to do, delivering AC/DC‘s signature brand of good times rock ‘n’ roll that will certainly… lift spirits in these strange times, etc etc. Pardon the work email cliché, but it’s true.
-
The Irish Times
Embedded within are the plain, simple yet wholly effective three chords that have been a constituent part of AC/DC for decades. The likes of Rejection, Shot in the Dark, Kick You When You’re Down, No Man’s Land and Money Shot (and the rest) are as basic as they come but the primordial necessity of archetypal guitar riffs and their supplementary guitar solos reign supreme.
-
Maximum Volume Music
Ultimately this is not in the Premier League of AC/DC records, but good grief, the bar is high. What it is, is a very good hard rock record. It may be possible not to like the band, but remember, as the line in “High Fidelity” by Nick Hornby goes: “you can be wrong on a matter of opinion, when your opinion is bollocks.” So forget analysis and just “Power Up”.
-
AP News
It’s been 40 years since AC/DC released arguably the best heavy metal album of all time with “Back In Black,” but these guys still sound as good as they did back then.
-
Vintage Rock
It’s AC/DC! I think I could even stand another year in quarantine knowing I have Power Up to spin over and over.
-
The Wee Review
Best thing to do is to crank Power Up up to 11, throw your horns in the air and rock out. For which the band will salute you.
-
Express
The band's classic line-up have reunited for a Malcolm Young tribute record that will leave fans thunderstruck.
-
The Times
a change of style? Hell no, let’s rock!
-
Chris High Reviews
AC/DC are back and not just from a short break. Power Up is by far their best collective outing since Razors Edge and this knocks that into a totally cocked hat. A joy from start to finish, Power Up and play it loud for all its worth!
-
Evening Standard
Roaring back from the brink of extinction.
-
Go Venue Magazine
Power Up is indeed a fitting tribute to the band’s founder and driver, Malcolm. And we should all be so thankful that AC/DC has come to save the shit year known as 2020.
-
Hotpress
It’s still monumentally impressive, it’s still The ‘DC. Long may we salute them.
-
The Circle Pit
It’s good but it’s not really pushing any boundaries. It’s merely enjoyable for what it is. However, I can see this being an outright nostalgia trip for a number of you and maybe even an album to love so give it a listen through any of the assorted streams on this page or the music platform of your choice… Let the current run through you!
-
No Ripcord
Even at their blandest, and truthfully their dumbest, AC/DC make a compelling case why they're so good at this rock n' roll business. As it turns out, the secret is to stick to the formula until their dying day.
-
Stereoboard
AC/DC’s authentic stamp is all over a record that, although solid with some inspired moments rather than a flat out classic, is an enduring testament to the primal power and escapist necessity of fat-free rock ‘n’ roll in all its worry-crushing glory.
-
Irish Examiner
AC/DC return with Power Up, a comeback record that stands tall.
-
musicOMH
AC/DC do their thing, and it works. Sure, there may be a huge Elastoplast stuck over the band rather than just glue holding the bones in place, and you will hear many an echo of past tracks throughout, but as the superb Witch’s Spell proves, this show ain’t over ‘til it’s over.
-
Platform Magazine
Basically, if you’re an AC/DC fan you will be overjoyed with the fact that the new album has the essence (and everything else) of what makes their sound and soon enough you shall be able to experience it live. It may not shock you to know that they’ve never really hit the spot musically for me but then that may be just because a long-time friend loves them so much he air-drums along to them and that’s just the sort of thing to put me off.
-
The Telegraph
a rip-roaring comeback from the aging warrior of rock.
-
Sea of Tranquility
Fun, memorable, and 100% AC/DC, Power Up is the perfect antidote for a year filled with too much talk of pandemics, politics, and other assorted topics that are only bringing us down. Rock on people!!!
-
Mikel Adano
AC/DC sound like AC/DC the most when Phil Rudd is in the band. With Phil, Brian Johnson and Cliff Williams all back for one more round, authenticity is not an issue. This is an album that deserves multiple listens. You’ll have your own favourites too.
-
Rush on Rock
Power Up is the perfect soundtrack to self-isolation. It’s like a sonic kick in the balls to bumbling Boris and co. And the best thing we’ve heard since a Joe Biden victory speech. It’s time to lockdown and rock out. Power Up and power on. This is AC/DC at their raucous and relevant best. And it’s the sound of one of rock and roll’s true treasures cranking it up and keeping it real.
-
Palatinate
I believe the band has achieved what they set out to do. They’ve succeeded in adding to their already wildly popular discography, provided their listeners with fresh but undeniably characteristic material, and paid tribute to the late Malcolm Young.
-
Rolling Stone
The hard-rock heroes remain unapologetically themselves on their best album in 30 years.
-
NME
After 50 years in the game, the band don't reinvent the wheel – when they basically created it, why would they? – but their timely comeback is a hell of a ride.
-
Louder
Interestingly, the pace of the album is a little slower than AC/DC usually are, the grooves are a bit more downtempo, though there are a couple of faster songs. But the thing I love is that sonically it's one of the best things they've put out in a long while. The guitar tones are maybe a little more backed off, but the way that works with the drums and the bass means it’s so easy to listen to it at super-high volume, which is the only way to listen to an AC/DC record.
-
All Music
They don't dwell upon the past, they barrel forward with a set of turbocharged blues and high-octane rock that doesn't merely sound good, it feels nourishing.
-
The Red Ledger
Overall, AC/DC’s new album “Power Up” is unique to most other albums by the rock band for its new-era style, but is not a whole lot different than their earlier music. AC/DC’s music on “Power Up” is good, but it is not the kind of music that you can only listen to for hours. To put it simply, “Power Up” is repetitive, but if you play this music every once in a while, it is a treat that releases all of your endorphins.
-
Metal Nation
Power Up sounds the way a comfortable pair of worn in jeans feels. You just want to put it on, turn off your brain and have a good time. Every track is steeped in AC/DC’s readily identifiable sonic DNA. It’s a sound that’s imminently enjoyable and hard to find fault in, even if they aren’t really giving you anything new.
-
mxdwn Music
It is absolutely astonishing that AC/DC’s new album sounds like the past 16 albums. In all seriousness, the band deserves an accolade for remaining true to their musical identity. Not many rock bands, or any other groups from another musical genre, can maintain or would be allowed to keep their musical sound and identity and still remain relevant to the mainstream.
-
Herald Standard
After 45 years of pounding out memorable anthems filled with an overabundance of bravado and attitude, AC/DC once again supplies enough high voltage to shock things back to normal.
-
Bourbon and Vinyl
I don’t think I’m going out on a limb to say this may be the B&V album of the year… it certainly will be on our “best of 2020” list. Turn this one up loud and for once this year, celebrate the joy, the power and the majesty of rock and roll.
-
Get Ready to Rock
Brilliantly, expertly, joyously predictable, Power Up is exactly what we needed in 2020.
-
Northern Lights
Power Up doesn’t have all it takes to switch on an audience, but it’s a formidable effort in the face of tragedy, and one that I do respect. Their writing hasn’t improved or negated since the glory days of Back in Black, and that’s either a sign of stagnation or consistency, AC/DC’s latest album shows sparks of both.
-
XS Noize
Brian Johnson’s voice is still as potent as ever and from start to finish Power Up is a treat of endless, energy, spirit and attitude which pays homage to their globally loved formula of stadium-ready choruses and loud guitars as well as the productive partnership between brothers Angus and Malcolm.
-
The Spill Magazine
Without reinventing the wheel, AC/DC return with an undeniable classic rock record that is sure to take the charts and fans by storm. The singles are massive, the deep cuts are strong – sometimes even a touch unique – and, with a united band, Power Up may very well be their best release in the last two decades. More importantly; however, Power Up is a powerful and fitting tribute to Malcolm Young, one that, ultimately, lives up to the revered and legendary legacy of AC/DC.
-
The Rockpit
“Power Up” is obviously not going to bust down any huge doors in the rock world, we’ve seen this band do this time and time again but this is definitely some of the strongest work that AC/DC have written in quite some time, going back to the Ballbreaker days as far as sheer delivery and performance.
-
Loud Magazine
Power Up is rock solid all the way through. It’s AC/DC at their best, one last time… maybe.
-
Liverpool Sound and Vision
an AC/DC album no one was expecting, but one that is gratefully received.
-
Our Culture Magazine
It’s fine enough that this is as introspective as the album gets, but for a band so capable of repurposing the same formula without sacrificing any of its impact, it’s disappointing that tracks like ‘No Man’s Land’ and ‘Systems Down’ sound a bit too familiar to the point of almost being redundant. But this is the veteran rockers’ 17th studio album, and the fact that it’s at least as enjoyable as the best in their catalogue is admirable on its own; credit for the album’s punchy, anthemic sound must also be given to producer Brendan O’Brien, who also worked on the band’s previous two LPs.
Rate This Album and Leave Your Comments