Release Date: November 6, 2026.
You will receive the item from the release date.

Tracklist:

1. Needs Must When the Devil Drives (feat. Tim 'Ripper' Owens)
2. Saviour
3. Kernscmelze
4. Stand Up and Be Counted
5. Within
6. Mountain of Hope
7. Insanity
8. Hammer of Justice
9. Praise the Fire
10. Sheer Heart Attack
11. Orphans of the Storm

UK heavy metal force ABSOLUTE POWER return with their long-awaited second album, Needs Must When The Devil Drives, a powerful celebration of classic British heavy metal built on crushing riffs, soaring melodies and an unmistakable old-school spirit.

At the heart of ABSOLUTE POWER are vocalist and renowned producer Simon Efemey (Paradise Lost, The Wildhearts, Napalm Death, Amorphis) and Shane Embury, legendary bassist of Napalm Death, Brujeria and Lock Up. The album also features an impressive cast of musicians including John Cooke (Napalm Death), Carl Stokes (Cancer, The Groundhogs), Joe Taylor, Mark Gemini Thwaite (The Mission, Gary Numan, Tricky), Dominik Gryzbon and Ilsa Nielson, with a guest appearance from former Judas Priest / Iced Earth vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens on the title track.

Drawing inspiration from Judas Priest, Saxon, Black Sabbath, Dio and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Needs Must When The Devil Drives channels the sound and attitude of the genre's golden era without simply living in the past. Co-produced by Efemey and Embury, the record combines traditional heavy metal firepower with the energy and weight of a modern production.

From the rampaging title track, Saviour and Kernschmelze to the epic scale of Mountain Of Hope and the hypnotic, psychedelic atmosphere of Within, ABSOLUTE POWER move between fist-raising traditional metal, huge melodies and darker 70s-inspired textures. The album also includes a high-energy cover of Queen's Sheer Heart Attack.

Fifteen years after their self-titled debut, ABSOLUTE POWER deliver an unapologetic statement of classic British heavy metal for a new era: heavy, melodic, powerful and made to be played at maximum volume.

For fans of: Judas Priest, Saxon, Black Sabbath, Dio, NWOBHM.

Musicians:

Simon Efemey – Vocals (worked with Paradise Lost, The Wildhearts, Napalm Death, The Wonder Stuff, Amorphis)
Shane Embury – Bass (Napalm Death, Brujeria, Lock Up)
John Cooke – Guitar (Napalm Death)
Carl Stokes – Drums (Cancer, The Groundhogs)
Joe Taylor – Drums (no widely known major bands specified)
Mark Gemini Thwaite – Lead Guitar (The Mission, Gary Numan, Tricky)
Tim 'Ripper' Owens – Screams (Judas Priest, Iced Earth)
Dominik Gryzbon – Lead Guitar (no widely known major bands specified)
Ilsa Nielson – Lead Guitar (Brazilian solo artist)

Track-Specific Credits:

Tim 'Ripper' Owens is only on "Needs Must When the Devil Drives".
Mark Gemini Thwaite plays guitar on all tracks.
Dominik Gryzbon plays guitar only on "Needs Must When the Devil Drives".
Ilsa Nielson plays guitar only on "Hammer of Justice".
John Cooke plays guitar on all tracks.
Carl Stokes plays drums on all tracks except 'Saviour' and 'Sheer Hart Attack'.
Joe Taylor plays drums on 'Saviour' and 'Sheer Hart Attack'.

Credits:

Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Absolute Power and Piers Mortimer
Recorded at Headline Studios, Cambridgeshire
Mastered by JP Braddock at Formation Audio, April 2026
All songs by Absolute Power except Sheer Heart Attack written by Roger Taylor (Queen)
Cover artwork by Benjo Camay
Layout by Gary Ronaldson