Absolute Power | Time To Kill Records
Country:
UK
Style:
Heavy Metal
Line-up:
Simon Efemey: Vocals
Shane Embury: Bass, Additional Instruments
Guests musicians:
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)
Bio:
Absolute Power is the brainchild of vocalist and producer Simon Efemey and bassist/multi-instrumentalist Shane Embury, two British heavy metal lifers whose careers have left an indelible mark on the international heavy music scene.
Embury is best known as the longtime bassist of grindcore pioneers Napalm Death, while Efemey is one of the most influential British metal producers of his generation, having worked with artists including Paradise Lost, The Wildhearts and Napalm Death.
Born from a shared passion for the classic heavy metal they grew up with, Absolute Power emerged from conversations about bringing back the larger-than-life spirit, memorable riffs and epic character of the genre's golden age. Drawing inspiration from Judas Priest, Saxon, Black Sabbath, Dio and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, the band channels those foundations through a contemporary energy and attitude.
Their self-titled debut established Absolute Power as an unapologetic celebration of traditional heavy metal. Fifteen years later, the band returns with its monumental second album, “Needs Must When The Devil Drives”, the result of five years of writing and recording.
Co-produced by Efemey and Embury, the record expands upon the band's original vision. Songs such as the title track, “Saviour” and “Kernschmelze” deliver rampaging traditional metal, while the epic “Mountain Of Hope” pushes the band's grandiose side even further. “Within” explores a darker and more hypnotic atmosphere, recalling the psychedelic edge of 1970s heavy music, while a cover of Queen's “Sheer Heart Attack” injects raw punk energy into the album.
The record also features an impressive cast of guests and collaborators. Former Judas Priest/Iced Earth vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens delivers his unmistakable screams on the title track, while Mark Gemini Thwaite (The Mission, Tricky) adds lead guitar and a subtle gothic flavour. Napalm Death guitarist John Cooke and drummer Carl Stokes, known for his work with Cancer and The Groundhogs, also contribute to the record.
Despite this expanded cast, Efemey and Embury remain the creative core of Absolute Power. Both grew up in the West Midlands and attended shows at Birmingham's legendary Odeon during the early 1980s before their careers took them down very different paths. Their shared musical background, combined with a similarly dark sense of humour, eventually brought them together.
Absolute Power may not take themselves too seriously, but their approach to music is uncompromising. Every song has to earn its place through strong riffs, memorable melodies and hooks built to be sung along to.
With “Needs Must When The Devil Drives”, Absolute Power stand firmly against fleeting trends. This is not nostalgia for nostalgia's sake, but classic British heavy metal rebuilt for the present day: loud, melodic, powerful and proudly larger than life.
In a world seemingly heading towards meltdown, Absolute Power offer their own form of maximum-volume resistance, heavy metal designed to make listeners forget everything else, turn it up and sing along.
Discography:
Absolute Power - 2020
Needs Must When The Devil Drives - 2026 (Time To Kill Records)
Absolute Power online:
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