Review by Ritchie Birnie for MPM
100 Watt Vipers are back Bigger, better and catchier than ever before.
The band wound up in 2018 after the excellent Holy Water album but are now back as a three piece with that heavy blues sound we loved with a huge chunk of early AC/DC thrown into the mix.
The EP kicks off with “Liven Free” and you will instantly see what I mean regarding the AC/DC comment. Singer Robert Zawisza could have been born in Kirriemuir and travelled to Australia if you know what I mean. That familiar riffage is there, the throaty growl and some perfectly timed drumming. The song is a slow bluesy Southern son of a gun. It kicks into a catchy little ditty that is hard not to love.
“Hell Hounds” drops its sound to the height of a rattlesnakes belly. It is lose, and can only be summed up as stoner blues. The DC flicks are there in abundance and just like the whole EP it is a toe tapper off the highest calibre. The dusty, dirty feel continues on “The Eagle Flies Free” and Paul Jones on guitar and bass has his hallmarks all over this one again. He has an understated brilliance where less is more and he knows how to round out a tune.
The intro to “Kings and Queens” continues with the base of the 100 Watt Vipers sound and Zawisza owns the song with power and grace as he accentuates those riffs. “Holy Road” has a bigger sound, more rounded, fuller as if the story being told needs beefed up. As the vocals come at you like a fire and brimstone preacher you have no option to listen if you do not want to go straight to hell.
The title track holds onto the laid back journey as it weaves its way through the song. It picks up pace that 100 Watt Vipers way with Zawisza doing his best Marc Storace before the whole EP is closed off on “Sword Hits the Stone”. This is more of the same, what were you expecting?
100 Watt Vipers were too good to call it quits and I am delighted they are back and Wired For Power is a solid and sleazy chunk of Blues that dabbles in the Southern swamps and bites like an alligator.
https://open.spotify.com/album/08k9mMeCkY1uRklaL4z77h…
WIRED FOR POWER ALBUM LINK ON BANDCAMP. https://100wattvipers.bandcamp.com/al…
