Truth to Power—Claim Your Freedom EP (2022)

Details

Music and lyrics by Chris Chalmers. Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by The Maelstrom Studio. Released on Monday 26 December 2022.

For fans of Lamb of God, Everytime I Die, Pantera, Kreator

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Band

Chris Chalmers—Vocals and bass
Gabe Sweeney—Guitar
Jonathan Lovall—Guitar
Butch CunninghamDrums

Tracks

Mediassimulation
Kill til done
Trigger
Incorruptible
Omega

Review

Claim Your Freedom (2022) is the debut album from Gainesville, GA’s thrash/hardcore band Truth to Power.

Truth to Power was formed in the mid 2010s by vocalist and bassist Chris Chalmers. At that time Chris was a one man show using fill-ins to cover all the instruments in the band.

In 2021, Chris partnered with Kellan Scalf and Codye Satterwhite at The Maelstrom Studio to produce and record this EP, Claim Your Freedom (2021) which was released in December 2022.

After hearing the singles and laying down lead guitar on one of the tracks, Butch Cunningham became interested in joining Truth to Power full time. Chris obliged and at that point, Butch took over drums while Gabe Sweeney and Jonathan Lovall picked up guitar-playing duties. Since then the band has written several new songs and are preparing for a full length album and tour in 2023.

Stylistically, Truth to Power walk a fine balance between old-school thrash and hardcore. The EP is packed to the gunwales with power, attitude and hunger.

“Mediassimilation” (track 1) is built around a foot-to-the-floor old-school thrash riff – think early Kreator, resplendent with squealing, break-neck-speed solos that while quite simple and straight forward, in-your-face and get the job done.

“Kill til done” (track 2) switches away from pure thrash to a thrashified hardcore style. As does “Trigger” (track 3) and the Biohazard-like “Incorruptible” (track 4) which has a satisfying ‘bounce’ to it.

“Omega” (track 5) combines the two styles in beautiful harmony—a modern thrash take on hardcore, a hardcore flavour to modern thrash. My favourite track on this release, the song rumbles around at a steady pace recycling the same riff (with some pleasing variations around a minute in) while Chalmers’ barks out his punchy vocals.

Conclusion

This is one of those releases that took me three or four listens to to really begin to appreciate. Initially, I dismissed it as just another modern thrash album. But on closer listening, I began to appreciate the hardcore influences, that don’t quite extend into the realms of metalcore, and the subtle melodies. There is power, drive and an urgency to this EP. It will be good to see where the band goes next.

Review score: 70%

Video

Disclosure

MDPR contacted me inviting me to preview Truth to Power’s latest EP, thank you. I have no connections to either MDPR or Truth to Power. I’m not being paid to review this, but I did get a free digital copy of the album to review which is pretty cool. Many thanks to Zach from MDPR, and to Truth to Power for continuing to create fresh, exciting heavy music.