Back in the day, when I had no clue about the capacity of 80s Italian hardcore, the day I met Raw Power, that ignorance slowly gave way to a deep journey into the Italian punk scene. Whenever someone asks “What is old school hardcore punk?”, Raw Power definitely deserves to be the instant, solid answer. Named after Iggy and the Stooges’ masterpiece album of the same name, the band’s wild, aggressive, and fast-paced style even influenced American Punk/Thrash bands of the 80s. The legendary era of Raw Power starting from their first LP in ’84 — especially this album — clearly shows the band’s influences from Black Flag, Motörhead, AC/DC, and Ramones through Mauro, the late Giuseppe, and their crew’s musical journey.
Although some lyrics carry a mysterious vibe, the band’s fight against the system and anti-police stance dominate the themes. Their lyrics sharply criticize police state operations, the traps set by a social life that turns people into robots, and capitalist bosses.
Giuseppe, even at that time, proved his guitar skills and was a key figure in shaping the band’s aggressive hardcore-thrash metal structure and rock ’n’ roll foundation. Every track bursts with energetic and catchy punk rock harmonies. Rapid thrashy hardcore guitar riffs and sharp, four-cornered rock ’n’ roll solos envelop the songs, showing the band’s striking side. Adding MP’s raw vocals that perfectly fit the hardcore reality, along with typical punk rock drumming, they raise a ruckus with 1-2-5-minute tracks.
The album kicks off with a drum solo leading into “State Oppression,” which impresses with its energetic rhythm, memorable fast hardcore riffs, and brutal choir vocals. Following it is “Joe’s The Best,” another brutal hardcore symphony with blues-influenced solos. Then there’s the quick-to-explode “A Certain Kind Of Killer,” the even dirtier vocal assault of “No Card,” and the AC/DC/Motörhead style solos with screaming vocals peaking on “Raw Power.” Simply put, every track on this album makes it impossible to stay still.
Raw Power’s masterpiece remains their thrashiest work within their own class — a top-tier album not just for me but for hardcore fans from past to present.