80s Hardcore

Seeking a Higher Power?

Published

May 17, 2017

Natalie Wood

Can you feel it? There’s a seismic rumbling beneath the Atlantic… Higher Power from Leeds in the UK. Set to drop their debut LP Soul Structure on May 19th via Flatspot Records, this mosh crew’s fresh take on HxC is sure to please fans of all walks. Though I never dare say “clean,” the impassioned and intelligible vocals á la Life Of Agony are balanced perfectly with a shockingly vibrant take on 90’s inspired hardcore. Though decidedly present day, they’d have felt at home on Revelation in their heyday. Instead, they’ve come out hard, making a place in the already impressive cadre of UKHC bands making waves. Bucking trends and fucking boundaries, Higher Power are coming. Get ready, get rad..

Though they were busy decimating Europe, they were kind enough to take time to answer a few questions. What follows is an exercise in the raddest sort of brevity. Get on this band before they’re everywhere. On the eve of Outbreak Fest and world domination, I give you Higher Power…

Photo courtesy of Natalie Wood

Photo courtesy of Augie Styles

How’d Higher Power come together?

A couple of brothers wanted to rock, so decided nothing can stop them and joined forces with the powers that be: Louis, Max Power and Pete.

There seems to have been a cohesive vision and aesthetic to the band from the beginning both sonically and visually. Tell me a bit about how that came to be?

I guess Higher Power is an extension of our personalities and we never compromise that for shit. 5 guys, 1 beautiful brain.

I’m writing from Baltimore, Maryland. What bands should we know about the scene in Leeds/UKHC in general?

From Leeds obviously The Flex, Big Cheese, Hex, Blood Eagle, Wisdom Kingdom. Elsewhere, Frame Of Mind, Blind Authority, Broken Teeth, Unjust, Insist, Bitter Youth.

<a href="http://flatspotrecords.bandcamp.com/album/fsr31-soul-structure">FSR31 – Soul Structure by Higher Power</a>

For such a storied and overcrowded genre, Higher Power still seems fresh and different. The lyrics, vocals and music all seem a bit difficult to place. I even hear 90’s influences. Where’d those influences come from? What influences the art?

Life, baby. Everything we experience and come across we take influence from. Everything we enjoy all rolled into one.

I know your currently on tour with Terror and Born From Pain, which rules, but what’s next for Higher Power?

We hit our hometown of Leeds for Outbreak Fest, LP out May 19th and currently working on booking a few tours. One being in the US later this year, oh hell yeah.