MOUNTAIN OF POWER is a record of 70's rock cover songs performed by a cadre of Swedish rock musicians. Ardent rock buffs will no doubt be excited to see/hear deep cuts from bands like BUDGIE, MOUNTAIN, MONTROSE, POINT BLANK, MARCUS, MOXY, DERRINGER, CAPTAIN BEYOND, WIRELESS, STRAY DOG, GODDO, NEON ROSE, and SAMSON commended here, but if you're a purist, the results might leave something to be desired.

The somewhat sterile digital production and super-slick musical performances (mostly due to the gratuitous double bass drumming of stickmen Peter Svensson and Anders Johansson) keep these 70's rock classics from sounding authentic. These tracks just don't live and breathe like the originals do. The lone original track, the self-titled instrumental "Mountain of Power," is probably the track that listeners will be able to groove along to the easiest. Here, the musicians can stand on their own, plying their impressive jamming abilities without the baggage of having to live up to any expectations or pre-conceived notions of what the song should sound like.

Still, it's easy to tell that everyone involved in the making of this record had a blast creating it. Any band looking to cover lesser known songs from largely unsung rock heroes is clearly not in it for anything but the music itself. Their hearts are certainly in the right place, and that is what makes MOUNTAIN OF POWER worthwhile.

- Broadbent

OFFICIAL SITE: www.mountainofpower.com

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