Out of Hamburg, comes Gun Barrel, a band that has been compared to AC/DC but sounds more like Megadeth and Taproot. Their music slams together the raw energy of American hard rock with a touch of aggro-pop groove that makes their renditions almost hum-able.

Power-Dive is a disc that isn’t for the faint of heart, nor is it a disc for the complacent masses. It is a release of diversity with one single thread – gut-wrenching rock and power ballads tempered on the roots of classic metal. Starting things off is the title track, “Power-Dive”, setting the stage for what’s to come with speed guitar, a fiery tempo and kick ass vocals. Gun Barrel attempts to blaze a trail along similar sonic lines established by Sepultura, Pantera and Static X, but with a more malevolent energy. The music rocks heavy in most parts with a few moments of reflection allowed for the requisite power ballad (“For All Like You”).

Not sure if this is the kind of release primed for radio play (how much of true metal is?), but Gun Barrel tries its hand at it. “We Will Carry On”, and “Gate of God” are powerful numbers, riff-mad and melodic enough to actually win over a radio programmer or two.

If you’re familiar with this stylized brand of heavy rock, welcome to its new incarnation. If not, you’re in for a curious treat. While not the heaviest rock you’ll ever hear, vocally and rhythmically, Gun Barrel takes aim and comes pretty damn close to hitting a bulls eye.