Powerplant – Bridge of Sacrifice
Release Date: 13th March 2026
Label: Arcane Dynamics
Bandcamp
Genre: Gothic, Post-Punk, Black Metal, Dungeon Synth.
FFO: Gary Numan, Immortal, Nine Inch Nails, Joy Division.
Review By: Magnus Rotås
Powerplant has never been a project that sits still for long, but Bridge of Sacrifice might be its most entertaining transformation yet. The solo project of Ukraine-born, London-based Theo Zhykharyev has always thrived on reinvention, and this second full-length pushes that restless spirit further than ever. What emerges is a record that feels wild, chaotic and very gothic on the surface, yet remains playful and hook-driven at its core.
The drums play post-punk, the giddy bass plays gothic rock, the guitars play early Immortal era black metal, the sizzling synth lines play dungeon synth and the melancholic vocals do whatever they flippin’ want, everything from Bella Lugosi impersonations to growling, all at the same time. The result is a chaotic and eclectic listen, that is as unique as it is fun.
The album opens with the ravenous title track Bridge of Sacrifice which is an all out banger. You will immediately notice the incredibly goofy synth sounds. They sound a bit like they are using a Super Mario 64 soundfont. Pair that with some quick guitars and incredible vocal hooks, and you’ve got the perfect track to kick off the album and foreshadow some of the surprises that are yet to come on the album.
Personally I think this album is best when it’s at its most melodic. There are times where the songs get a bit too chaotic and lose me a bit, but thankfully the next catchy hook is only ever seconds away. Running Cross is a track that is the best example of this, juxtaposing sonic barrages of blast beats, melodic post-hardcore guitars against softer, emo vocals and ethereal strings.
Florida is certainly a strange beast. Zhykharyev growls from the perspective of a lonely vampire in a snowed-in castle, who is looking to move to swampy Florida. This vastly cartoonish scenario evokes imagery like something perceived on Adult Swim. My favorite part is the outro, where the track completely shifts gears into some sort of profound and emotional choir section.
The “horror” themes carry over to the next track Transactions which is set in a graveyard, with the verse sung by a Bella Lugosi impersonator. This track is Nine Inch Nails worship through and through, and it wouldn’t be out of place on Pretty Hate Machine. It’s both groovy and danceable, while exploring more textural grounds of industrial music. It gave me quite the chuckle when I realized the one industrial song on the album is lyrically calling for a reversal of the consequences of the Industrial Revolution.
The Fork strips everything back for a haunting acoustic-folk centerpiece where cello and guitar carry a hypnotic tale of possession. It’s intimate, eerie and unexpectedly cozy—like a campfire story told in a medieval crypt.
The back half of the album continues to expand the colorful palette. Hall of Wolves injects a sly guitar solo into an otherwise grim track, while Bad Moon Motel drifts into shoegaze territory with washed-out guitar leads. Arborglyph introduces layered vocals reminiscent of Gregorian chants as it meditates on the passage of time, before sliding into the crushing heaviness of Red Death. Ending off with Wingspan, another banger of a track with a melody that sounds like when you get a star power-up in Mario Kart.
From start to finish this album just puts a smile on your face. It takes a certain kind of madness to make an album like this. Whether this madness is a stroke of genius or if this is just a massive “shitpost” is hard to tell. One thing is for sure however – this is an extremely varied and fun listen all the way through, which is well worth experiencing for yourself.
(4 / 5)
