POWERBALL is a German Heavy Metal band formed in 2007. The band was active from 2007 until they split in 2011, reforming in 2019 and working on new music while playing shows opening for major touring acts. From The Outside is a six-song EP being released independently on November 27, 2020.

Right off the bat, POWERBALL start with a slow burner called "Cry Out". The guitars are straight out of the 80s, showing the influence of some of the great dual guitar bands from the beginnings of heavy metal. That riff could be ACCEPT, JUDAS PRIEST or SAXON, which is immensely satisfying for a fan of those bands. The chugging rhythm just highlights the fills overlaid throughout.

Changing it up some, "Hatred" starts fast and heavy and really never looks back. Here, you have the drums and bass pounding out a furious rhythm that the guitars just balance on like they were meant to be together. "No Mercy" then charges out with a bass intro before the rest kick in and pull off another fast-paced ripper.

Next comes the title track for this EP, "From The Outside". Starting a little more melodic, the song kicks in and has another cool rhythm. There are cleaner vocals in this song. The previous offerings had rougher edges to the vocals to fit the lyrical content. Not that this song is softer or happier. This is metal at its' finest. Anger and attitude are all over the place, as they should be.

"Don't Wait For Me" starts with some interesting guitar work. This song starts with offset pieces that come together for the first verse. I like the way this song shifts from almost power metal riffing to straight Heavy Metal, going back and forth with ease. The lead-in to the solos is not complex, but really fits well in the song and is a killer intro to the solo work. This a really composition song that offers a little bit more than the other songs on the record. There is more technical work on this one, and it works well.

"Powerball" goes right back to the straight heavy metal sound. It's a great way to wrap up this record. Crunchy and fast, it is a fitting end to a good record. Overall, this is good, straight forward Heavy Metal. It honors the 80s well and even throws in a little nod to one of the greatest creations of all time, German Power Metal. Having just reformed a little over a year ago, this is a really good start to their new run. Good song writing, good performance, nice technique.