In the “Deep Cuts” column of Rock and Metal Mythology, we will write about deep cuts of famous rock, hard rock and heavy metal bands. What is a deep cut? Well, they are songs of legendary bands, that weren’t released as singles, aren’t hits, not many people know them, but they are great and for some listeners they are their favorite. Every big band has some deep cuts, so here we will explore these deep cuts, giving these songs the attention and praise they need and deserve. So, let’s begin alphabetically with AC/DC and … “Rising Power”!
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
“Rising Power” was the opening song of “Flick of the Switch”, the ninth studio album by AC/DC, recorded in April – May 1983, produced by the band and released in August 1983. This album didn’t manage to repeat the sales of the two previous albums, the milestones “Back in Black” and “For Those About to Rock”. It was a commercial disappointment, the beginning of the band’s commercial decline. Also, the album’s birth was a troubled one; after having problems with Malcolm Young as well as drugs and alcohol, drummer Phil Rudd was fired midway through the album’s recording sessions, although he had completed his drum parts. What is more, engineer Tony Platt commented: “It wasn’t a happiest of albums. There were all sorts of tensions within the band. They were all pretty knackered by that point. It was the album that copped the backlash, really”. “Flick of the Switch” got mixed reviews by the media and the fans, to the point that the numbers of fans at the concerts were dwindling! Even Malcolm Young later said of the album, “It was thrown together real quick. I wouldn’t say it’s a great album…” …
In my opinion, “Flick of the Switch” is a deeply underrated album, and its opener is a great AC/DC song! Yes, “Rising Power” sits in the shadow of the gigantic compositions of “Back in Black” and “For Those About to Rock”, but if you strip away expectations and just listen to it loud—as it was meant to be heard—it reveals a band trying to rediscover its teeth. “Rising Power” is buried in that gritty, no-frills comeback attempt.
Written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson, like all the other songs of the album, “Rising Power” isn’t a single. It wasn’t pushed. It didn’t become a live staple. Yet, it absolutely nails what AC/DC were going for in 1983—raw, dirty, unpolished and unapologetic rock ’n’ roll without any studio gloss.
Right from the start, the track hits you with that dry, almost suffocating guitar tone. Without any echoes, reverb, noise eliminators and noise extractors, there is only Angus Young and Malcolm Young locking into a hot riff. It’s one of Angus’s instantly iconic hooks, it grooves hard. Then Brian Johnson comes in, and this is where the song really earns its stripes. His vocals are pure attitude—gritty, slightly unhinged, leaning heavily into the band’s trademark double entendre. Lyrically, it’s classic AC/DC territory: sex, dominance, energy, all wrapped in that tongue-in-cheek bravado they perfected years earlier. The rhythm section deserves some serious respect here too. Even with all the chaos surrounding Phil Rudd during the recording sessions, his drumming on the album and this song is rock solid, that signature AC/DC. It’s easy to overlook, but without that steady backbone, “Rising Power” could easily fall apart. Don’t forget the incredible guitar solo by Angus, which is rough, unpolished and has a swagger. Finally, we have to stand to the excellent refrain, which sticks firmly in your mind.
So, finally, what do we have here? A fantastic song, a big rocker, heavy, tough, and impactful. “Rising Power”, with its slow burning riff and hooky as hell refrain, belongs to the long list with the great AC/DC songs! Yes, “Flick of the Switch” was treated like a misstep, but it is a crime to ignore hard-hitting songs like “Rising Power”! When you listen to “Rising Power” now, it doesn’t sound like a band running out of ideas, it sounds like a band refusing to play the game, like a band who wants to react. Sure, it isn’t reinventing the wheel, but AC/DC were never about reinvention. They were about feel, attitude and punch. And this track has all these three things!
Looking back now, decades later, “Flick of the Switch” has aged better than people expected – “Rising Power” is a big reason why. It captures a moment when AC/DC were at a crossroads—tired, frustrated, but still dangerous, still capable of delivering a riff and a groove that refuse to let go. It’s not an AC/DC anthem, but a state of intent. Personally, I love it! So, come on, crank it loud enough and you will agree with me – this was AC/DC swinging hard!
photo by George Bodnar
