Personnel: Evan Rodaniche (guitar).

Audio Mixer: Evan Rodaniche.

Photographer: Cheryl Faligowski.

Powerman 5000 got a bit "punk-y" on their 2006 release, Destroy What You Enjoy. But by the time of their follow-up, 2009's Somewhere on the Other Side of Nowhere, Spider and company are back to their earlier direction -- schizoid electroid metal -- that is knee-deep in horror/sci-fi/B-movie imagery. Sure, the whole shebang may recall the direction that Spider's older brother originally trailblazed, but there's no denying the shlocky good time that Powerman 5000 cooks up throughout, especially on such standouts as the part-metal/part-dance "Do Your Thing" (which could be played on the dancefloor and in a mosh pit -- how may songs can you say that about?), as well as the so-stupid-that-it's-instantly-memorable "V is for Vampire," and several tunes that bring to mind vintage Gary Numan at certain points sonically ("Time Bomb Baby," "Get Your Bones," etc.). Somewhere on the Other Side of Nowhere may not be selected as the most trailblazing metal album of all time, but there's no denying the party-hearty vibe that it creates -- amidst all the masks, space aliens, circuitry, and plasma. ~ Greg Prato