Powerflo
American rap metal band formed in Los Angeles in 2016.
Powerflo is a rap metal outfit that came together in Los Angeles in 2016. The current members are Senen Reyes (lead vocals, from Cypress Hill), Rogelio "Roy" Lozano (lead guitar and backing vocals, from Downset.), Billy Graziadei (rhythm guitar and co-lead vocals, from Biohazard), Christian Olde Wolbers (bass and backing vocals, from Fear Factory), and Fred Aching (drums, from Rio). Aching took over from the original drummer, Fernando Schaefer of Korzus, in 2018.
The group’s roots stretch back to the 1990s, when the musicians frequently worked together—for instance, Reyes and Graziadei appeared on Biohazard’s *State of the World Address* album and its hit “How It Is,” while Wolbers and Lozano contributed to Cypress Hill’s *Skull & Bones* and *Stoned Raiders*. In 2015, Lozano played some demos for Reyes during a ride to the airport, which laid the groundwork for Powerflo. The band’s name came from a remark Lozano made about Reyes’s vocal tracking, describing the sound as a mix of Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Cypress Hill.
Powerflo first revealed themselves on March 1, 2017, while recording their self-titled debut album. On May 2, 2017, they dropped the first single “Resistance” through Metal Injection. Reyes stated the project was long-term, with future albums planned after the debut—produced by Graziadei and Josh Lynch—and announced a June 23 release date. On June 2, 2017, a music video for “Victims of Circumstance” (directed by Graziadei) came out, inspired by the TV series *The First 48*, and the band announced their first show at The Viper Room in Los Angeles on June 15. On May 31, “Resistance” was picked as the official theme for WWE NXT programming.
In July 2017, Powerflo released a video for “Where I Stay” (directed by Jeremy Danger and Travis Shinn), which racked up over a million views within weeks. That summer and fall, they toured with San Diego’s P.O.D. and L.A.’s Brujeria. A video for “Less than Human” (also directed by Graziadei) arrived in December 2017, and the band hit the road with Prong in spring 2018.
- formed
- 2016
- origin
- Los Angeles, United States
- genre
- Rap metal
- current_members
- Senen Reyes, Roy Lozano, Billy Graziadei, Christian Olde Wolbers, Fred Aching
- notable_album
- Powerflo (2017)
Lore & Background
The band's history can be traced back to the 1990s, where the band members would often collaborate – such as Senen "Sen Dog" Reyes and Billy Graziadei performing on Biohazard's State of the World Address album with the hit single "How It Is", or Christian Olde Wolbers and Roy Lozano appearing on the Cypress Hill albums Skull & Bones and Stoned Raiders. In 2015, Lozano played some demos to Senen Reyes on a ride to the airport, setting the foundations for Powerflo. The name of the band comes from a comment Lozano made about Reyes's vocal tracking for the upcoming album. Describing their sound as a "cross between Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Cypress Hill", they first unveiled the band on March 1, 2017 while recording their self-titled debut album.
Reader's Guide
Powerflo represents a convergence of veteran musicians from prominent metal and rap-metal acts, including Cypress Hill, Biohazard, Downset., Fear Factory, and Korzus. Their debut album, Powerflo (2017), was produced by Billy Graziadei and Josh Lynch, and its first single "Resistance" was released on May 2, 2017 via Metal Injection. The song was later chosen as the official theme song for WWE NXT's programming on May 31, 2017. The band's music video for "Where I Stay" reached over 1 million views within weeks of release. Powerflo toured with P.O.D. and Brujeria in summer and fall 2017, and with Prong in spring 2018. Their second album, Gorilla Warfare, was released in 2024. The band's significance lies in its cross-generational collaboration and its ability to blend rap and metal influences, maintaining relevance through touring and media placements.
Did You Know?
- The band's name came from a comment Roy Lozano made about Senen Reyes's vocal tracking.
- Their first single 'Resistance' was chosen as the official theme song for WWE NXT's programming on May 31, 2017.
- The music video for 'Where I Stay' reached over 1 million views within weeks of release.
- Original drummer Fernando Schaefer was replaced by Fred Aching in 2018.
More in American heavy metal supergroups 1-24
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