Monster Truck – Warriors (Century Media Records) [Alex Swift]
When you require a terrific, old school rock revitalise, Monster Truck from Canada are one of those acts you go to. They are trustworthy and dependably impressionistic, having established their name on massive riffs, thumping grooves, and crafting songs with a fiercely violent fire. They crank up the amps on their latest album, Warriors, and go to work to give you a scorching 30 minutes of pure ferocity. For the first time since the collaboration song, Love Become Law, the band has once more linked up with Chris Robertson of Black Stone Cherry to give us a tremendously powerful with influences in multiple eras from rock n' roll history.
Monster Truck spare no expense in making you appreciate their smoky style of rock. Warriors is a record with a great deal of heart and enthusiasm, and the members give it their all. This album is filled to the brim with optimism, and it's difficult not to feel uplifted and joyful when hearing the band's catchy, huge riffs. More than that, the record serves as a statement of purpose of sorts. That, no matter our struggles, if you fight for what you deserve, and what you believe in, wonderful opportunities will come your way. The album's invigorating candour, which ranges from murky melancholy to full-on hard rock with hints of folk, surpasses the music itself. Warriors features the distinctive Monster Truck appeal, but the musicians yet again go beyond their comfort zone, for a unique experience.
The stadium-rock opener draws you in immediately with its synchronised guitars before exploding into sheer melodic rock fire. You are roused by a pounding beat and stirring words, which inspire you to take on all your difficulties. With a classic, winding riff, the group brings out their metal inspiration on Fuzz Mountain. Later, Golden Woman serves as the quintessential 'fun' moment in the track list, focused on getting people singing together, as it beguiles you with a cheeky smirk.
Live Free gets you revved up and reminds you to cherish what you have while also enjoying life. It is a calmer but incredibly passionate song. With slide guitar, Country Livin' evokes vast expanses and the open road. This song is among the most heartfelt and is made yet more affecting by the gospel backup singers. Featuring scorching guitar solos and a traditional southern groove, Get My Things & Go ups the blues while the most unrestrained song here is Wild Man. This is a piece that strikes harsher and faster than this band have at perhaps any time in their career, transitioning eloquently into Still Got Fire. The stirring album closing demonstrates that Monster Truck have all the energy they should ever desire and then some.
Monster Truck spare no expense in making you appreciate their smoky style of rock. Warriors is a record with a great deal of heart and enthusiasm, and the members give it their all. This album is filled to the brim with optimism, and it's difficult not to feel uplifted and joyful when hearing the band's catchy, huge riffs. More than that, the record serves as a statement of purpose of sorts. That, no matter our struggles, if you fight for what you deserve, and what you believe in, wonderful opportunities will come your way. The album's invigorating candour, which ranges from murky melancholy to full-on hard rock with hints of folk, surpasses the music itself. Warriors features the distinctive Monster Truck appeal, but the musicians yet again go beyond their comfort zone, for a unique experience.
The stadium-rock opener draws you in immediately with its synchronised guitars before exploding into sheer melodic rock fire. You are roused by a pounding beat and stirring words, which inspire you to take on all your difficulties. With a classic, winding riff, the group brings out their metal inspiration on Fuzz Mountain. Later, Golden Woman serves as the quintessential 'fun' moment in the track list, focused on getting people singing together, as it beguiles you with a cheeky smirk.
Live Free gets you revved up and reminds you to cherish what you have while also enjoying life. It is a calmer but incredibly passionate song. With slide guitar, Country Livin' evokes vast expanses and the open road. This song is among the most heartfelt and is made yet more affecting by the gospel backup singers. Featuring scorching guitar solos and a traditional southern groove, Get My Things & Go ups the blues while the most unrestrained song here is Wild Man. This is a piece that strikes harsher and faster than this band have at perhaps any time in their career, transitioning eloquently into Still Got Fire. The stirring album closing demonstrates that Monster Truck have all the energy they should ever desire and then some.
It's a perfect conclusion to a spectacular record. With this album, Monster Truck have urged us all to get out, be free and enjoy ourselves. Warriors sees them broadening their sonic palate and will hopefully see them reaching larger and larger audiences since they are dedicated and energised from beginning to end. 8/10
Monster Truck - Warriors (Century Media Records) [Rich Piva]
Robert Pollard, my favourite, and I would argue one of the greatest songwriters of all time, wrote a song called Heavy Metal Country. It was a shot at bands like Creed and Nickleback who were hot at the time where he said to one of the Monument Club something like, “this shit sounds like Heavy Metal Country.” What does Uncle Bob and Monster Truck have in common? Absolutely nothing except the fact that the latest by the Hamilton, Ontario trio to me triggered a response that was something like “no Bob, this is Heavy Metal Country…”. Unfortunately, I do not mean this as a compliment as this record was tough to get through.
The production on this album is so slick that I feel like I am listening on a slip n’ slide. The first track, Warriors is such an obvious effort to get a radio hit, this time without a Kid Rock connection. Lyrically this is an empty void with a bunch of cliches that you hear in the vapid hard rock on the radio today. The second track, Fuzz Mountain (note: they have some nerve calling a song Fuzz Mountain), is almost un-listenable; formulaic and void of anything interesting or different. The track Golden Woman is a painful attempt at a heavy boogie track with a cringy chorus. Live Free would fit perfectly in a Kid Rock set (there is that connection again) and Country Livin’ brings the painful Heavy Metal Country vibes to the point where I had to step away and cleans the pallet with Rust Never Sleeps.
I tried, but this is so far from my wheelhouse that maybe it is not fair how harsh I was. I wrote this before I realised there was a Kid Rock connection, which makes me like this less, but had no bearing on this review. This was not my cup of tea, or can of Busch, whatever folks who listen to this prefer. 2/10
Monster Truck - Warriors (Century Media Records) [Rich Piva]
Robert Pollard, my favourite, and I would argue one of the greatest songwriters of all time, wrote a song called Heavy Metal Country. It was a shot at bands like Creed and Nickleback who were hot at the time where he said to one of the Monument Club something like, “this shit sounds like Heavy Metal Country.” What does Uncle Bob and Monster Truck have in common? Absolutely nothing except the fact that the latest by the Hamilton, Ontario trio to me triggered a response that was something like “no Bob, this is Heavy Metal Country…”. Unfortunately, I do not mean this as a compliment as this record was tough to get through.
The production on this album is so slick that I feel like I am listening on a slip n’ slide. The first track, Warriors is such an obvious effort to get a radio hit, this time without a Kid Rock connection. Lyrically this is an empty void with a bunch of cliches that you hear in the vapid hard rock on the radio today. The second track, Fuzz Mountain (note: they have some nerve calling a song Fuzz Mountain), is almost un-listenable; formulaic and void of anything interesting or different. The track Golden Woman is a painful attempt at a heavy boogie track with a cringy chorus. Live Free would fit perfectly in a Kid Rock set (there is that connection again) and Country Livin’ brings the painful Heavy Metal Country vibes to the point where I had to step away and cleans the pallet with Rust Never Sleeps.
I tried, but this is so far from my wheelhouse that maybe it is not fair how harsh I was. I wrote this before I realised there was a Kid Rock connection, which makes me like this less, but had no bearing on this review. This was not my cup of tea, or can of Busch, whatever folks who listen to this prefer. 2/10