Trucker Diablo
Four friends from Northern Ireland make up the band, Trucker diablo. They formed in 2008 to play music they loved and that defined them as individuals. Strong, heartfelt words which made me think I was in for a treat. Before Trucker Diablo was formed, the guys have had previous success in other bands such as Tilted and Joyrider. The latter having a top 40 UK chart hit, and appearing on the legendary Top Of The Pops. Trucker Diablo produce a classic hard rock style, and given the pedigree amongst the four of them I was more than a little excited.
Drink Beer, Destroy was the 1st track I listened to. Totally kick ass name for a track and I instantly liked it. A gravelly, distorted guitar solo sets the ball moving; a charismatic drum beat enters the frame and is shortly followed by soul melting vocals. The tempo is fast paced and carries you on a crest of a wave, aptly supported by a catchy tune and that hard hitting, punchy drum beat. There are so many good things to say about the track, it’s difficult to fit it all in, but I will say there are many different dimensions to the track which give it volume. Such as the guitar solos, change in tempo and the awesome style of vocals. With big name influences such as AC/DC, Metallica and Anthrax shining through it’s no wonder the guys have produced something of this quality.
Second on the list taken from the guys Facebook page was Voodoo. A similar beginning as Drink Beer, Destroy, and a distorted guitar solo gets the foot tapping, finding the rhythm. The tempo is noticeably slower, especially as the lyrics underpin the guitar, being able to take in every single word said with ease. I thought this was a nice touch as sometimes the lyrics can get lost amongst the madness and chaos of guitars and hammering drums. However this lull is short lived with everything taking off at once, drums, guitar and vocals back to the heights of the previous track. The vocals become much rawer, relentlessly tearing at your ear drums trying to poison the mind. Once again the dynamics of the track are catchy and are easy to follow along with, the guitar solos are solid and to the point. This is definitely a track I’d want to listen to live.
And finally, last but not least was Big Truck. Given the band’s name I thought it was fitting I did this one last! In my opinion this is the best track out of the lot, I’m all for the anthems you can sing along to, with guitar solos and damn good drum beats thrown in for good measure. This has them all. As expected a solo guitar riff starts off the chain reaction, however this one felt different to the rest, there’s already and upbeat feel to it. The vocals are superb as always, they seem to adapt to the style being offered which work well. I loved the secondary vocals as well, which support the lead really well. The guitar riffs are fresh; the tempo is fast paced with the odd dip, seemingly keeping us on our toes. I loved the short guitar solo half way through the track which seriously blew my mind as it kept on a tangent with track and didn’t lose its purpose. The way the tempo drops after the guitar solo but yet the track still manages to progress, indicates to me that the guys know how to mix things up and make it work. Really top drawer stuff!
Well what can I say; I got exactly what I expected here. Catchy, punchy tracks, with that rigid rock feel to it. It doesn’t surprise me that there’s been success beforehand, maybe not with this band but the effects are certainly shining through, it’s only a matter of time before these guys reach the heights they are aiming for and they are now top of my list for bands I want to see live.
So I liked the bands stuff so much they even sent me through their entire EP! Here’s what I thought about the rest of the album.
Juggernaut starts off with a harder, deeper guitar solo. It’s almost as if the guys got together and said I’ve have enough of playing with them I’m gonna knock them out the park now. The drums kick in and you can almost feel your skull vibrating so much you feel like its gong to shatter. The combination of those alone sets the tone for the rest of the track. Then just when you thought the bar couldn’t get raised any higher the vocals kick in with more bite and energy than previous tracks. The guitar riffs throughout the track are intense, full of purpose and meaning. Midway way through the track there’s a duel between the drums from the depths and the smouldering guitars, they spar before leading to a crazy guitar solo, and it adds even more life to an already exuberant piece of work.
The beginning to Stand Up And Fight instantly made me think of The Offspring but on a slightly heavier level. This track is a real toe tapper and the lyrics get well and truly drilled deep into your brain, so it’s not long before you find yourself singing along to the lyrics. Things meander along, following the path of destruction led by the catchy riffs and bone crunching drum beat. As always the vocals are impeccable and they have the ability to engage you in such a way you lose track of what’s going on around you. Another peach of a guitar solo, puts a cheery on top of this monster track, I wouldn’t say it’s as punchy and fast paced as Juggernaut, however it’s quite nice to have a slightly more chilled out track after taking such a hammering.
Never Too Late To Sin starts off fairly steady, stalking the mind, searching for that place and moment to kick in. The guitar and drum duo probes without leaving second gear, the introduction of the vocals take proceedings up a notch, giving the track that jagged rock feel to it. The combination of all the above allow the guitar riffs to push the piece along with a real twisted elegance. The changes in tempo change the whole dynamics of the track so that you can’t settle in one spot; constantly kept on a knives edge. Half way through, you get a glimpse of the talent that’s on show, drums take centre stage and perform a jaw breaking slot, I really enjoyed this as it’s pretty rare you get it, it’s usually the raging guitars taking the limelight.
A rather unique start to the track, with it not being a guitar solo! I liked his as it shows a little bit of variation in the sense that the guys know how to mix it up without becoming predictable. The vocals join the ever present and ever imposing duo of distorted guitars and pulsating drums. The track has a real feel good factor about it; the riffs are heavy but lively giving off a proper gig style feel. The drum beat comes across as pretty standard, but it contributes effectively to accomplish the feel good factor and gets you on your feet. As always there is a rip roaring guitar solo stashed away in there just for good measure, and they just don’t seem to get old at all.
Black And Blue starts kicks off with a brief moment of rolling drums before the main guitar riff, takes control of the track. The tempo is frantic throughout the track, the best guitar solo of the lot takes place in this track and is almost split into two sections, a mellow piece, evolves into a raging monster. The sound created is phenomenal, I literally replayed this section of the track four or five times to relive the moment. The vocals in this track, add yet another layer to an already impressive track, they are solid and add the extra volume needed to take the track up a level.
A rasping guitar solo kicks into life at the start of When Angels Die. This feels different to other tracks; it penetrates deeper than previous tracks, shaking your inner core. The introduction of the drums keeps the dynamics of the piece on track. There’s a darker more sinister feeling here and it’s kept that way by sinister vocals that drag you down to the darkest depths. Just as I thought that the guitar solos couldn’t get any better, they do! It begins with real venom, throwing you back into your seat, punishing you without any remorse. The changes in tempo just keep you on your toes, shaking things up a bit and adding that incentive for you to listen on.
Rattlehead is the final track on the EP. Instead of rattlehead, think rattlesnake. The start of this tracks, makes you think you are out in the desert, in rattlesnake country. The lone acoustic guitar at the start sets the tone for the track before being corrupted by the heavier electric guitars and monstrous drums. The vocals roll of the tongue with ease and are accepted by the ears just as easily. For me this is an apt finishing track for such an intense album. You find yourself following along with the words until the end where the stunning guitar riff fades away to nothing, leaving you in silence.
As I said before when I reviewed the first few tracks, this band just blew my mind. The rest of the EP is just as good, if not better than the previous tracks. I will catch a Trucker Diablo gig if it’s the last thing I do.
To find out more about Trucker Diablo, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Drink Beer, Destroy was the 1st track I listened to. Totally kick ass name for a track and I instantly liked it. A gravelly, distorted guitar solo sets the ball moving; a charismatic drum beat enters the frame and is shortly followed by soul melting vocals. The tempo is fast paced and carries you on a crest of a wave, aptly supported by a catchy tune and that hard hitting, punchy drum beat. There are so many good things to say about the track, it’s difficult to fit it all in, but I will say there are many different dimensions to the track which give it volume. Such as the guitar solos, change in tempo and the awesome style of vocals. With big name influences such as AC/DC, Metallica and Anthrax shining through it’s no wonder the guys have produced something of this quality.
Second on the list taken from the guys Facebook page was Voodoo. A similar beginning as Drink Beer, Destroy, and a distorted guitar solo gets the foot tapping, finding the rhythm. The tempo is noticeably slower, especially as the lyrics underpin the guitar, being able to take in every single word said with ease. I thought this was a nice touch as sometimes the lyrics can get lost amongst the madness and chaos of guitars and hammering drums. However this lull is short lived with everything taking off at once, drums, guitar and vocals back to the heights of the previous track. The vocals become much rawer, relentlessly tearing at your ear drums trying to poison the mind. Once again the dynamics of the track are catchy and are easy to follow along with, the guitar solos are solid and to the point. This is definitely a track I’d want to listen to live.
And finally, last but not least was Big Truck. Given the band’s name I thought it was fitting I did this one last! In my opinion this is the best track out of the lot, I’m all for the anthems you can sing along to, with guitar solos and damn good drum beats thrown in for good measure. This has them all. As expected a solo guitar riff starts off the chain reaction, however this one felt different to the rest, there’s already and upbeat feel to it. The vocals are superb as always, they seem to adapt to the style being offered which work well. I loved the secondary vocals as well, which support the lead really well. The guitar riffs are fresh; the tempo is fast paced with the odd dip, seemingly keeping us on our toes. I loved the short guitar solo half way through the track which seriously blew my mind as it kept on a tangent with track and didn’t lose its purpose. The way the tempo drops after the guitar solo but yet the track still manages to progress, indicates to me that the guys know how to mix things up and make it work. Really top drawer stuff!
Well what can I say; I got exactly what I expected here. Catchy, punchy tracks, with that rigid rock feel to it. It doesn’t surprise me that there’s been success beforehand, maybe not with this band but the effects are certainly shining through, it’s only a matter of time before these guys reach the heights they are aiming for and they are now top of my list for bands I want to see live.
So I liked the bands stuff so much they even sent me through their entire EP! Here’s what I thought about the rest of the album.
Juggernaut starts off with a harder, deeper guitar solo. It’s almost as if the guys got together and said I’ve have enough of playing with them I’m gonna knock them out the park now. The drums kick in and you can almost feel your skull vibrating so much you feel like its gong to shatter. The combination of those alone sets the tone for the rest of the track. Then just when you thought the bar couldn’t get raised any higher the vocals kick in with more bite and energy than previous tracks. The guitar riffs throughout the track are intense, full of purpose and meaning. Midway way through the track there’s a duel between the drums from the depths and the smouldering guitars, they spar before leading to a crazy guitar solo, and it adds even more life to an already exuberant piece of work.
The beginning to Stand Up And Fight instantly made me think of The Offspring but on a slightly heavier level. This track is a real toe tapper and the lyrics get well and truly drilled deep into your brain, so it’s not long before you find yourself singing along to the lyrics. Things meander along, following the path of destruction led by the catchy riffs and bone crunching drum beat. As always the vocals are impeccable and they have the ability to engage you in such a way you lose track of what’s going on around you. Another peach of a guitar solo, puts a cheery on top of this monster track, I wouldn’t say it’s as punchy and fast paced as Juggernaut, however it’s quite nice to have a slightly more chilled out track after taking such a hammering.
Never Too Late To Sin starts off fairly steady, stalking the mind, searching for that place and moment to kick in. The guitar and drum duo probes without leaving second gear, the introduction of the vocals take proceedings up a notch, giving the track that jagged rock feel to it. The combination of all the above allow the guitar riffs to push the piece along with a real twisted elegance. The changes in tempo change the whole dynamics of the track so that you can’t settle in one spot; constantly kept on a knives edge. Half way through, you get a glimpse of the talent that’s on show, drums take centre stage and perform a jaw breaking slot, I really enjoyed this as it’s pretty rare you get it, it’s usually the raging guitars taking the limelight.
A rather unique start to the track, with it not being a guitar solo! I liked his as it shows a little bit of variation in the sense that the guys know how to mix it up without becoming predictable. The vocals join the ever present and ever imposing duo of distorted guitars and pulsating drums. The track has a real feel good factor about it; the riffs are heavy but lively giving off a proper gig style feel. The drum beat comes across as pretty standard, but it contributes effectively to accomplish the feel good factor and gets you on your feet. As always there is a rip roaring guitar solo stashed away in there just for good measure, and they just don’t seem to get old at all.
Black And Blue starts kicks off with a brief moment of rolling drums before the main guitar riff, takes control of the track. The tempo is frantic throughout the track, the best guitar solo of the lot takes place in this track and is almost split into two sections, a mellow piece, evolves into a raging monster. The sound created is phenomenal, I literally replayed this section of the track four or five times to relive the moment. The vocals in this track, add yet another layer to an already impressive track, they are solid and add the extra volume needed to take the track up a level.
A rasping guitar solo kicks into life at the start of When Angels Die. This feels different to other tracks; it penetrates deeper than previous tracks, shaking your inner core. The introduction of the drums keeps the dynamics of the piece on track. There’s a darker more sinister feeling here and it’s kept that way by sinister vocals that drag you down to the darkest depths. Just as I thought that the guitar solos couldn’t get any better, they do! It begins with real venom, throwing you back into your seat, punishing you without any remorse. The changes in tempo just keep you on your toes, shaking things up a bit and adding that incentive for you to listen on.
Rattlehead is the final track on the EP. Instead of rattlehead, think rattlesnake. The start of this tracks, makes you think you are out in the desert, in rattlesnake country. The lone acoustic guitar at the start sets the tone for the track before being corrupted by the heavier electric guitars and monstrous drums. The vocals roll of the tongue with ease and are accepted by the ears just as easily. For me this is an apt finishing track for such an intense album. You find yourself following along with the words until the end where the stunning guitar riff fades away to nothing, leaving you in silence.
As I said before when I reviewed the first few tracks, this band just blew my mind. The rest of the EP is just as good, if not better than the previous tracks. I will catch a Trucker Diablo gig if it’s the last thing I do.
To find out more about Trucker Diablo, check out their Facebook page HERE.