Pile driving anthem after anthem is the name of the game when you press “Play” on the latest decadent slab of Rawk from the UK’s Trucker Diablo. That said, Tail End Of A Hurricane isn’t as much the name of Trucker Diablo’s latest album as much as it is an apt descriptor of the sonic destruction caused in their wake upon hearing this new beastie in full.
But I digress.
If you’re looking an “in” to the Trucker Diablo sound then picture Stone Temple Pilots and Sponge at their nastiest (No. 4 for the former, Wax Ecstatic for the latter) combined with the arena Rawk of Alter Bridge and you’ll have a little inkling of what you’re about to get into. And that’s exactly what you’re getting into when the ultimate scene setter, “BTKOR”, opens up the record by laying a solid foundation of what’s to come as it continually hurls wicked riff after wicked riff at listeners.
As a Jesse, I loathe that infamous Rick Springfield ditty of the ’80’s but as a child of that era, I appreciate the hell out of “Rock Kids Of The ’80’s” despite the nods to that track as it brings a Springfield meets Bryan Adams vibe to this new ageless anthem. On the other end of the spectrum, “Don’t Hold On To Hate” is a rompin’ rager fueled by the unholy riffs of Simon Haddock and Tom Harte with “Set The Night On Fire” providing a stirring ode to 38 Special with Harte’s rousing performance accompanied by a striking rhythmic pounding from drummer Terry Crawford and bassist Jim McGurk.
The title track let’s it all hang out with McGurk and Crawford laying out a righteous groove as Harte’s voice swells and Haddock belts out some solid screams through the guitar while next, and seemingly out of left field, “Insects” brings the high holy HEAVY to the table with a a steady stomper that rages against internet trolls with Harte stressing “It’s okay to not be okay”.
Elsewhere in the …Hurricane, “The Trade” offers a somber side before settling into an all out Rawk fest with “Burning Heart” closing ranks soon after to offer a Hard Rawk gem that’s on par with the guitar power Metallica offered in the mid-’90’s. “Woodstock To Vietnam” is easily a soon-to-be live audience fave with its’ hopeful message and then “Bury The Ocean” ends the album in murky waters with this moody number that builds to a huge instrumental conclusion that’s both epic and encapsulating.
Tail End Of A Hurricane touches down on May 7th. Pre-orders are up now for perusin’ and purchasin’ when you click here or on the stream below. For more on Trucker Diablo, follow them across the interwebs by heading here, here, or here.