The Brown EP is Monster Truck’s second four-song output in as many years, and despite the fact that they roll through an EP’s worth of mean, 70s-fried rock in the same amount of time bands from that era devoted to one song, it’s still well worth the two beer it takes to get through it. A product of Steel Town, Canada (that’s Hamilton for you non-Canucks), Monster Truck is all hairy chests ‘neath leather vests and The Brown EP boasts a bad-ass, big-wheeled boogie that’ll blow your mud flaps way back. Nationally speaking, I’d put ‘em somewhere between the laid back roots n’ groove of The Sheepdogs and the million man spark of White Cowbell Oklahoma, but the way “I Am Freedom,” “Love Attack,” “Seven Seas Blues,” and “Righteous Smoke” crank the crotch mojo into the red, ride the organ like it was Gravedigger, and preach about souls on fire make ‘em sound like KISS, Grand Funk Railroad, and Mountain mud wrestling at a biker rally. Best part is, you can get this EP, and their self-titled one, for free right here. Boss, right? You bet, just like the tunes.
If anyone ever says nothing good ever comes out of Saskatchewan, you just tell ‘em about The Sheepdogs. You see, these prairie hippies, with their Southern 70s roots rock, just won a competition to be on the cover of Rolling Stone. With an abundance of beard, The Sheepdogs will be bringing some nostalgic honour to the cover of the infamous rock mag, which is really nice to see. Normally I wouldn’t care about this sort of thing, but I’ve been a fan of this hard workin’, travelin’ band for about four years now, ever since I obtained a copy of their 2007 debut album, Trying to Grow, which they independently released. In fact, they’ve also independently released two other albums as well, 2009′s The Sheepdogs’ Big Stand and 2010′s Learn & Burn, so the fact that they also won a record deal with Atlantic with this contest is a nice feather in their beaded headband. So, congratulations to The Sheepdogs, who are probably going to get a lot of love outside of Canada now. Much deserved. Now check out the video for their song “I Don’t Know”!
3 Inches of Blood Anthems for the Victorious EP
Century Media
When 3 Inches of Blood released Here Waits Thy Doom in in 2009, their first album without growler Jamie Hooper, I was excited to hear what the band could do with falsetto master — and beard champion — Cam Pipes alone at the helm. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the effort, and the album became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts. Whatever soul (if you can have such a thing in heavy metal) the band had left with Hooper, apparently, which wasn’t what the Vancouver headbangers needed after guitarists Sunny Dhak and Bob Froese took their amazing riff-wielding power with them to Pride Tiger after 3IoB put out what stands as one of my favourite metal albums of all time, 2004′s Advance and Vanquish. However, I’m still a huge fan, and when I caught them live a few months back it was the inclusion of this EP’s two songs, “Lords of Change” and “Strength of the Grave,” into their set list that roused me from my drunken stupor. It sounded to me, at that time, that 3IoB had re-captured that battle cry of yore, that snappy, traditional thrash, that blood-spilling, leather n’ spikes mayhem that made me fall in love with ‘em in the first place. Now, listening to this EP, there’s no doubt that 3IoB have mounted the red-eyed steed once again as they gallop through both songs at a furiously purposeful pace, slaying thine enemies where they stand before soaring through the sing-along choruses with swords held high. But the victory is short-lived, the anthems spoiled by a hollow, St. Anger-like production, which, given the apparent return to form, doesn’t make much sense at all. That being said, I’m excited about the next full-length, especially if these songs are any indication about where the band is going next. Hell, it’s even nice to see a sweet cover again, one that hearkens back to Edward Repka’s Advance and Vanquish genius.
Monster Truck
If anyone ever says nothing good ever comes out of Saskatchewan, you just tell ‘em about The Sheepdogs. You see, these prairie hippies, with their Southern 70s roots rock, just won a competition to be on the cover of Rolling Stone. With an abundance of beard, The Sheepdogs will be bringing some nostalgic honour to the cover of the infamous rock mag, which is really nice to see. Normally I wouldn’t care about this sort of thing, but I’ve been a fan of this hard workin’, travelin’ band for about four years now, ever since I obtained a copy of their 2007 debut album, Trying to Grow, which they independently released. In fact, they’ve also independently released two other albums as well, 2009′s The Sheepdogs’ Big Stand and 2010′s Learn & Burn, so the fact that they also won a record deal with Atlantic with this contest is a nice feather in their beaded headband. So, congratulations to The Sheepdogs, who are probably going to get a lot of love outside of Canada now. Much deserved. Now check out the video for their song “I Don’t Know”!
3 Inches of Blood