Get on board and enjoy the ride…
https://youtu.be/PO3igXkcRTU
Review by Stephen Brophy
Release Date: 22 June 2015
Trucker Diablo are back after a year on hiatus, and a change of bass player, with a brand new and totally rocking album, Rise Above The Noise. For those that haven’t heard of the band before they hail from Northern Ireland and this is their third album, following 2013’s excellent Songs Of Iron release. They play big ballsy Rock n’ Roll music and there’s something about Tom Harte’s vocals that for me provides something a little different with these guys.
This new album kicks off strongly without any intro and just getting in your face with the opener ‘Big Fight’ and generally that’s what you get from Trucker, hard rocking songs perfect for any party, but also uplifting music that has the ability to put a smile on your face when you mightn’t feel like smiling, guitars are excellent throughout, not always just heavy riffage either, there’s nice subtlety when required. There is also great variety in the songs on this album, hard rocking, a bit of Southern rock, beautiful ballads, elements here and there of their heroes (some Thin Lizzy stylings in ‘Girl In A Photograph’)
The monster ballad ‘Where Angels Fly’ is just a wonderful song, it’s one that’s drawn me back numerous times and it doesn’t seem to get stale at all, showing a versatility in their sound that can only be a good thing for the future, definitely my favourite here, from the beautiful piano into (played by guest Keith Weir of The Quireboys), through the emotion that seems to come in waves from each line of the lyrics it just grabs the heartstrings and pulls hard. There is just something special about this one and it deserves to be heard by a wide audience, written from a real tragic loss for friends of the band it has that depth only real situations seem to be able to generate. Other highlights here include the excellent ‘Take Me To The River’, ‘Murder Ballad’, ‘Somebody Save Me’ and the stomping and anthemic ‘We Stand Strong’.
It’s really great to have the Big Truck back on the scene, and this is a really strong release, which will widen their fanbase further, get on board and enjoy the ride, this band has always had lots of potential and there’s something special about the combination of Tom and Simon Haddock (Lead Guitar) that makes everything work and fit so well with this band. Look out for Trucker Diablo in the UK this year at the Pentrich Rock & Blues and Steelhouse Festivals in July and Hard Rock Hell 9 in November. If you get the chance go and see them live, take it.
9 out of 10
Track Listing:
- Fight Life
- Party Like They Started The End Of The World
- Somebody Save Me
- We Stand Strong
- Where Angels Fly
- Girl In A Photograph
- Take Me To The River
- Murder Ballad
- Sun Deprives The Day
- Don’t Cry
