Haul tail with Big Ass Truck IE as they slip off the tethers to go full speed

Some may have hear of Big Ass Truck IE before (the IE stands for Inland Empire apparently) from their live appearances as well as singles Back Wheel Stomp and Pushed Beyond The Brink. Now they roar again with a new EP.

Released on Nuclear Blast Found On Road Dead, it as smash and grab raid with five tracks that clocks in well under ten minutes and the opener at less than a minute.

At a cursory listen n it sounds like a bunch of toddlers with ADHD having a hardcore party. But take a proper play through (and that won't take long) and there is more than just a series of angry vocals and riffs.

Big Ass Gun, for example begins with almost sludge-like riff it develops with real menace. Dragging Meat, clocking in at more than three minutes is a beast of a track.

Vocalist, Abel Abarca, said: "Dragging Meat’ only made sense with how hard it hits, this song has become one of our favourites we've made and we cant wait to bring it out to our live shows".

Whilst their setlist must run to 10 or more pages if this EP is a fair representation of the song lengths, the brevity focusses attention, forces listeners to assess each of them./

Only downside is that they could hav crammed a few more songs in.

Big Ass Truck play Belfast's Limelight2 on 3rd February 2027.

Found On Road Dead is out now on Nuclear Blast.

Defiant RAM stand with pure heavy metal running through their veins on new album Against

Fuck the trends and sub-genres, is it heavy metal is the real question? And, from Sweden there is proof that there is pure heavy metal alive and well, without the pretence.

RAM set out to prove they play the sort of heavy metal those of a certain age regard as the golden age on new album AGAINST. But any age should immerse themselves in this album,

Look, there those who look down their gatekeeper noses at this type of straight forward heavy metal: well they fuck off and cry into their Sleep Token pyjamas.

It may have taken seven years after the iffy The Throne Within but the extended hiatus seems to have re-focussed RAM; the press release accompanying the album explains some of the new guitar set-up and studio, but it is enough to say they sound great.

Riffs and solos stand proud and only once or twice do they overwhelm, the rest of the time, such as on the speedy 'Abattoir' they pick their way through the song structure with aplomb.

What is most impressive across the album is the cohesion in the writing: if there is a statement to be had about how good this is it is on Rising Again'. It is the sort of song that would have had mid-80s record execs creaming their soiled pants with their corporate cum.

That is not to say that any part of this album is dated. Rather this RAM wearing their influences on their sleeves, and putting their own fresh spin.

Against is an album that lyrically delivers defiance. They are a heavy metal band and that is it. The title track is a stand despite what they say is 'overwhelming opposition',  The Orwellian inspired '1984' is a modern take on the classic with Oscar Carlquist stating that the dystopia is reality right now.

In spite of the serious themes Against is an enjoyable album, maybe because it harks back to an era when you could merge serious words and a narrative.

So, while there are those who will dismiss RAM as throwbacks, they are missing the point. On Against they have stuck a middle finger up to those listening to the streams for one 'fashionable' songs, yeah go listen to Ghost and talk about how they are so edgy. About as an edgy as a butter knife while RAM stand with their metal switchblade ready to cut through the crap.

RAM are Rising Again.

Against is out on Metal Blade Records now.

Graveyard return to their rock roots on new album Fever

Sometimes you need to go back to your roots to discover who and what you are, and the same holds true bands. After three years Graveyard seem to have thrown off the hooks left in their flesh after Six with new purpose on latest release 'Fever'.

This is an album steeped in what earned the Swedish band their reputation, but it is no measure trading on the past, with an intense fresh perspective on songs saturated with riffs and melodies.

A dozen tracks to make sure that the Gothenburg band can assert themselves as relevant. And, to provide pure listening pleasure; sometimes we forget that playing and listening aer meant to be enjoyable.

From  'A Better Cut (Note to Self)' provision of melodies and singalongs, through to the mournful 'Dead Note' Graveyard have proven that the fire that ignited them 20 years ago still lives in their belly. Maybe they just needed to remind themselves.

That is evident from the band's statement accompanying the release."Even with the teeth of hopelessness snapping at our asses and all the smoke and mirrors of our time telling us we got no future. Come what may."

Fever displays influences writ large from Sabbath, the blues, and the need to get down  to pure hard rock.

There are some albums that grow on you, and Graveyard have delivered their seventh album that has the ability to generate songs that catch you and on subsequent listens reveal more treats.

Fever is released on Nuclear Blast on October 9th.