REVIEW: BIG ASS TRUCK I.E. - FOUND ON ROAD DEAD
Empire Island hardcore band BIG ASS TRUCK I.E have delivered a tumultuous 5 track EP after releasing a string of singles and EPs over the years that have always hit hard while listening to them and at their energetic live shows. FOUND ON ROAD DEAD marks the band's first complete EP still drenched in vehicular carnage alongside previous releases BACK WHEEL STOMP and PUSHED BEYOND THE BRINK. Packed back-to-back with hard hitters and gruesome breakdowns it’s definitely some of their best to date.
The EP opens up with FOUND ON ROAD DEAD, and any song (and album for that matter) that opens up with a soundbite from Event Horizon, you know is going to deliver. And deliver it does. FOUND ON ROAD DEAD is a full impact track from start to finish. Next on the EP is DRAGGING MEAT which has already been released in the lead up to the EP with an epic music video alongside it. This track is the epitome of BIG ASS TRUCK I.E’s sound and encapsulates them as a band perfectly. A track that would fit perfectly into their high energy live shows.
Next, we have BIG ASS GUN and this song is a culmination of everything that is hardcore at its nucleus. High energy mixed with guttural breakdowns and finishes off with a sample from Arnold Schwarzenegger's quote from the film Commando for an exceptional touch. This song appears to be popping up in their live shows on their current tours and looks to be a huge hit amongst BIG ASS TRUCK I.E fans already.
FORCED THROUGH SLUDGE doesn’t give you a moment to catch your breath before going straight in with heavy vocals and full energy until an impeccable breakdown hits right at the end. A full energy song in every riff. At this point we know BIG ASS TRUCK I.E loves a sound sample in a song and 1 TRILLION POUNDS opens up with the famous quote from bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman. The shortest song on the album not even running for a full minute, it packs a punch from beginning to end and finishes the album off with one of their heaviest breakdowns, making this easily one of their best start to finish runs to date.
The album all in all flows perfectly from one song to the next and will definitely be a great addition to any playlist. Each song has its own personality while staying within the bands established theme, without losing any of what makes BIG ASS TRUCK I.E so uniquely them. Vocalist Abel Abarca has stated that DRAGGING MEAT is one of their favourites so far and they can’t wait to bring it to their live shows. Which is utterly understandable after the very first listen. The band are planning a UK tour in 2027 and these songs are going to be a perfect addition to their already mayhemic live shows. Altogether a great album from a band who don’t take themselves as seriously as they do their love for a monstrous vehicle, bringing fun back into hardcore exactly how it should be.
Score: 9/10
FOUND ON ROAD DEAD will be released on 20th October 2026 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Words: Shay Decay
Photos: Oscar Rodriguez
Comments