I have been familiar – by name – with these rockers for quite some time now. But it took me a while to lend them an ear. Why? Well, I’m not sure, really. Thing is, British music magazines always holds their own quite dear and I have a hard time focusing when every British band are the hottest shit ever. Anyway, for some reason Massive Wagons caught my attention for reasons unknown back in 2019 when I decided to check out their then one-year-old album Full Nelson and I really dug it. Next time they release an album, I thought, I will check it out right on the spot and review it. Fast forward to 2021 when their latest album House Of Noise had been out for almost a year. Dammit. Missed it again. The album was splendid though. This time I did not miss the release date of their new album, though.
Massive Wagons was formed back in 2009 in Lancaster, England after witnessing a gig by Aussie rockers Airbourne. It was then when singer Barry ‘Baz’ Mills and guitarist Adam Thistelthwaite decided to break up his indie cover band Ace Face and do something real. They recruited Adam’s drumming brother Alex and then second guitarist Carl Cochrane – now replaced by Stevie Holl – and bass player Adam Bouskill. Their debut album Fire It Up came out in 2012 followed by Fight The System (2014) and Welcome To The World (2016). As the band has toured regularly opening for acts like Thunder, The Dead Daisies, The Wildhearts, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Status Quo their popularity has increased by each album. Let’s hope that will continue.
The album opens with the leading single “Fuck The Haters”, a big punch in the face at all the coward keyboard warriors and bullies out there. A much needed punch. The song is a two and a half minute long middle-finger to those who deserve it, aggressive yet highly melodic. Musically it’s uplifting and pop-friendly with strikingly direct melodies but with edgy Hard Rock as the foundation. Lyrically it’s angry and ballsy. The song holds a distinct and catchy chorus that sticks right from the get-go. That being said, it probably won’t recieve too much air play with a title like that. Great tune.
Another single, “Please Stay Calm”, follows and comes in a mid tempo, slightly laid-back with a Def Leppard touch inserted. The vocals in the verses comes close to spoken-word almost but the chorus is heavier affair with edge and attitude, crunchy guitars and solid stomp with another splendidly catchy refrain as the icing on the cake. Very good. Second single “Generation Prime” – with a cameo from Skindred’s Benji Webbe – takes on a faster and more hard-rocking route, very driven with some crunchy guitars and a muscular rhythm only for it to bring on a Reggae/Ska touch for the pre-chorus and a solo part that is fast, raging and firey. The chorus goes back to the mid pace and brings on a stunning melody-hook so catchy it almost hurts. Brilliant.
“A.S.S.H.O.L.E.” is a riff-happy, driven and straight ahead rocker with a live-friendly approach that continues where “The Curry Song” from the last album left. It’s another somewhat explicit FU to the internet soldiers of the world. The main riff and the infectious melodies brings The Wildhearts’ poppier moments to mind and the massive chorus is sing-along pleading. This song will probably turn into a big live favorite. Killer tune. “Skateboard”, also a single, is a short and concise, three minute pop-rocker, straight forward and upbeat full of sharp hooks and addictive melodies. It’s also a bit punky, more in attitude than musically and holds a highly infectious chorus.
While being an uptempo and quite rough-edged rocker “Gone Are The Days” also brings along some melancholy and mellowness when it comes to the atmosphere. Still it holds a powerhouse riff, footstomping rhythms and a crowd-flirting melodies with massive hooks and a pop-catchy refrain that will have you humming the damn thing for days. This is terrific. The titular track “Triggered” is a distinct guitar-driven and kicking Classic Rock tune with a 70’s vibe and a rowdy riff that draws my mind back to early NWOBHM structure. It’s an in-your-face and concise number that will kick up some dust live. This is for everyone who loves a musical kidney-punch to get you through the night/day. Goos stuff indeed.
Groovy and hard-edged, “Giulia” stomps tight and solid on a bouncy rhythm and an electrifying riff. It’s a mid-paced rock-swinger with a chunky swagger and unescapable melodies everywhere. It’s big on melodies and the vocal-hook in the chorus is rather contagious. Good one. “Germ” is more straight-forward Hard Rock albeit with a wink to Melodic Rock when it comes to the melody arrangements. The pop-flirting melodies are all over the place, especially in the magnificent chorus and the solo parts throws a nod back to a band like Thin Lizzy and other times I can’t help but to think of The Wildhearts. This is some killer stuff indeed.
“Never Been A Problem” comes along kicking with a raunchy riff, a Classic Rock structure with a punky attitude and a beefy beat. It’s a living and busy tune perfect for the stage where the main-melody is damn strong and a glueing refrain that hits pay dirt right from go. It’s a brilliant tune that makes me wanna go see the band yesterday! “Big Time” has HIT written all over it with it’s embracing rhythms and infectious melodies. So why is it not a single? In reality it feels like quite the standard written-for-radio pop-rocker but still it doesn’t sound like anyone else. The Wagons sure puts their stamp on things. This is awesome!
The heaviest part of the album comes with “Sawdust”, a ballsy and muscular hard-rocker. The verses are clearly metal-fueled with gritty riffage and punch-hard rhythm while the chorus, still rough and edgy, brings along some strong, memorable vocal-hooks. Again, the solo part shows a Thin Lizzy influence and anything Thin Lizzy can never be bad. I dig this lots. Closing track “No Friend Of Mine” is a fast-tracked gut-puncher with a striking riff and a full-blast rhythm section. The solo part slows things down a bit but keeps the heaviness and the chorus is more attitude-laden than actually catchy but it still works like a charm. A good song and the right closer for an album like this.
As a whole Massive Wagons has another killer record on their hands. The big chunk of British humor is always present and even at front but it never takes over – Massive Wagons is NOT a bunch of jokers. Song-wise, these guys really knows their way around a sharp hook and even though they’re really melodic and everything’s really memorable, it never gets cheesy or glossy. This is a straight on Rock album after all. Their music is also very live friendly all the way through. I really wish I get the chance to catch them live rather sooner than later. I’m really glad I discovered this band and if you haven’t heard them yet, do change that. For your own good.
8/10
Tracklist:
1. Fuck The Haters
2. Please Stay Calm
3. Generation Prime
4. A.S.S.H.O.L.E.
5. Skateboard
6. Gone Are The Days
7. Triggered
8. Giulia
9. Germ
10. Never Been A Problem
11. Big Time
12. Sawdust
13. No Friend Of Mine
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