French spoken, trucking themed tech/grind core from Quebec?

Yup. You red that right.

Musically, The Truckers are not too dissimilar from many of their Canadian peers, plying a sort of tight, complex, off kilter hardcore/grind/death metal (Ion Dissonance, Despised Icon, The End, Fuck The Facts, etc), but the whole thing is sung/growled/screamed in French, which makes the music even more jarring, and personally it’s a barrier that I really can’t overcome, despite the decent delivery of the music.

I hate to sound ‘language-ist’, but it’s true. Even with a glossy Yannick St Armand production (Despised Icon, Beneath The Massacre) and a pretty good grasp of the genres stuttering, blasting mechanics, I pretty much shut down when Patrick Bernier opens his mouth, particularly during the sort of semi spoken, growled, shouted parts (i.e. “Redneck and Ultra”, “No Man’s Land”). There are some styles that actually sound better in a foreign tongue (Viking Metal for example)-this isn’t one of them. But even with that element, I’ll admit The Truckers are far less annoying than some of their English speaking screamy, spazzy contemporaries, as The Truckers actually have some solid song writing chops. Tracks like “The Underground Armies”, “Truckspiracy” and “Speed” (Yes, I know the sing titles are in English), rumble, blast and stutter with ample heft and occasionally inject some grinding, thrashing melody (“Diesel”, “The Return of the King”).

I imagine this record will have more appeal if you are French Canadian or speak understand French, and I’ll be the first to admit I’d probably give the album more credence if it were in English, but I’m not one to question and artists language choice. Still, the more tolerant fans of this style will get some enjoyment out of this stout but lyrically offputting record.

[Visit the band's website]

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