bucket truck
Gig Seeker Pro

bucket truck

Band Rock Metal

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"Bucket Truck"

Perhaps the worst band name of the modern era, Halifax’s Bucket Truck make up for their bad choice of monikers with a truly original sound. Admittedly, the sound doesn’t always work: at times the Quicksand/Helmet post-hardcore feel is a welcome flashback to the time when bands sounded like that, but at other times this band sound a bit unfocused. Also bringing to mind Choke (not Chore) with their anti-melodies and difficult, near-antagonistic attitude, Bucket Truck managed to slowly win me over during the course of this album with their obvious sincerity and love of the music. Between quite heavy sludge rock, somewhat-grooving post-hardcore and experimental noisy moments, it becomes clear that this is something worth further exploration. Layouts that have a different font for each song still look horrid though, and the band name’s has got to go, like, now. But apart from that, consider them one of Canada’s more unique heavy acts. - Exclaim


"Bucket Truck-The Republic"

Anyone fortunate enough to have seen this St. John’s Newdfoundland hardcore outfit live, or have had the pleasure of meeting them will testify to their powerful presence in the Canadian music industry. After several years of touring with such acts as Fishbone, The End, Slayer, Lagwagon, Damage Plan, and D.O.A, as well as recording their own albums and videos, the Truck are ready for Global Domination with the September 20th release of their newest full length album “Favour The Bull.”

Featuring two songs recorded in early autumn 2003 by groundbreaking producers Pelle Henricsson and Eskil Lovestrom (Refused, Poison the Well, In Flames), during the Bull sessions, and two others recorded by Jon Funderburk (Tomahawk, Hank Williams III), “The Republic” E.P. is a thundering preview of the many good things to come from this band. Originating from St.John’s, Newfoundland (they are now based out of Halifax), the six members of Bucket Truck perform a unique blend of hardcore and metal, combining elaborately layered compositions (featuring a great array of additional percussions) and politically-fuelled, introspective lyrical content.

From the thrashy riffs of opener “Liberate The Fossils” to the infectiously chaotic percussions of “Miscommunication”, to the Earth-shaking bass line of “I Am The New York Times,” this release is chalk-full of positive, high energy hardcore. Lead vocalist Matt Wells and percussionist/backup vocalist Chris Hanley slickly balance melodic and aggressive vocal duties, while exploring topics such as media-induced paranoia, self-actualization and yellow journalism. With incredibly precise drumming skills by Mike Rowe, and guitarists Mike Rizkalla and Dave “Squid” Mullet providing a massive wall of sound as ear pricking as hardcore pioneers Quicksand and Helmet, the listener is treated to a meaty musical sandwich that will leave them begging for more.

And there is more…plenty! Included in this CD are over 40 minutes of enhanced features, includuding a short documentary about their collaboration with Walter Schriefils (Quicksand, Rival Schools, Walking Concert) for a song on the new album, three self-produced videos featuring animation in the same league as Gorillaz, several live bootleg tracks, and backstage tour footage. This EP is a must-have for fans of metal and hardcore as well as independent artists who want to learn the true meaning of “D.I.Y.”



Review by: Sean Lewis

- bedlam society


"bucket truck-live"

Over to the Kathedral, I catch a few songs of Irish metal band Tilted before going up stairs to see Bucket Truck in Reverb. As the band is setting up, I notice a hot looking crowd gathering in anticipation. Bucket Truck rip the audience a new asshole with their hardcore grind metal. You could even hear the freakin’ bongos and the lead guy is amazing.

*****************
Yikes. Everything is there musically for this band -- good riffs and solos, and decent songwriting -- now if only there was a bigger market for music this aggressive the band would be ready to put St. John's on the hardcore musical map - chartattack.com


"Bulldozers"

If you ask Matt Wells how much integrity there is in the music industry, he will tell you there is an equal number of those with it as without it. But faced with a choice, the Bucket Truck frontman chooses substance—and, consequently, deep debt—over style.

With their latest release, Favour the Bull, the Newfoundland-bred, Halifax-based band looked at what was on the table from major labels before rejecting the outside means of financial support, which were accompanied by creative constraints.

"We were made an offer for the worldwide rights of the band over three albums, with a promise of some tour support, and some marketing dollars," says the explosive singer for Atlantic Canada's foremost punk/metal group. "They offered to buy Favour the Bull for basically pennies, release it in Canada right away with no talk of priority for release in any other markets. A couple of larger indie labels also approached us, but nothing was really appealing."

The cost of this control hit the band hard in their pocketbooks.


Extras

comment on this artice
email this article to a friend
write a letter to the editor about this article
print this article








"We really broke ourselves with this album. Bank loans, credit cards, personal savings, you name it," says Wells, who is also the east coast videographer for MuchMusic's Going Coastal. "We poured our hearts into making it happen. Why would we just hand it over to someone who didn't even offer us 50 percent of the money we had personally dished out?"

Released September 27 on MySpace, Bucket Truck's long-awaited third full-length—their last was 2001's Waiting to Talk—arrived in stores on Tuesday. Favour the Bull is the blistering, long-awaited consequence of three years of truly independently created music and recurrent financial crises. Loaded with blazing but melodic guitars, aggressive bass and drum combinations topped off with Wells' inspired, open vocal approach, Favour the Bull will leave you fighting a losing battle to restrain yourself.

The process began with the band— Wells, percussionist Chris Hanley, bassist Dave Mullett, and the three Mikes (guitarists Rizkalla and Stewart, and drummer Rowe)— sequestering itself for three weeks in a haunted elementary school in rural Newfoundland community Pouch Cove, echoing the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Blood Sugar Sex Magik, recorded in a haunted mansion.

"The way that record was made was very appealing to us. We wanted to make an album exactly that way with no clock, and where everyone was together so ideas were always flowing," says Wells. "There were lots of weird things the first few days. Lots of gear just would not work and it didn't help our imaginations that the school was right next to a graveyard."

The origins of the producers also came into play on the recording. Bucket Truck finished the recording in Sweden with Pelle Henricsson, Eskil Lovstrom and Magnus Lindberg.

"Pelle and Eskil were the producers of the Refused album, The Shape of Punk to Come. Between the six of us there are only a few albums we all own, and that is one of them. We dreamed of being able to work with these guys," he says.

Bucket Truck also exercised their influence over their work in the video for the album's first single, called "I Am the New York Times." Released earlier this summer, the politically charged video is clearly influenced by Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues," with extras holding placards emphasizing important lyrics in the song.

While Bucket Truck has no expectations for the commercial success of the record, the band that has shared the stage with the likes of Green Day, Slayer and NOFX feel they have made something that will stick in their fans' minds.

"The same way your favourite fast food joint spits out your weekly special combo in 30 seconds, so too does the music industry with a new 'artist' until the audience is hungry for something new," says Wells. "There are so many great bands, songs and shows we will never experience because of that mentality. And it's sad."

Nine years playing as a band and it is something Bucket Truck has come to accept.

"We have been added to large tours and then at the last minute replaced by an act with a label paying their way on, or replaced by another artist with a booking agent, or manager pulling in a favor," he says. "It's just funny to us now. All you can do is laugh and keep moving."
- The Coast


Discography

2005-Favour The Bull
2004-The Republic EP
2001-Waiting to Talk
2000-Demo EP
1998-Mr Hero
1997-Solid Gold

Separate, Silence (Favour the Bull)-Radio Success in Canada. 5 Videos -Heavy Rotation in Canada.

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

Formed in St. John’s Newfoundland in 1996
-5 self financed recordings
-9 self produced videos
-Handling everything on their own (Bucket Truck Records), while working days jobs to pay the rent.

A ferocious live show has earned them a cult like following on their countless tours.

Between ’96 and 2000 strong word of mouth helped them land on stages across Canada playing for crowds of up to 30 000 with bands like Filter, Our Lady Peace and Green Day – and on festivals such as the Vans Warped Tour.

Bucket Truck’s first national release “Waiting to Talk” was nominated for Canadian Music Week’s metal album of the year in 2001. The following 3 years they spent touring the country and shared stages with bands like DOA, Lagwagon, Fishbone, Slayer and Damage Plan. “Waiting to Talk” also spawned 2 self-produced animated videos that landed heavy rotation on video stations across the country. Their videos and album made their way around the globe on the Internet and further expanded the bands cult following not only in Canada but Europe and Japan.

Once the band was ready to start the journey of making a new album they discussed what they really loved about music and performing; they wanted to record with a producer with their same ideals, someone whom they had total respect for and could make part of their family. Eventually they met with Pelle Henricsson and Eskil Lovstrom, the same team who are responsible for the groundbreaking Refused album “The Shape of Punk To Come”, the connection was strong and the band new they had found what they were looking for.

In the early Autumn months of 2003 Bucket Truck set out on their biggest adventure yet which included a 4 week long trip to Umea Sweden, to work with Pelle, Eskil and also Magnus Lindberg (Cult of Luna), followed by a 3-week mobile studio recording session living and working with their dream producers in a haunted elementary school in Pouch Cove Newfoundland where they slept in classrooms made notes on chalkboards and cooked dinner together every night in the old cafeteria.

During this time Bucket Truck were immersed in songwriting and managed to record an album they had always wanted to make. The guys were also lucky enough to hook up with one of their favorite musicians- Walter Schreifels (Quicksand, Rival Schools, Gorilla Biscuits) who traveled to Newfoundland for the very first time to hang out and lend some vocals and inspiration.

Bucket Truck then recorded 2 new songs with renowned producer Joe Funderburk (Tomahawk) and released “The Republic” EP in late 2004. This EP includes the Funderburk songs as well as 2 songs from the Sweden/Pouch Cove Sessions. It contains over 40 minutes of extra visual footage and the EP itself spawned 2 new self-produced videos. (I am the New York Times and People are Watching)

2 years after recording a self-financed album that brought them to the brink of financial disaster, Bucket Truck released their much-anticipated new full-length album “Favour The Bull” to critical acclaim and debut on Canada's Top 200.

It’s ironic that after 9 years of trying to make sense of the music business amongst dog and pony show industry showcases that were followed by rejections, offers and everything in between, the band turned down one world wide and 2 American record deals, opting to release the album that they financed themselves on their own label - Bucket Truck Records.