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Swedish Power Trio Brings Stoner Rock To Brick & Mortar

By Dave Pehling

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS) -- Iconic stoner rock acts like Kyuss and Fu Manchu have inspired a legion of similarly styled amplifier worshipers throughout Europe, but perhaps nowhere more so than Sweden. Back in the early '90s, fuzzed-out, down-tuned Nordic disciples like Dozer, Lowrider, and Spiritual Beggars proved Joshua trees and dry heat weren't required to create compelling, psychedelic stoner grooves.

While powerful Swedish trio Truckfighters didn't form until 2001, in the 15+ years since Oscar "Ozo" Cedermalm (bass, vocals) and Niklas "Dango" Källgren (guitar) founded the band, the band has established itself as one of the genre's most tuneful purveyors of thunderous, psychedelic heavy rock. A pair of self-released EPs led Truckfighters to be signed to American imprint MetorCity Records, which put out the band's full-length debut Gravity X in 2005.

Truckfighters - Manhattan Project by R1FF on YouTube

With each successive effort, Truckfighters have continued to deliver a compelling combination of guitar heft and spacious jams that never skimp on memorable melodies. Heavy touring and a steady rotation of drummers led to a five-year between albums before finally releasing Universe in 2014. The stellar mix of urgent, riff-driven anthems and intricately layered epics like 13-minute album closer "Mastodont" proved the disc was well worth the wait.

Mastodont by Truckfighters - Topic on YouTube

Truckfighters return to the Bay Area this week on it's current tour promoting last year's mellower but still hard-hitting effort V released on the band's own Fuzzorama imprint in partnership with Century Media, bringing their arena-sized, high-energy stage show to Brick & Mortar Music Hall Tuesday. With its latest drummer Daniel "El Danno" Israelsson providing propulsive beats, the band is joined by touring partners Mothership, a powerhouse Texas-based trio that puts a southern twist on tuneful metal template created by British heavyweights UFO and Iron Maiden, Opening San Jose band and established Ripple Music act Zed channel a mix of classic '80s metal and the '90s alt-rock heft that recalls Soundgarden and Clutch on their hard-swinging third album Trouble in Eden that came out through the label last fall.

Truckfighters with Mothership and Zed
Tuesday, Nov. 7, 9 p.m. $20
Brick & Mortar Music Hall

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