Article By: Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker ‡ Edited By: Leanne Ridgeway
It is almost impossible to believe that St. Louis’ Spacetrucker only came together as a unit in 2016. The band, guitarist / vocals Mike Owen, bassist Patrick Mulvaney, and drummer Bryan ‘Del Toro’ Weitekemper, have an intensely solid sound, one usually derived after years in the trenches. Like most bands, I’d be willing to wager that they individually busted their asses in various bands and projects before hitting the mark within Spacetrucker together.
On March 31st, this powerful trio will independently reissue their début album ‘Launch Sequence’ on CD. They will effectively relaunch this stunningly stellar seven-song slab of traditionally inspired Stoner Rock goodness just in time for a jaunt of tour engagements to follow.
With heaping heaviness and dense riffery, the musical side of Spacetrucker hits the listener like a runaway Mack on cuts like “New Pubes” (one of my faves), “Sleeper“, and “Trenchfoot“. At other times, the guys settle down a tad and let more melodic vibes emanate like those on the back to back “Giza” and “Old Flower“.
There’s even a sonic display of Punk Rock edge at times, like on the album-closing “Ain’t Gonna…“, a no-holds-barred, high energy number that will leave your head spinning. That said, my favorite song is definitely the groove-fueled “Science Of Us“, a chugging number with fiery guitars and rumbling bass lines. Topped off with airy vocals and shuddering drums, the song is a boisterous cut that embodies everything that Spacetrucker is about.
If you like bands channeling moments of inspiration from the likes of Kyuss, Monster Magnet, or Solace then Spacetrucker is the ride for you. Don’t miss the ride when Launch Sequence is re-issued on March 31st… ’til then you can stream it in the Bandcamp embed below. Further on down you can also find all Spacetrucker‘s upcoming tour dates and live appearances!
Spacetrucker tour dates:
