Monster Truck

Playing loud-and-proud hard rock that mixes strutting '70s-style arena sounds with a dash of grunge-era sneer, Monster Truck were formed in Hamilton, Ontario in 2009 by members of two of the area's most popular bands -- guitarist Jeremy Widerman and drummer Steve Kiely had played with the group <a href="spotify:artist:0caZ2plITb5HPl6pq1DvoA">the Reason</a>, and keyboard man Brandon Bliss worked with <a href="spotify:artist:6zwvNZwjNsTwXtDy8ZIIsL">Saint Alvia</a>. Eager to play the sort of no-nonsense hard rock they'd grown up on, Widerman, Bliss, and Kiely teamed up with singer and bassist Jon Harvey, and in 2010 Monster Truck cut a four-song EP, originally sold at the merch tables at their shows. As word about the group spread, they struck a deal with Canadian indie label <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Dine+Alone+Records%22">Dine Alone Records</a>, who in 2011 distributed their second EP, a six-song release called The Brown EP. Two tunes from The Brown EP, "Righteous Smoke" and "Seven Seas Blues," became staples on Canadian rock radio, and in 2012 Monster Truck gave a handful of their tracks a vinyl re-release on the 12" LP The Don't Fuck with the Truck Collection. The year 2012 also saw Monster Truck joining forces with <a href="spotify:artist:4U33udokhmKATsu8UoqUEN">the Sheepdogs</a> for a sold-out tour of Canada, as well as opening several area dates for hard rock legends <a href="spotify:artist:568ZhdwyaiCyOGJRtNYhWf">Deep Purple</a>.

By this time, Widerman, Bliss, and Kiely had quit their other bands to rock full-time with Monster Truck, and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Dine+Alone%22">Dine Alone</a> had struck a distribution deal with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Universal%22">Universal</a>. In 2013, the band dropped its first full-length album, Furiosity, which rose to number 13 on the Canadian album charts. As Monster Truck began growing into rock stardom at home, they won a Juno Award as the Breakthrough Group of 2013. After more touring in Canada, the United States, and Europe -- including a stop at the U.K.'s annual hard rock event the Download Festival and a run of dates opening for <a href="spotify:artist:64tNsm6TnZe2zpcMVMOoHL">Alice in Chains</a> -- Monster Truck entered the studio in 2015 to begin work on their second album. Titled Sittin' Heavy, it was released early in 2016. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi