Are you ready for another charge of modern US metal? Oops, Xtrunk are actually French, and 'Full Confession' is their sophomore album. Modern metal with some links to thrash and death metal (riffs, drumming and some vocals) is the band's trade.

The biggest pitfall about the modern metal is its rigidity to really adapt into something a bit different. Xtrunk have coloured their typical music with some good lead guitar work (minus too obvious Swedish style melodiousness), that give the music some adhesiveness. Otherwise it is all too familiar stuff. A lot of chugga-chugga riffage, fast beats with loads of double kick drumming, loud hardcorey vocals... The band are energetic in their performance, and at times the songs roll on briskily, and with huge groove.

Hardcore style vocals are sometimes very close to Phil Anselmo (ex-Pantera), but when they venture in more typical territories, that my ears do not like. Spoken words, throaty growling and more cleaner vocals (if 'Silver Tray's chorus does not sound like Diablo, I'll eat my head) are also heard. The vocals department is definitely not one-sided.

The vocals are very loud and clear on the top of the music. The drums are typical triggered stuff, sounding so machiney. Guitar and bass tones are warm. Cover artwork is well arranged, but looks like death metal cover, but the band's logo exposes the right condition about the music inside.

To me 'Full Confession' is way too light alloy of modern US style groove metal. It is well played, but typical riffs only infrequently coloured with lead guitar work isn't enough to lift Xtrunk to the first division. If you want to test it, try rabid 'Corpses in the River', Pantera-esque 'As an Open Secret', and the closer 'Painted with Vulgarity' which is closest thing to thrash on the album.

Rating: 5+ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
12/16/2010 18:05