Lancashire, U.K.-based rock outfit Massive Wagons channels the grandeur of heavy rock through contemporary production values that keep their approach fresh. After years of constant live performances and the arrival of their first full-length effort, Fire It Up, in 2012, the group refined its anthemic approach across successive releases. This commitment to their sound, paired with a reputation for high-energy concerts, eventually translated into broader acclaim via 2018’s Full Nelson and 2022’s Triggered.
The band came together in 2009 after Barry “Baz” Mills on vocals and Adam Thistlewaite on guitar departed their prior project, Ace Face, seeking a heavier direction. They recruited Adam’s brother Alex Thistlewaite on drums, along with Adam Bouskill on bass and Carl Cochrane on guitar. Drawing on their familiarity with the regional scene, the members steadily built momentum, issuing their first EP, Sniff the Riff, which attracted interest from Casket Records. Although Fire It Up appeared in 2012, it remained largely unnoticed beyond existing fans. The group pressed on, winning the Highway to Hell contest in 2013 and securing a contract with Off Yer Rocka. That label issued the next two albums: Fight the System in 2014 and Welcome to the World in 2016, the latter finally earning them attention across the country.
In 2017 the lineup shifted when Cochrane exited and Stephen “Stevie” Hull joined, while the band moved to Earache Records. Full Nelson, their fourth studio set, arrived the following year and debuted at number 16 on the U.K. official charts. Afterward they toured extensively, appearing at Download Festival and supporting Status Quo. In 2019 they opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd on the latter’s farewell run and later staged their own headline dates. Early in 2020 the musicians returned to the studio with producer Colin Richardson, whose credits include Trivium and Sepultura, and engineer Chris Clancy, known for work with Killswitch Engage and As I Lay Dying. House of Noise surfaced on Earache midway through the year and peaked at number nine on the U.K. album charts. Two years later came their sixth album, Triggered, whose forceful, punk-inflected tracks were led by the defiant single “Fuck the Haters.”
