Inland Empire hardcore crew Big Ass Truck I.E. released their debut EP, Found On Road Dead, yesterday, Tuesday, Oct. 20, via Nuclear Blast Records, and kicked off their first North American headlining tour the same night in San Diego at Corazon Del Barrio. The Found On Road Dead release came with a new video for “Big Ass Gun,” directed by Chris Klumpp, according to the band’s press release on Screamer Magazine. The tour wraps Nov. 25 back in SoCal at The Glass House in Pomona.
Found On Road Dead Tracklist
The five-track EP includes the previously released single “Dragging Meat”:
- Found On Road Dead
- Dragging Meat
- Big Ass Gun
- Forced Through Sludge
- 1 Trillion Pounds
The press release describes the band’s sound as “pulverizing metallic hardcore, massive breakdowns and an unapologetically over-the-top monster truck aesthetic.” The F.O.R.D. initials in the title fit the theme. The band’s own bio, included with the release, is in the same spirit: “Born in the Inland Empire. Fueled by diesel and bad decisions.”
Found On Road Dead is the band’s debut EP, released through Nuclear Blast. “Dragging Meat” was released ahead of it as a single, with its own video.
The ‘Big Ass Gun’ Video
Klumpp is credited in all three reports as a director for 156/Silence. Screamer and Lambgoat also list Currents among his credits, while ThePRP lists Gideon. The press release says the song runs “just under two minutes” and calls it “a relentless barrage of crushing riffs, bone-rattling breakdowns and irresistible two-step grooves,” adding that it’s “already a fan favorite” at the band’s shows.
Found On Road Dead on Vinyl
There are three vinyl versions of Found On Road Dead, per the press release:
- Black Tire Edition: a limited 10-inch, tire-inspired vinyl pressing, out now, alongside a new EP T-shirt.
- F.O.R.D. Edition: on pre-order now, shipping Dec. 11.
- Crusher Edition: an independent record store exclusive, on pre-order now, also due Dec. 11.
Prices for the Found On Road Dead vinyl weren’t included in the announcement. Tickets and tour info are at the band’s site, bigasstruckie.com.
The Tour
The run started in San Diego on Tuesday night, with Load Tha Nine supporting on the West Coast leg. The press release says the tour covers “more than two dozen cities across the United States and Canada.” ThePRP says Chamber and Mugshot will also join the trek, and the support on other legs rotates:
- With Load Tha Nine: San Diego (Oct. 20) through Denver (Oct. 28), including San Francisco, Portland, Spokane, Seattle and Boise.
- With Surfaced: Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Toronto (Oct. 30 to Nov. 5). ThePRP notes Surfaced isn’t on the Oct. 31 Chicago show at Gods Of Chaos.
- With Restrictor Plate and Surfaced: Hartford, Baltimore, Worcester, Brooklyn’s Saint Vitus, Philadelphia, Richmond and Atlanta (Nov. 7 to 14).
- Warped Tour Orlando: Nov. 15.
- With Lie: Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Mesa and Las Vegas (Nov. 17 to 24).
- Pomona, The Glass House: Nov. 25. ThePRP marks this date “no Lie,” and none of the sources name the support for it.
The list also includes an Oct. 10 Furnace Fest set in Birmingham, Ala., which came before the headlining run.
UK and Ireland in January
After Pomona, the band heads to the UK and Ireland in January 2027 for a headlining run with local hardcore band Pintglass, starting in Newcastle and ending in Belfast on Feb. 3. The sources don’t fully agree on the details. Lambgoat lists the Newcastle opener as Jan. 21, while the Screamer press release lists it as Jan. 1. Lambgoat lists the Jan. 31 Manchester show at The Star & Garter, while Screamer lists Rebellion. Check the band’s site before you book anything.
Why It Matters Here
Big Ass Truck I.E. are a Southern California band on Nuclear Blast, and they opened their first headlining tour at Tough Love Tattoo Parlor, a venue that’s in our venue listings. It is worth mentioning that, originally, this event was supposed to take place at Corazon Del Barrio stage but was later moved to Tough Love Tattoo Parlor. If you missed the San Diego stop, which came on Found On Road Dead release day, the closest remaining date is Pomona on Nov. 25. For more Southern California hardcore, see our coverage of Bleeding Through in San Diego and Ignite’s latest album. If you’re up for a drive, Thrown’s 2027 tour hits Santa Ana in March. For more local shows, see our San Diego metal scene guide.
SDMETAL