Swaggering into the room like suited and booted businessmen settling down for an evening of fine dining, TRUCKFIGHTERS are hardly a band short on confidence. With fifth album 'V', this Swedish trio have continued on their path of stoner-rock enlightenment with a record that mixes these stoner vibes with moments of unadulterated, wildly distorted bastardisation.

Despite the often visceral nature of the scuzzy riffs and the thunderous thump of the drums, there are a whole host of intricacies on display that demonstrate not only the skill but the intelligence of the band. 'Hawkshaw' is perhaps the best example of this, blasting out of the blocks like a cocaine-addicted cheetah before settling into a refined yet stomping groove that is hard not to be swept up by. Similarly, 'Gehenna' infuses some good ol' Swedish sensibilities with some sweeping guitar lines that pack the punch of a Tyson left hook.

While there are these flashes of sheer brilliance littered in the crevices of this record, you can't help but feel like Truckfighters should be well on their way to being world beaters by now. Their sound is both interesting and exciting; their creativity unquestionable... so what is it that's held them back? Why are Truckfighters not selling out arenas and playing late in the day at festivals across the world? Well for a start there are a few lapses in this record where the less-patient of listeners may be inclined to drift away into their world, while some oddly structured tracks (see opener 'Calm Before the Storm') are slightly too haphazard to leave any lasting impact. These inconsistencies, while small in the grand scheme of things, are what stop this record shifting from something good to something great.

Despite these flaws it's hard to criticise the scope of 'V' as a record, as the positives far outweigh the negatives as the final notes ring out. Getting under the skin of this record can be tricky but undoubtedly rewarding, with another layer peeling away each time you listen to reveal some beautifully artistic flourishes. It's a musically abstract creation that would make a strong addition to any music collection; however the jury is still out on whether you'd go back to it with any regularity. TRUCKFIGHTERS are the potential saviours of stoner rock but, on this evidence at least, they're not quite there yet...