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FRIGHT PIG

Symphonic Prog • United States


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Fright Pig biography
Project of American keyboardist and composer Josh KIRSCH from New York City, USA

"Born after an ear splitting explosion and devastating fire at the former Sunnydale Farm (& Gift Shoppe Experience), Fright Pig retreated to a local underground burrow to contemplate his fate. Reeling from the effects of the explosion, he concluded that the world no longer venerated the melodious complexity of Progressive Rock, Fright Pig immediately set out to correct such an oversight. After seven years and several hundred gallons of hard corn syrup (his drink of choice) he emerged with a snarling, yet lovable band of musical porcine mudslingers...and a scintillating Progressive Rock masterwork. His freshman album "Out of the Barnyard" provides a musical glimpse into the hard-bitten world of agrarian dreams and nightmares. It is a world seldom seen and even harder to imagine, but whose ripple effects tug at the very fabric of our being."

(Official biography provided by the band)


E&O Team update (2017):
In 2014 FRIGHT PIG performed live at RoSfest.

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FRIGHT PIG discography


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3.95 | 264 ratings
Out Of The Barnyard
2013

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FRIGHT PIG Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Out Of The Barnyard by FRIGHT PIG album cover Studio Album, 2013
3.95 | 264 ratings

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Out Of The Barnyard
Fright Pig Symphonic Prog

Review by sgtpepper

3 stars I've found this album in my discography and considered it an obscure item by its name and lack of publicity. My premonition was confirmed after hearing the album - it is an original piece of work indeed. It lacks the one-directional legacy burden and is rather pained by different colours, be it some 70's Gentle Giant/ELP, classical music, alternative rock or a millenium-driven Spock's Beard/Transatlantic (keyboards) and Symphony X (guitar). Any inspiration is cleverly baked in and masked behind adjacent layers of music.

The least interesting element in the chain are vocals which are passable and sparse, fortunately, for we have splendid instrumentation to look it. Keyboards and drumming stand out for me. The drummer is well-versed in myriad of styles and complexity levels. Keyboard are excellent, sometimes majestic, sometimes very technical and the sounds well chosen.

Some may object that music is incoherent because of so many different styles mixed in and they are right, you likely won't be remembering this album because of songwriting. For me, it was interesting trying to map what I heard to other bands I know and focusing on what's coming next to be heard. This is a daring album for adventurous listening. 3.5 stars

 Out Of The Barnyard by FRIGHT PIG album cover Studio Album, 2013
3.95 | 264 ratings

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Out Of The Barnyard
Fright Pig Symphonic Prog

Review by siLLy puPPy
Special Collaborator PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic

5 stars Clearly not all little pigs are created equal. Some went to market, some stayed home and collaborated with other piggies to build ever stronger houses to foil a wolf with an appetite for destruction and then there was one who just wanted to be scary. FRIGHT PIG had had enough of the rural life and decided he was soooo OUT OF THE BARNYARD and went to music school instead. The result is the first all PIG band dishing out one delicious genre of music followed by another. Not much is known of this band since they took the black metal anonymity approach and are rumored to be rolling around the mud somewhere in New York state.

What starts off with the first track "re CREATION" sounding like something Neal Morse would come up with on a Spock's Beard album mixed with other similar bands gives way to an ELP- esque Irish jig on the second "Incident At Pembroke." This album in fact displays everything that could please both classic progsters of the 70s mixed with galloping classic metal of the 80s with lots of ethnic flavors thrown into the pot that really simmer down into a deliciousness unlike any other band i've encountered. For the most part we get a virtuosic ELP approach on the keyboards delivering one furiously complex run after another, we get sizzling traditional metal riffs and solos hot enough to smoke some pork and we get beautifully constructed melodies that range somewhere on the far reaches of neo-prog meets symphonic Mainhorse and Kansas type of stuff.

This album has many different sounds and moods but then again since no credits are listed it very well could be completely different musicians on performing on different tracks since FRIGHT PIG is actually the name of the main PIG while the band of the same name technically is a group of guest musicians. Despite the obscured details regarding the identities of the band, i tend to agree with all those who believe that this is certainly a super group hosting a plethora of highly developed and paid-their-dues veterans of the musical world where they could play around in the mud together and have some fun without their record companies bitchin' at them for getting dirty.

As a lover of virtuosic musicianship this is truly a joy to listen to. The highlight of this album is the excellent "Barque At The Lune" which slightly changes Ozzy Osbourne's "Bark At The Moon" riffs and seriously progifies it by adding all kinds of tasty instrumental touches which includes a very accurate solo mimicking the original's Jake E Lee sizzling solo which abruptly turns into a lightning fast Chopin keyboard run and then the two play together. Hmmm? maybe it could be Jake playing his own solo for all i know!

After hanging out on the farm for a while with this one, i wanted to wait and see if this is one of those flash in the pan type of novelties but i have to say that i personally haven't tired of it, in fact, the whole thing sounds super electrified with enough piggy passion to run a power plant. This is exactly what everyone was hoping for with super groups like Asia, GTR and Transatlantic to sound like but this one actually delivers where those were ok but not up to this level. This album really has everything: depth, delicate beauty, blitzkrieg virtuosity and excellent song structures. Well, don't let this FRIGHT PIG scare you away with its extreme technicality. The music is perfectly balanced with highly stimulating creative motifs guaranteed to addict you with symphonic bombast, Irish jigs, Chopin piano, metal guitar solos, Symphony X operatic style vocals and even an outstanding Spanish classical guitar bit. BTW, it has been revealed that the mastermind of this project is actually a bipedal mammalian specimen residing in the species homo sapiens and his name is Josh Kirsch.

4.5 rounded uP!

 Out Of The Barnyard by FRIGHT PIG album cover Studio Album, 2013
3.95 | 264 ratings

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Out Of The Barnyard
Fright Pig Symphonic Prog

Review by Green Shield Stamp

4 stars Very accomplished modern prog album. Fright Pig blend classic prog (especially Genesis organ and guitar sounds) with neo prog and contemporary prog-related rock (very strong similarities to Muse in places). All the tracks on the album have melodic and rhythmic instrumental complexity - manna from heaven for prog fans. Pig Maillion (the nom de plume of the lead singer) has a strong voice, a little like Gabriel in places. Like a lot of modern prog, the guitar riffage has a metal edge in places, creating a beefy (or perhaps porky) robustness to the overall sound. I like this album very much because it has strong melodies which give real depth and substance to the work. Consequently it creates a silk purse out of silk - not a sow's ear.
 Out Of The Barnyard by FRIGHT PIG album cover Studio Album, 2013
3.95 | 264 ratings

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Out Of The Barnyard
Fright Pig Symphonic Prog

Review by Progulator
Prog Reviewer

3 stars Fright Pig, a band who at first glimpse of the song titles seems to be just a gag, ends up being quite a storm of modern, heavy, hard hitting progressive rock. At some point or another this group of oinkers seems to be just about everywhere on the map from classic symphonic prog to neo prog and prog metal, with the tendency to deliver with loads of energy and a frequency of swapping instruments in and out of the arrangement that would please your ADHD. "Recreation" delivers up front with some Yes like tendencies in the keys, but then gives us moments of prog metal and even a great eerie section of vibrato choir vocals over the top of weaving guitar harmonies and piano runs. "Incident at Bembroke" is a straight up prog/folk metal jig with 70′s prog leanings (lots of organ and synths) and a good deal of rhythmic interest, while "Barque at the Lune" is a full out prog metal romp replete with technical guitars, double kick, shredding, and classical style piano soloing. As the album progresses it seems to get more and more technical with tunes like "Darkest of Forms," mixing 80′s rock, baroque, and wild instrumental sections, as well as "Presumido," a full on flamenco metal piece (calling to mind Power of Omens) with some nice extra touches like the screaming Hammonds and classical guitar. At first I was blown away by this as being an album that presents mountains of energy and sounds, but as it went on it became apparent that there may be a bit too much focus on wild instrumental arrangements and not enough on clearly purposeful composition, in my opinion at least. Still, Fright Pig delivers an impressive debut with Out of the Barnyard, dazzling with their ability to seamlessly meld and transition between prog genres and really come out all guns blazing. Get ready to roll around in the mud with Fright Pig!
 Out Of The Barnyard by FRIGHT PIG album cover Studio Album, 2013
3.95 | 264 ratings

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Out Of The Barnyard
Fright Pig Symphonic Prog

Review by b_olariu
Prog Reviewer

3 stars Fright Pig is one of the newer prog bands of the scene that got last year 2013 lots of recognitions world wide, rave reviews and all. Well, definetly I needed to check this one out, since I'm a prog lover and colector. So, what we have here a debut named Out of the barnyard with a very good cover art and art work overall, nice booklet - made by already famous Ed Unitsky. What about the music, most of the time ok, even great in places, something between ELP in keyboards department with loud guitars - one of the problems of the album to me, symphonic prog going towards a more harder edge in parts, a combination between Kansas and ELP. A little problem is to my ears, that the guitars are to loud most of the time in comparation with the rest of the instruments and another thing is that the arrangements are little chaotic on some pieces, no clear direction. As a whole I like the album, no particular moments are excellent but pieces like instrumentals Incident at Pembroke, Barque at the Lune or Presumido my fav of the album shows big potential with catchy passages and nice interplay between musicians. I think Fright Pig definetly will make some more ripples in prog circles in years to come, besides their music the names they use are quite funny. Good album but far from excellent. 3 stars rounded to 3.5 because of those instrumentals.

 Out Of The Barnyard by FRIGHT PIG album cover Studio Album, 2013
3.95 | 264 ratings

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Out Of The Barnyard
Fright Pig Symphonic Prog

Review by Windhawk
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

5 stars US band FRIGHT PIG is one of which we don't know too much right now. It is based in New York, USA, and appears to be the creative vehicle of the composer and keyboardist who has chosen to use the moniker Fright Pig for his progressive rock oriented excursions. This project began in 2006 or 2008, depending on which of the sources the band has made you want to believe, and "Out of the Barnyard" is his/their debut album. An album that has been met with a lot of positive attention, and which secured this anonymous band a slot at the 2014 edition of the fairly prestigious Rites of Spring progressive rock festival in Gettysburg, USA.

Fright Pig is one of the positive surprises of 2013, and their debut album "Out of the Barnyard" is a tour de force of flamboyant, challenging music residing somewhere in between symphonic progressive rock and metal with a progressive sheen to it if not progressive metal as such. This is a band that has found many fans as is, and if I should take a guess at what their key audience might be I'd say that those who love artists such as ELP, Virgin Steele and Iron Maiden with equal passion should love this band and this album through and through.

 Out Of The Barnyard by FRIGHT PIG album cover Studio Album, 2013
3.95 | 264 ratings

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Out Of The Barnyard
Fright Pig Symphonic Prog

Review by Progrussia

4 stars Out of the Barnyard is technically impressive, energetically produced and tongue-in-cheek (Barque at the Lune - that's pretty funny), but hardly a masterpiece of form and substance. It feels like a musical lesson, a rather random demonstration of all the popular techniques of prog (mainly from the 70s) plus assorted classical and traditional bits and pieces (a classical piano, a spanish guitar, a fiddle, a Celtic melody), in what only nominally could be called songs. It's pretty rocking, but I would disagree with some reviewers who complained of it being too metal. Vocals also would perfectly pass for bombastic hard rock. I think this a record purely for prog fanatics, who would get a kick out of all the references here.
 Out Of The Barnyard by FRIGHT PIG album cover Studio Album, 2013
3.95 | 264 ratings

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Out Of The Barnyard
Fright Pig Symphonic Prog

Review by ProgShine
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars Fright Pig is a band (if we can call them like that) like no other in the Prog world. There are no names involved, at least not real names, and the real face of Fright Pig (the guy behind the project) is also unknown. Their line up (according to the booklet of the CD) is comprised of: Fright Pig (keyboards and compositions), Pig Maillion (vocals), Thumper (drums), Hogg Wilde (bass) and Hamm Onwry, Makon Baykon, Inna Pigsie, Pig Lee Whigli, Ray Zorbak (guitars). The album was also mixed by Porcio Royale and mastered by BaconHead?

Out Of The Barnyard (2013) is a weird album in concept. All the info about the band is like a big riddle and the artwork of Ed Unitsky on the cover and booklet is also weird, to say the least. When it comes to the music, they're not really weird. They're more likely to follow a pattern of vocal and instrumental songs and a pattern when it comes to the overall sound of the album.

Track one 're:Creation' is indeed an amazing opening track with a damn catchy melody and keyboards that keep getting me back to The Flower Kings sound. On track two, the instrumental 'Incident At Pembroke', we have a weird mix of Heavy Prog with folk Scottish (?!?) music. But there's no mistake that Out Of The Barnyard (2013) is a keyboards driven album, which is always good if well written.

By the time of 'The Meaning Of Dreams' we have a clear influence of Emerson, Lake & Palmer on the track. One more weird thing about this album is the lyrics. I couldn't quite figure out if they were serious about it or if it's some concept with the pigs on the cover and in their names. I keep imagining a kind of Prog Rock conceptual story about Babe (Babe is a children movie where a real little pig wants to be a sheepdog). Leaving this aside, Fright Pig's music continues showing us its high quality in the next instrumental piece 'Barque At The Lune'. Initially a piano classic piece that soon changes and becomes a Prog Metal track.

The follow up track 'Darkest Of Forms' begins almost as a kind of Depeche Mode song and soon moves to be a Prog Rock in the 90's vein with a heavy approach. The vocals begin as a gloomy narration with some sort of somber mood that once again ends up being a Prog Metal theme with some interludes here and there. 'Presumido' continues the album routine of instrumental track after a vocal track, this time they begin with an acoustic guitars in the intro. But soon Fright Pig embarks once again on the Prog Metal formula, which turn out to be a bit tiring and quite predictable.

Final track on Out Of The Barnyard (2013) is 'The Claustrophobia Of Time' and finally we can actually hear a bit of the damn barnyard. This track is more Symphonic, but still charged with heavy distorted guitars. When the vocals start you can feel some Agents Of Mercy on the overall sound. But in the end, it is the mix of Symphonic keyboards and Prog Metal guitars that rules it all.

Out Of The Barnyard (2013) can be tiring with the Symphonic/Prog Metal formula, especially because they pretty much appear on every song. But Fright Pig is quite a unique character and they have done pretty much alright for a debut album and there's plenty here for you to sink your teeth in. That's why I think you should go for it!

(Originally posted on progshine.net)

 Out Of The Barnyard by FRIGHT PIG album cover Studio Album, 2013
3.95 | 264 ratings

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Out Of The Barnyard
Fright Pig Symphonic Prog

Review by DrömmarenAdrian

3 stars Fright Pig is the name of an American band which has recently released their debut record "Out of the Barnyard" 2013 and the recond has got credits from many persons. The cover is quite finny with a pig mother feeding her children, an astronaut and a farm. The band seems to be anonymous.

I won't agree with all those people who have been praising this record. Over all the music is too heavy and metal like for me. I hear tendencies I like in every track but it doesn't work for me. My favourite track is the first "Re: Creation" which had a lot of great instruments and a sweet heavy sound but perhaps I got bored quickly. Then I think the music gets worse all the time. "Baroque at the lune" with its classical approach could have been interesting but a metal-like guitar destroys my view. I have problem with the music being so heavy.

The qualities are sweaping long tracks with variation and rather pleasant vocals. Though I feel the music is forced into heavyness and this isn't a musical landscape I will flee to. It's in no way bad so three stars is what I am going to give.

 Out Of The Barnyard by FRIGHT PIG album cover Studio Album, 2013
3.95 | 264 ratings

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Out Of The Barnyard
Fright Pig Symphonic Prog

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars Fun, funny, witty, and excellent mimickry! The band sounds like a refined Iron Maiden. As other reviewers have mentioned, the musicianship is top notch, the singing impressive, the compositions very fresh and interesting, full of unexpected twists and turns. Where I have a problem with this music is that it draws from a lot of the kind of metal and prog metal for which I do not/have never found an affinity. The acoustic and Spanish guitar parts are my favorite parts but then they usually get blended into or drowned out by the electric parts. And I also agree that this is one of the more impressive displays on the batterie I've heard this year. Great 'start' from what sounds like a VERY seasoned 80s metal band. I'll wait till the next one to see if this is a fluke, all a fun-in-cheek parody, or the work of some serious prog artists.
Thanks to southsideofthesky for the artist addition. and to Quinino for the last updates

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