OUT OF THE BARNYARD

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)