Date Released: October 7th 2022. Record Label: Forbidden Place Records. Formats: Cassette/DD/Vinyl
It Thrives In Darkness - Tracklisting
State Of Anger
Larva
Motionless
Sinning Time
In Light Of Your Death
It Thrives In Darkness
Members
Rob Sneddon - Guitar / Vocals
Jude Croxford - Bass
Review
Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metallers Sky Pig's new album In Thrives In Darkness is an aggressive blast of different bleak sounds that draws on influences such as CONAN, YOB, Neurosis and UFOMAMMUT with a dark fuzzy undertone. The music moves into Amplifier DIstortion territory with outbursts of Sonic based riffage with the band creating a dark Psychedelic energy throughout the album.
Heavy guitars and industrial sounds are aided by intense drumming and bleak vocals which you can hear on the excellent opening track State Of Anger which captures the early Punk fuelled essence of Neurosis. Throw in some CONAN-esque guitars and Sky Pig could be also considered closer to other underground acts such as Kowloon Walled City. The lyrics are more DOOM based and it works to Sky Pig's advantage, as they create a dense and sullen atmosphere that brings an extra layer of heaviness to their music.
Second song Larva is where the Psychedelic and Spaced Out sounds appear with some lo-fi vocals setting the scene. Different layers of sludgy abstract guitars are never too far behind. When the drums appear, the music goes into nightmarish territory and Sky Pig brings an early-era Mastodon sound even with the DIY production values that's one of the standout parts of the album. This part of the album veers into Post-Metal direction but Sky Pig adds a more abstract Atmospheric Doom Metal aspect to their overall sound. Solitary guitars are sullen with a world-weary attitude that gives the Ambient noises more weight to their appearance.
Third song Motionless is perhaps a more riffier affair with Sky Pig taking their time in building up a more STONER/WEEDIAN approach to the album. The song is deceptively LOUD with the band playing some of the more interesting sounds and grooves on the album. The vocals are more experimental with the Psychedelic soundscapes moving further into Darker and Gloomier pastures. The LO-FI production values allows Sky Pig to play a more uncompromising sound that dwells more heavily onto Prog Metal rhythms that allow Motionless to be one of the wildest and standout tracks on the album.
Fourth Track Sinning Time is the most riff-centric track on the album with this being the shortest song on the album. Fast-paced industrial grooves soon give way to a more despairing and daring Doom/Sludge Metal sound. Sky Pig don't let up in bringing their bleak creative vision to life. There's small doses or hints of melodic grooves with the band playing a more muscular and aggressive style of music. Industrial beats and twinges of Dark Psych Metal have been added wisely within a barrage of finely tuned progressive sounds.
The final two tracks - In Light Of Your Death and It Thrives On Darkness - captures Sky Pig at their most experimental and gloomiest best. Both songs contain a fine amount of Psychedelic Sounds with gloomy vocals to match. The down-tuned guitars are forceful and plentiful with Sky Pig playing a more DEMONIC style of music. These two tracks are the other standout tracks on the album.
As I've said repeatedly in this review, the album contains superb LO-FI production values which allows Sky Pig to create a more threatening style of music. If you enjoy your music all the way upto ELEVEN on the AMPLIFIER WORSHIP chart, then Sky Pig are the band for you.
It Thrives In Darkness is a sublime album that allows Sky Pig The perfect opportunity to showcase their undeniable talent to the Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal underground scene and hopefully gain a bigger following along the way.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
You can buy It Thrives In Darkness on Cassette/DD/Vinyl via Forbidden Place Records now.
Links:
