Faces Of The Bog - Animals (Album Review)

Release Date: September 06th 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Animals: Tracklisting

1.Pigs on the wing (Part 1)

2.Dogs

3.Pigs (Three different ones) 

4.Sheep

5.Pigs on the wing 

Members

Trey Wedgeworth: Guitar, vocals, keys, synth

Paul Bradfield: Bass, vocals

Danny Garcia: Drums

Mark Cichra: Guitar, Acoustic guitar

Review

Psych/Sludge/Stoner Metallers Faces Of The Bog released their classic debut album Ego Death back in 2016 and is perhaps one of the most overlooked records from the underground scene. Now fast forward eight years later and the band are back with a different kind of record. As the band have bravely decided to cover the whole of the Pink Floyd classic album Animals. This has been done previously before by Kyle Shutt (The Sword) back in 2017 with his critically acclaimed take on Dark Side Of The Moon though this time called Doom Side Of The Moon.

Faces Of The Bog keep firmly close to the script of the original version but with the band adding moments of Sludge Rock, Doom Rock and Stoner Rock edging closely to the forefront of the classic Pink Floyd creative template of exploratory Psychedelic Rock passages. The sound this time is quite vibrant with a heavier and sonic sound with Faces Of The Bog injecting their own underground personality into the record with intriguing results especially within Dogs and Pigs (Three Different Ones).

I will admit I’m not a huge fan of Pink Floyd. I deeply respect and admire their musical legacy but I’m only aware of a few albums that I’ve listened to with Dark Side Of The Moon and Animals being the main ones. However, this record has a haunting message that feels as relevant ever since it was originally released back in 1977. The vocals contained here resemble the overall flow of the original recordings but still vastly different at the same time with excellent work by both Trey Wedgeworth and Paul Bradfield. 

This version of Animals is perhaps way more Spaced Out and Psychedelic compared to the original which allows Faces Of The Bog to retain that aggressive sound heard on their debut album to be heard on this record as well. Once again the band have teamed up with the genius that is Sanford Parker who co-produced, recorded and mixed this album and sometimes the record has a gloomy Progressive Metal or Post-Metal attitude especially on the later stages of the album the haunting cover of Sleep.

Faces Of The Bog have delivered a wonderfully progressive and modern take on a landmark album with Animals. With subtle and heavy pounding Sludge Metal grooves becoming the highlight of the whole album that makes me feel happy that Faces Of The Bog are back. I’ve heard that there’s new music coming from Faces Of The Bog in the future but until then Animals is a stunning interpretation to announce your return to the underground scene with.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Faces Of The Bog for the promo.

Animals will be available to buy on Digital Download from Friday 06th September 2024.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Faces Of The Bog - Ego Death (Album Review)

Release date: October 04th 2016. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

Ego Death – Tracklisting

1. Precipice

2. Drifter In The Abyss

3. Slow Burn

4. The Serpent & The Dagger

5. Ego Death

6. The Weaver

7. Blue Lotus

Band Members:

Mark Stephen Gizewski - guitars, vocals

Trey Wedgeworth - guitars, vocals

Paul Bradfield - bass guitar

Danny Garcia - drums, perc

Review:

This Chicago quartet are pushing the envelope in a way that I really like. Moving in genres that are close to my heart but are sadly severely overpopulated these days, you have to do something different and special to recharge the stagnated tones and stand out. And these four Illinois gentlemen are onto something very good. Taking equal measures of psychedelic doom, sludge and progressive metal and putting it in a powder keg, lighting the fuse and what happens, happens. The music is beautiful, ugly, brutal, soothing, transcendent, in-yer-face and....fucking amazing!

On a personal level, 'Ego Death' is a revelation. I've been longing for a band to step up and challenge the existing music scene. And the way Faces Of The Bog do it is so exciting. Effortlessly and with a ton of chutzpah, their powder keg is ignited and aimed and fired with chilling accuracy at us unsuspecting listeners. And I simply come back for more because 'Ego Death' is that damned addictive.

Big heavy riffs permeates throughout but do check out the first half of the title track and you'll know what I'm talking about. Then, all of a sudden in the latter parts of the song, everything turns into a hypnotic, mantra-like composition which will put you in a wonderful trance. What follows is the bludgeonly heavy and sludgly, yet spacey 'The Weaver'. Kind of Tool in the slower parts and I love that. Suggestive, inticing and brutal at the same time in the chorus, this amalgamation works fantastically well.

Closer 'Blue Lotus' starts off with a strong 16 Horsepower/ Wovenhand feel, which turns into a meditative state of mind before the sludge machine arrives. Do you feel confused? Don't be cause everything makes perfect sense and every little bit fulfils an important purpose. Shamanistic and suggestive, The Serpent & The Dagger' eventually goes into heavy but slooooow riffs before switching to a frenzied post-apocalyptic transcendence fest.

'Ego Death' is a very impressive full-length debut by any standard and it is as complete as it ever could be. Wish more bands could be as damned good as Faces Of The Bog are, but I guess better a select few than none at all, right? Anyhow, I enjoy this band immensely and I suggest you check them out as well. Don't let pure talent go unnoticed!

Words by Håkan Nyman

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp