Heavily riffed distortion. Sinisterly thrashing drums. Sweaty head-banging. Jorts-wearing metalheads classify metal music of days past. In The Year Of The Pig boldly defies this scene with its acculturation to Chapel Hill and its fuzzy alternative rock edges, all while keeping the amps blaring at 10.
Lush distortion and guitar play that’s alternatively frenzied and luxurious create a fresh take on heavy rock, one that trashes traditional screaming and embraces a new form of charismatic solidity that falls somewhere between head nodding and neck straining. Glimpses of weighty metal flicker alongside catchy melodies, providing for a lighter, more personable album that still yearns to be cranked all the way up.
Though the album consists of only five songs, the deceptive hour voyage through Jamón guides you through numerous about-face turns, creating what feels like many tunes within the listed five.
Music Review
In The Year Of The Pig
Jamón
Dive verdict:3.5 of 5 stars
The title is Spanish for ham, one of the most delicious cuts of meat a pig produces, and this album is certainly one of the finest cured pieces of hard rock the Triangle has seen of late.
“And Remember The Good Times” is 15 minutes of patterned, simultaneous cymbal crashing and guitar strum that ramps up into rumbling distortion only to fade out again. This break from the norm shows the original intellect In the Year Of The Pig presents.
With meager vocals drowned in an ocean of sound, this almost- instrumental piece is not as fulfilling as one would believe. The quality is there, a unique brand of metal is there, and the delivery is flawless, but Jamón is often too ethereal to make a truly thunderous impact.
But even though it might not hit heavy music fans with the usual booming thrills, it’s still a consistently pleasing listen. It’s approachable and engrossing, with provocative melodies and interesting textures.
The result is a solid debut that should appeal not only to fans of crushing riffs, but also to those who appreciate artists who realize that hard rock doesn’t have to be a stereotype.
Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.
