Album Review Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs - Viscerals

Newcastle’s Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs have never been a band to do things by halves: their combination of crunching riffs and full-throated vocals created such a potent blend on 2018’s ‘King of Cowards’, that they went a good few steps beyond just being a cult favourite. Now they have returned with third album ‘Viscerals’ a record that improves on their second effort, placing them in a strong position to break through even further.

Lead single ‘Reducer’ finds the band in scintillatingly heavy form - rather than slip into dull cliche territory, it feels like a vital reboot of the darker end of rock, finding the band weaving hypnotic patterns whilst retaining their knack for a gargantuan and weirdly life-affirming chorus.

It’s with following track ‘Rubbernecker’ that ‘Viscerals’ becomes truly interesting, finding Pigs x7 hit the intersection of psych and metal - an area ‘Viscerals’ is more than happy to explore. ‘Crazy In Blood’ is testament to this approach: a slow burner that still manages to feel thrilling and far out. In a lesser bands grasp, this blend could become self-indulgent but Pigs x7 manage to keep the wheels on the track consistently, creating something that feels melodic and widescreen even while brimming with intensity.