Review: Pig – 'Risen'

PIG
'Risen'
ARMALYTE INDUSTRIES / METROPOLIS RECORDS 

The years spent in the wasteland of creative inactivity are well and truly behind Raymond Watts as we get another hot slice of pork a mere 2 years after the last. Pig's latest full-length studio offing 'Risen' sees the lord of lard Watts continue his creative fervour that was kicked off in 2015 with the 'Compound Eye' sessions with Marc Heal and has continued across several releases in the intervening years. But has this rapid creativity left the well dry?

No. It hasn't. 'Risen' picks up where 'The Gospel' left off with slow grooves and heavy riffs blending industrial electronics, alternative rock while Watts takes on the mantel of an apocalyptic preacher with his chant-a-long lyrics and seedy vocal delivery. Tracks such as 'The Chosen Few', 'Morphine Machine', 'The Revelation', 'Rise & Repent', 'Leather Pig', 'Prey & Obey', and 'Hard Machine' give the album it's hard industrial rock backbone. While the likes of 'Loud, Lawless & Lost', 'When I', and 'Ecstasy & Exorcism' get a bit weirder and more playful in the way that Watts has always had a penchant for.

Production-wise the album maintains a nice balance between it's gritty industrial rock core and more experimental embellishments that have always coloured his work. It's hard to say the album conforms to the “classic” Pig sound, as it has always been an esoteric entity. However the classical elements and more playful electronic experimentation come to the fore quite often which will please long-time fans.

'Watts and co. have been on a creative role for the past three years and it shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. 'Risen' is another great industrial rock album that is well-rounded, expertly crafted and captivating. Watts may be a veteran but he can still bring new ideas to the table and that's exactly what the industrial rock scene needs.

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