Amongst the hefty emails hitting our in box, sometimes you get the intriguing record that otherwise would probably sit in the shadows if not investigated a little more. Such is the case for Üga Büga, a three-piece outfit from Virgina that have released their latest album Year of the Hog, an eight-song offering that stirs the soul through a blend of styles not normally put together between stoner metal, progressive sludge, and also thrash nuances. With lyrical influences spanning Lord of the Rings and Bolt Thrower to Dragonball Z, it’s a great marriage of thoughtful music and words to create this post-apocalyptic concept effort that mesmerizes.
As a power trio, these musicians possess this ‘all hands on deck’ attitude that penetrates every riff, every transition, and the sweeping melancholic, earthbound atmosphere that swirls about each track. Progressive maneuvers shifts into this King’s X meets Fu Manchu seesaw battle for “Skingrafter”, the low tone vocals of guitarist Calloway Jones contain the right balance between psychedelic chaos and bluesy rock/metal passion, while the rumbling instrumental transition midway through could cause earthquakes. Punky thrash aspects fire “Change My Name” at highest gear, Jimmy Czywczynski slamming his snare / double kick pieces in that old school 80s manner, a rebel rousing anthem that will delight concertgoers when hearing this at peak volume. Equally choosing to emphasize those lumbering stoner/sludge riffs to carry the hook workload, “Supreme Truth” easily could be a second half favorite, Calloway using some distant mic techniques in a mammoth way, the pace gaining momentum as he unfurls an almost Middle Eastern, exotic lead break with effects enhancing the feel to greater elements of glory. Bassist Niko Cvetanovich carries an equally important role through his crushing tone beyond his progressive lines and groove abilities, as the eight-minute plus title cut that finishes the record illustrates his impressive versatility.
You don’t hear many bands like Üga Büga these days – and that’s a good thing. Year of the Hog encompasses decades of acts and styles into this progressive stoner metal platform that never loses the plot – keeping firm the focus on highly entertaining songwriting that makes the listener dig deeper and desire multiple playbacks for full sonic absorption.