Sick Porky - Ancestral Chrononaut ( Community Supporter ) 2,258 posts since 3/7/2001 Posted on 10/13/2007 at 8:48:56 AM Sick Porky - Ancestral Reviewer: Joel Geraghty (StonerRock.com) Label: Zonda Records Release date: 2006 Music is a universal language, and nowhere is that more evident than in this neat little subgenre we all love so much, as many gifted stoner/doom/riff rock bands have sprung up around the globe and found varying degrees of success in lands far from home. Even though the words may be completely foreign, music speaks to the soul and transcends any language barriers. Such is the case with Argentina's Sick Porky, and it's a good thing because everything with the CD is in Spanish and even online information isn't overly abundant for those of us who don't hablo Español. From what I could find, this four-piece band has recorded a couple of independent EPs and some compilation tracks (check out their killer cover of "Demon Cleaner" for a Kyuss tribute, available on their MySpace page) while kicking ass in Buenos Aires and jamming with bands like Los Natas and Buffalo over the past six-plus years. Sick Porky's full-length debut is appropriately entitled Ancestral, as the band proudly wears their influences on their sleeves throughout the album in homage to their musical ancestors - from Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, and Alice In Chains to Kyuss, Nebula, and Fu Manchu. The easiest comparison to make is the earlier work of their fellow Argentinians, Los Natas, as Sick Porky present a forceful desert sound with a touch of psychedelia, but heavier. Most of the tracks are straight-ahead fuzz rock with the distorted bass of Leandro Spatolla, pelting drums of Sebastián Licio, and clean vocals from Carlos Villafañe, although I have no idea what he's singing about. His melodic voice and Danzig-inspired wailing choruses fit perfectly with the crunching riffs and warm tone of guitarist Jeremias Stutz, who also provides some vintage-sounding solos. There really isn't a bad song in the bunch, starting off with the catchy "Dos Rupias" and the chunky "Zakkarias," which is apparently a tribute to Zakk Wylde and sounds a bit like something off Zakk's first two Black Label Society albums. "La Fuerza" slows things down with a mellow midsection and a molasses-like end, displaying the range of s t y l es that Sick Porky brings to the table, while "Sombria" is a personal highlight as it contains their most Iommi-like riff and Geezer-like bass licks along with soaring vocals and bright wah-wah solos. The final cut, "Lobo Solitario," is a cool jam as a bassline earlier in the song foreshadows the Edgar Winter "Frankenstein" riff breaking out about half-way through, followed by some soulful harmonica and expressive guitar noodling while Carlos supplies his most stirring vocal performance of the record. I'm going to guess this tune is lamenting his status as a "lone wolf" so to speak, since the last half has a real "Lonely Is The Word" vibe that makes it the ideal album-closer. While they're not breaking new ground, Sick Porky have put together a dynamic collection of hard-driving desert rock with a healthy dose of wah-wah and some mellower moments to balance out the fuzz. Fans of Los Natas, Kyuss, Nebula, and Dozer would do well to discover Ancestral now and follow the evolution of this band as it happens. URL: http://www.myspace.com/sickporkyrock Edited 0 Times   Kevin ( Regular Member ) 2,871 posts since 12/15/1999 Posted on 11/14/2006 at 7:09:51 AM Band: Sick Porky Album: Ancestral Format: CD Label: Zonda Time: 44 Minutes Year: 2006 Track List: Dos Rupias Zakkarias Buitro la Fuerza Lo peor de mi Exodo Druida Sombrio Ivan el rockero Crepitaculum Lobo Solitario Band Site: sickporkyrock.com.ar Label Site: www.zonda-records.com.ar Sick Porky. The name brings to mind images of maggoty pork and trichinosis, complemented by some kind of gross grind/sludge/industrial noise soundtrack. Kind of like Throbbing Gristle or something. Wellsir, I'm here to tell ya that these Argentinian stoners are nothing of the kind. These dudes bring the old school desert rock (ca. 1998) with a heart full of love and two fists full of mota and cerveza. So lets get it out of the way: Yes, you've heard it before and yes, 'Sky Valley' does it better. But for those of us unregenerate lovers of música de desierto, 'Ancestral' brings it just fine, thank you. They've got it all, from the beautiful reverberating vocals and great wah attack of 'Dos Rupias' and the soulful vocals of 'La Fuerza' to the harmonica of 'Lobo Solitario.' The rhythms are tight and galloping, the riffs explode like shards of glass all over the studio, the vocals are clean and expressive, and the guitars have fuzztone to spare. Yeah, they've got their priorities in order alright, so when you're jonesing for some heavy groove, get with these southern brothers for a quick cure. Do I need to trot out some suspects to give you a better idea of what we're talking about? Very well: Kyuss, QOTSA, Unida, early Natas, Buffalo, Pappo's Blues, Nebula, Sasquatch. A noble list indeed! Sick Porky should not feel shy about standing alongside these musical titans, and you groovesters should not feel shy about picking up on this delicious tuneage. Kevin McHugh Edited 0 Times I`ve weathered the storms, and today is cloudless.   Sick Porky info ( Regular Member ) 18 posts since 5/11/2006 Posted on 12/15/2006 at 10:09:43 AM You can get a preview of Ancestral at http://www.myspace.com/sickporkyrock Kevin, thanks for posting the review! Rock on! URL: http://www.myspace.com/sickporkyrock Edited 0 Times   Kevin ( Regular Member ) 2,871 posts since 12/15/1999 Posted on 12/15/2006 at 10:27:13 AM The perfect Christmas gift. Mota on!! Edited 0 Times I`ve weathered the storms, and today is cloudless.     ( Post a Reply to This Thread ) ( Back to Album Reviews )