Black Pug - Single Review: My Enemies
Black Pug, the pseudonym of solo/multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Mo Ackermann, is a one-man punk/rock/metal band from Queenstown. With Mo handling all tracking, singing, and recording duties, the music of Black Pug is a true representation of Mo’s uncompromised vision.
The latest single, My Enemies, is a tight, solid rock/alt-metal track that kicks off with an absolute ripper of a distorted guitar riff. Leaning heavily on a palm-muted, open string chug, Black Pug come out the gate firing immediately. Crashing in with drums and bass after only a few seconds, and the vocals coming in soon after, this track wastes no time with excessive intros, instead preferring to set up the groove quickly and then play with those initial impressions throughout the rest of the track’s 4min 11sec runtime.
After repeated listens to My Enemies, while stylistically different, I am somehow reminded of American-bands Lit (from their A Place in the Sun era) and Eve6 (from their Horrorscope era – which itself was heavily influenced by the aforementioned Lit album). However, that is not to suggest that Black Pug is derivative of either of these bands, instead it is intended to imply that Mo has managed to capture the elusive combination of rock/alt-metal and catchy, sing-along, vocal hooks.
However, Black Pug also have some musical surprises in store in what could have been just a very good slice of rock. Leading us back from the first chorus to the second verse is a wonderfully strange shift in feel, timing, and approach. This change comes out of nowhere, breaking up the track in a very sonically interesting way that really catches your attention just as you think he’s about to head back to familiar ground. Similarly, interspersing a new riff, or perhaps it’s better described as a tag at the end of the previous intro/first verse riff, shifts the song up a gear, keeping it fresh but familiar. A great idea, and one that Black Pug pull off with pure ease.
About Black Pug
The man behind Black Pug is Mo Ackermann, a multi-instrumentalist Brazilian guy who has been living in New Zealand for the past 15 years.
The concept of one member writing and recording all the music for a band might be uncommon in the heavy metal world but it isn't anything new. Dave Grohl, Lenny Kravitz, Trent Reznor, Paul McCartney and others served as inspiration for starting the one man project.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Black Pug
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