The Mighty Swine - Last Man Standing

The Mighty Swine

Last Man Standing

by Yngwieviking at 24 June 2014, 12:27 PM

THE MIGHTY SWINE is the weird name of an ambitious musical adventure, a project leaded by bass player/Lead Singer Mike Skimmerhorn (ex SPIKE / CJSS / CHASTAIN). This freshly updated quatuor of veterans from Cincinnati is riding a very dynamic lane recently. The imminent release of their new album and the fact that they just begun an intensive touring schedule both whom should be in perfect concordance to help this band to reach a global recognition soon!

The opening track “All That Is Evil” is a song that could have been recorded perfectly in any classic CJSS album. The jaw dropping drums introduction set the cut in a very fast pace, the style is jubilant, obviously reminiscent of MEGADETH or JUDAS PRIEST’s “Painkiller” era. We already heard the gruff voice of Mike Skimmerhorn in the legendary “Praise The Loud” album by Chastain/Jenkins/Skimmerhorn/Sharp (“Danger”). If he’s not the best singer in the world, his voice is perfectly adapted to the sound of the band. He acquired some impressive confidence and a kind of authority that every frontman should master. Strangely or not, the guitar players are clearly inspired by the David T. Chastain style and tone. Infact this dual axe attack is delivery some smoking licks, both efficient in the riff barrage than in the fluid solos!

The second track the gloomy “Two Graves” is clearly influenced by OZZY and BLACK SABBATH, with a very heavy approach and an omnipresent pounding bass-guitar theme. Later on “Rite Of Passage” it’s also exactly in the same vein, while the third song the frenetic “Empty Shell” possesses some similarities with HALFORD’s “Locked and loaded” and a robust choir of gang vocals. With “Last Man Standing”, the character is set on an even more melodic temperament with a few aggressive overtones from US Heavy Metal Myths such as SAVATAGE or ARMORED SAINT. Ditto for the last track in a bonus demo version “Pool Of Emptiness” from 2009.

The darker tone of “Tomorrow” brings another specificity. A more Progressive side to their Metallic panel, a boldest ambiance similar to METAL CURCH meets ICED EARTH with an additional depth in the clever structure!

Back to our basic headbanging mania with “Dead Man’s Stare”, the palm muting riffage method is utterly classic but the chorus is uplifting with it’s unexpected tonality change. For “Thick As Thieves” the band reveals a more Hard-Rocking pace with a real eighties feel in the refrain, but still enhanced by the dynamic Rory Faciane‘s sharp drumming.

“Vengeance Is Mine” is another fierce number with a double kick pushed riff and another superb vocal performance. “Hell Bent For Leather” the JUDAS PRIEST mighty hit, is covered in a sublime rendition, musically pristine it sounds exactly like if an angry Dave Mustaine was singing the Rob Halford’s parts!

After the amazing “Surrender To No One” by CHASTAIN last year and the superb WILDESTARR’s second album “A Tell Tale Heart” in 2012, the evidence is here. The Old School American Metal is alive and kickin’…Don’t miss it, it will be like casting pearls before the swine!