Green Hog Band: ‘Devil’s Luck’ Album Review

Green Hog Band is a Stoner Doom trio emerging from Brooklyn, NY, that feels destined to gain a following. And if they don’t make it big, it’s definitely not a reflection on the groove-laden, Doom-soaked beauty of their latest album, Devil’s Luck.

On their Facebook page, Green Hog Band describes their music as a “two-wheeled adventure for bikers, stoners, and doom-heads.” That’s certainly the case, because even though the band is relatively new, the members have played together in previous acts before—something you can tell from the tight craftsmanship.

So, jump on your Harley, and let’s check this monster album out.

About Green Hog Band

Devil’s Luck is the second full-length album for Green Hog Band, and it was released on July 9, 2021. They’ve also released a couple of EPs since they came together in 2019.

Two of the band members are originally from Russia and have been living in the States for about a decade.

Green Hog Band is:

Ivan Antipov – vocals and bass
Mike Vivisector – guitar
Ronan Berry – drums

Devil’s Luck was recorded in the band’s own studio (The Vivisectors Lab Studio) in 2020 and 2021 and was released via The Swamp Records. Max Nemtsov translated the lyrics (originally in Russian).

Devil’s Luck Review

Tracks: 8
Length: 43:21

Track One: Full Moon

The album starts with a movie quote from The Giant Spider Invasion: “Looks like our black hole has turned into an open doorway from hell.” It’s a fitting way to start because we’re soon smacked in the face with a sinister riff and harsh Russian vocals.

The song’s riff is awesome and, combined with Antipov’s vocals and the multiple guitar solos, “Full Moon” is a killer track.

The solos reminded me of Fu Manchu in the way Vivisector makes his guitar wail and whine. And the growling Russian vocals make the song so much cooler.

I followed along with the English lyric translation, and the verses sound like the dark poetry of H.P. Lovecraft:

The flesh that gives birth devours the newborns
The giver of gifts will take back forever
The patterns of threads woven by someone
The white breath of the boiling ice
Source: Bandcamp

Track Two: My Hell

“My Hell” is one of the many instrumental tracks on the album, and, damn, is it a good one. The main riff sounds like something off Black Sabbath’s first album – dark, foreboding, and deliciously evil.

The track is long (6:54), and it has the classic, head-nodding Stoner Rock repetition one can get lost in and listen to forever.

Track Three: Luck of the Devil

“Luck of the Devil” is one of the more up-tempo tracks. Green Hog Band calls itself an Occult Doom band, but this song shows they have some Desert Rock influences.

Vivisector’s guitar grooves over Antipov’s quick and rhythmic vocal delivery, making “Luck of the Devil” a great driving song.

The English lyrical translation reveals a tale of riding on a deserted highway late at night and, inexplicably, running over Satan himself.

Track Four: Desert King

Green Hog Band doesn’t write bad riffs, and “Desert King” is further evidence of this. The track has yet another fuzzy riff to die for.

“Desert King” is another song that shows Green Hog Band would fit well in the sun-soaked Palm Desert. Not only are the Russian vocals excellent, but the lyrics are poetic in their dark beauty (when reading the translation). Antipov sings:

In the heart of the desert among dead sands
He holds his crown in his dead hands
The desert king in the grey mist
His stone throne is made of volcanic cyst
Source: Bandcamp

Track Five: Dark Territory

“Dark Territory” is an instrumental track that has already racked up more than 7,000 plays on Spotify.

Vivisector tears it up with multiple guitar solos, and the steady Doom-laden bass and percussion had me in a trance.

It’s another fun ride on a jam-packed album.

Track Six: Long Smoke

“Long Smoke” is one of the shorter songs (4:52), and it packs a punch. By this point in the listening experience, I was immersed in Green Hog Band’s signature style: the fuzz, the ruthless vocals, the hypnotic riffage.

Devil’s Luck feels like a journey down a desert highway, and “Long Smoke” is the point at which you’re in the zone and have lost track of time.

Track Seven: Heart of the Forest

One of the things I love about old White Zombie albums is the frequent use of horror movie audio clips. Green Hog Band uses this technique a lot, too, and “Heart of the Forest” starts with one, just like “Full Moon.” Good stuff.

“Heart of the Forest” is another instrumental and, though it sounds similar to other tracks on the album, it still feels fresh somehow.

Track Eight: Ric Moto

“Ric Moto” is the album’s most up-tempo track, a fast motorcycle ride of an instrumental. Again, the track sounds like other songs, but it didn’t bother me.

Unlike the drab repetition of Red Fang’s Arrows, Green Hog Band’s instrumentals are pure ear candy.

Final Thoughts

Final Score: 9/10

Standout Tracks: “Full Moon,” “Desert King,” “My Hell”

Pros: Devil’s Luck is a killer album, and Green Hog Band is an act to keep an eye on. The record is a stoner rocker’s dream come true: fuzzy riffage, excellent guitar work, and a sludgy and, at times, Drone Metal style to get lost in.

The album has many tropes we’re used to with Stoner Doom, yet it stays refreshing throughout. Green Hog blends together several different elements, at times sounding like Sleep and early Sabbath, and then throwing in some Desert Rock for good measure.

I’ll be coming back to Devil’s Luck for a while.

Cons: Yes, there’s lots of repetition. But as we’ve written at Monster Riff before, that’s a hallmark of Stoner Rock, so I hardly saw it as a negative.

I loved the album and can’t think of much I didn’t like. I just wish Green Hog Band would give me a free motorcycle lesson so I could get the full biker experience while listening to it.

Learn More About Green Hog Band

To learn more about Green Hog Band, visit their Bandcamp page and check out their social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter).