Austrian Funky Prog Metal HOG MEETS FROG Posts Trippy Playthrough Video For "Peeping-Bear’s Exegesis of Not Peeping" Off New EP “humANIMALization”

Bottom L-R: : | ARIYAN Rezaei Jahromi (guitar) | Ivo Matuš (drums)
Top: | Peter ’PETZ’ Schwabl (bass, storytelling)
Photo Credit Vicky vanSane

Austrian funk prog metallers Hog Meets Frog recently released their third EP on February 24th. The record is a non-conceptual concept EP under the motto of the title: “humANIMALization”.Its purpose is to be witty and entertaining as it flirts with obscurity and is meant to be entirely thought-provoking for listeners.

Frontman Peter ’PETZ’ Schwabl explains:

"When the animal in the human awakens, then, for example, one turns into a bigot monkey and the other becomes an insecure piggy, one becomes a peeping control bear and the other becomes a greedy stock market bull. Just this behavior - sometimes silly, monkey or also clumsy, bearish - is told in the lyrics, as well as through the wide range of sound worlds and riffs.”

Today, in support of the EP, the band is sharing a trippy and fun playthrough for the track "Peeping-Bear’s Exegesis of Not Peeping".

"Here you see us get into some slap-around funk groove with my guitarist Ariyan, we get many comments that's it like a Les Claypool / Primus track, it's funky, weird and just good times making silly music with a message." says bassist/vocalist - Peter ’PETZ’ Schwabl.

"Peeping-Bear’s Exegesis of Not Peeping" was written by Schwabl to tell a story where the peeping bear symbolizes the intelligence services and control freaks of this world, starting with the NSA scandal up to the possibilities of digitally utilized psychometric tools used for influencing elections by corporations or rich power-hungry people and warmongers.

"This and much more we have packed into the in the sleeve of the sympathetic voyeur bear, who on top of that smilingly believes that he is spying, spying and eavesdropping on everyone with good reason and only with the best of intentions," adds Schwabl.

Watch and listen to the playthrough for "Peeping-Bear’s Exegesis of Not Peeping" at https://youtu.be/5CNDLMrWTuY

With influences ranging all over the musical spectrum from progressive and death metal to jazz, to world music and funk, there is something for everyone in the riffs and chords that Hog Meets Frog presents on this avant-garde record.

The band finds that the best approach to serious topics is with fun and that is emphasized with “humANIMALization”. Most people will first notice the cheerful, funny, sick side of Hog Meets Frog, but a few will remove the mask and then let themselves fall into the deepest depths of the music and lyrics and see what thoughts lie dormant there: Stories that life writes.

Adventurous listeners are invited to go through the looking glass and find the deeper meaning in each of the tracks on the EP, or simply frolic in the bright colours on the surface. “humANIMALization” is recommended for fans of System of a Down, Primus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, TOOL, and Frank Zappa.

“humANIMALization” was released on February 24, 2023 and is available on Hogmeetsfrog.bandcamp.com, Spotify.

Track Listing:
1. Of Snakes ‘n’ Moles ‘n’ Bulls ‘n’ Dough (4:32)
2. Peeping-Bear’s Exegesis of Not Peeping (5:10)
3. Apes Don’t Smoke Cigars – Just Pipes (4:47)
4. Stuff(ed), Cage(d) & Enslave(d) (3:25)
5. ZIGGY The Unpigcorn (3:46)
EP Length: 21:42

EP Band Lineup:
Ivo Matuš – Drums (peeping-bear’s exegesis of not peeping || apes don’t smoke cigars – just pipes)
Christoph ‘fizl’ Hehn – Drums (of snakes ‘n’ moles ‘n’ bulls ‘n’ dough || stuff(ed), cage(d) & enslave(d) || ZIGGY the unpigcorn)
ARIYAN Rezaei Jahromi – Guitar
Peter ’PETZ‘ Schwabl – Bass, Storytelling

Live Band Lineup:
Christoph ‘fizl’ Hehn – Drums
ARIYAN Rezaei Jahromi – Guitar
Peter ‘PETZ‘ Schwabl – Bass, Storytelling

For more info: Hogmeetsfrog.com | Facebook.com/hogmeetsfrog | Twitter.com/hogmeetsfrog | Instagram.com/hogmeetsfrog | Tiktok.com/@hogmeetsfrog