Pig Destroyer - Fahrenheit 451

Without the bad, we wouldn't know the good. Without great music, bad music might seem good, or even great. Its with this train of thought that I think Pig Destroyer exist. With their recent effort, Book Burner, Pig Destroyer have produced such mind boggling mediocrity that it just  highlights how amazing their second album Prowler in the Yard is and how awful their current album is.

The decline has been pretty sharp since the band followed up their masterpiece with the overly produced and neutered album Terrifyer. While Terrifyer was anything but good, it retained some strain of style and one or two good riffs from Hull. Phantom Limb stumbled in, with it's flavor of the week cover art, songs of ponderous length, and one too many breakdowns that seemed to put the nail in the coffin for Pig Destroyer. With the announcement of another try at the whole "grindcore thing," people like me gained some hope that Pig Destroyer might be able to tap into whatever they had that made Prowler... so powerful.

With a hefty amount of time to work back to their glory, Pig Destroyer have done an impressive job in making one of the year's most inoffensive, sterile, and extremely marketable releases. Book Burner represents most of what I hate in metal. Sterile production, click track perfect drumming a'la robots like Derek Roddey, inane lyrical matter/song titles and guitar riffs that do nothing for me. Relapse, as well as Century Media, Metal Blade, and others, have made their agenda to revolve around this brand of meat and potatoes metal gussied up in surgical production, lack of character, current fads and marketability. Well Book Burner's no different. Some super lame cover art, dumber name, 3,000 different ways to pre-order the album, a slew of guests, and a new drummer spells ca$h I'm sure, but does it spell good music?No.

"The Diplomat," a 3 minute cookie cutter track presented as the album's first single as well as one of the first glimpses into the album's sound offers nothing new. Spending most of its time hovering around a stock chugga chugga guitar line, midtempo drumming and of course breakdown sections, "The Diplomat" is almost as bad as the video made for it (something I'd rather not talk about here).

As for the rest of the album, it's a sprinkle of what Misery Index's been doing since 2006 with a pinch of Terrifyer, and a bottle or two of Ambien. Jarvis, the new man behind the kit, of course made his name playing as a clock for Misery Index, so the sterility in that department isn't surprising. What is surprising is that the best vocals on the album come from Kat of Agoraphobic Nosebleed and Salome fame on "Eve" and Richard Johnson of Enemy Soil/Drugs of Faith  fame on "The Underground Man." Between these two guests, there's more emotion, vitriol, and a pulse than the rest of the band. This is particularly alarming as Pig Destroyer have always operated best in filth, depravity, and twisted thoughts. Yet they've become as harmless as Mastadon or whoever's the big cheese nowadays.

As for the riffs, most lay in between "alright" and "sure." As I write this, the generic-ness surrounding this album is so stupefying that I really can't find words to describe how little of an impact and forgettable most of the tracks are here. The only one standing out for me is "Permanent Funeral" as Hull gives an interesting treatment to a very Destruction-esque riff and makes it work for nearly 4 minutes. While the song should be 2, this might've been the one song that made me look at the track list out of joy rather than malice.


Is it unfair to compare this to Prowler in the Yard, or anything else for that matter? I don't think so, but if I did, the overwhelming lack of character here makes it feel like a different band, a band I wouldn't give two shits about.

So while people, press releases, reviewers and media outlets will continue to call Hull a guitar genius, Hayes " the poet laureate of extreme metal," Harrison a master of atmosphere and Jarvis "the pinnacle of inhuman drumming" Pig Destroyer have effectively created one of the most memorably mediocre albums in extreme metal.

To quote another band that went down the drain, "don't believe the hype."

****On a side note, the biggest offense here, without a doubt, are the bonus cover songs. Pig Destroyer's never been good at covering songs. Their "Burning of Sodom" cover might be okay, but as for their treatment of the Dwarves, the Melivins, The Stooges, Carcass, and whatever else has always been pretty lackluster. But to take rough cut punk classics like Black Flag's "Depression" and play with that fucking sterile robot Jarvis is a complete mockery. The guitars lack any kind of punch and the band rides Hayes's vocals as he does a surprisingly great job ripping things up (especially on that "Wolf's Blood" cover). This is real bad shit here and it'd do your mind best to avoid it or else some of your favorite punk classics might leave a bad taste in your mouth the next time you hear them.

Pillars of Taste- Effigy of the Forgotten

Without a doubt, Suffocation's first full length Effigy of the Forgotten has been the most important death metal album in my life. It was the first Suffocation release I ever heard and was the most brutal, thick, and rhythmically masterful album I have ever heard. While I know deep down somewhere that Pierced From Within might be the best Suffocation release, Effigy of the Forgotten is still my favorite.

Beyond their innovations, Suffocation just sounded so different to me. This was a point in my life where I didn't know much about metal and still thought of Max Cavelera for Soulfly and not Sepultura. I had sought out other genre stalwarts such as Morbid Angel, Deicide, Carcass, and Obituary, but none of them stuck with me the way Suffocation did.

Small factors could've played a role. They were neighbors out on Long Island, me in Brooklyn, I had just picked up drums and thought the world of Mike Smith's style, technique and swagger, and they were interracial;  a huge abnormality in the world of metal. Beyond those tidbits, Suffocation pioneered a style that became diluted and  suffocating. While they introduced painful slams and breakdowns to their music they also incorporated extremely thrashy and godly metal stylings that helped them build favor with metalheads and hardcore kids alike. Unfortunately those bands who copied them lost this and moved away from Suffocation's strength in diversity.

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Visceral is probably the best word to describe the Effigy. Slower sections sound like churning pools of sewage and offal accompanied by the ominous thuds of dead elephants in the mixture. The drums lock in with the guitars as they pummel and smash, the guitars at times sound more percussive than melodic, and the production overall is thick and viscous.

The muddy, thick and bottom heavy guitar and bass tone are its hallmarks. Right on the edge between corrosive and indiscernible, Terrance Hobbs and Doug Cerrito chug and weave throughout each track so fluidly, a great example being  the opener "Liege Of Inveracity" with the greatest breakdown of all time or "Mass Obliteration" which finds enough time for some solos in between those amazing chugga chugga refrains. Locking in with Smith's trap, Mullen's demonic gurgles and that anchor of a bass, the guitars play something completely discernible  This discernability- sometimes even catchiness- is a testament to Suffocation's craft as they didn't just chug away anything; they relied on recognizable riffs, quality ones at that.


As I mentioned earlier, Mike Smith's performance is one of my favorite drum performances ever recorded. Technically speaking Smith is a beast. He might not go to light speed like other big death metal drummers, but his syncopation,  precision and style are unmatched. His style epitomizes Suffocation perfectly- technical and masterful yet dressed up in a primal suit of strong rhythm, pronounced accents, and satisfying thuds. A strength of the band is when the drums and guitars lock into a particular vibe and hammer the listener in the gut.

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Sometime around 2004 or 05 they played with Cryptopsy amongst others here in NYC and the opening act, Despised Icon (who epitomized the deathcore fad that was gaining momentum at the time) said that playing NYC was special for them as their favorite hardcore act, Madball, and their favorite death metal act, Suffocation, both called the place home. This has always stuck with me. Perhaps no death metal band has had such an important cross genre influence, for better or worse, than Suffocation.

So there. I've embarked on a quest that I think scares everyone who writes about their interests. Putting into words how much you love your favorite records is a tough task, but I hope my enthusiasm will seep into whomever reads this little blog and cause some kind of reaction. I will continue by genres and once I'm done I'll simply be able to make equations as to why I like bands.

Ex 666. Suffocation+Despise You (Nadja) Darkthrone/Slayer+y=x Solve for x.

Pumpkin Faces in the Night: Mixtape Curated by Ryan Page

A bit late, but damn well worth it, Ryan Page, mastermind behind body horror electro grind entity Body Hammer and the remorseless Robocop was kind enough to make a special mixtape for you loyal readers in the spirit of Halloween. He's even gone ahead and included some fitting summaries.

I approached Ryan thinking "who could be more perfect than a guy who names his bands after a Japanese body horror film and makes intriguingly frightening grindcore?" Can't thank Ryan enough, so please check out all his doings and projects.

Pumpkin Faces in the Night from Perpetual Strife on 8tracks Radio.

Pumpkin Faces in the Night
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1. Goblin - "Buio Omega"  
Aristide Massesseci making me wanna vom, while Goblin plays disco or something…

2. Dead Neanderthals - "The Stake"  
Jesus Franko club scene on crank. That or my laserdisc player is malfunctioning.

3. Gnaw Their Tongues - "White Skin"  
Mrs. Hartevelt, I must insist.

4. The Conet Project - "The Lincolnshire Poacher" 
Lincolnshire: 39715

5. Brainbombs - "Die You Fuck" 
"Now I know why they call you Dirty Harry"

6. Dr. Dooom - "Apartment 223"  
Tenement: Game of survival remade in a McDonald's Play Place.

7. Black Sabbath - "Disturbing the Priest" 
The Entity with Barbara Hershey's role taken over by Bruce Campell at the last minute

8. Electric Wizard - "The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue" 
Scary because I like something off of 'We Live!'

9. Bathory - "Call from the Grave" 
Recorded inside of the coffin below that tombstone knocked over in Plan 9.

10. Cathedral - "Night of The Seagulls" 
Blind Dead get off the bikini model boat and take over where the Deep Ones left off.

11. G.I.S.M - "Nih Nightmare" 
Recently discovered sequel to Burst City contains way more balaclavas.

12. Butthole Surfers - "Strangers Die Everyday" 
The Mack driving down International listening to the distant gunshots and quietly playing 'Don't Fear the Reaper'

13. Death in June and Boyd Rice - "You Love the Sun and the Moon"

14. Death in June - "No Pig Day" 
Only Van Morrison's 'Ringworm' compares.

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15. Dishammer - "Sex Witch"
Sex scene... WITH A WITCH

16. Fabio Frizzi - "Un Gatto Nel Cervello - Sequence 12" 

"A Cat on The Brain: "The original script was 49 pages long and contained no dialogue. It consisted of descriptions of bodily mutilations/imagery and sound effects that would compliment them on screen." "DOCTOR FULCI!"

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Robocop

Ryan Page

Name Like His Master (distro where you can buy Ryan's projects)

Buried at Birth - Buried at Birth

If you ever happen to talk to me about music and things get into vocal styles you'd quickly realize female vocals in hardcore are a quick way into my heart. It's not that I see it as an overriding factor and think the band "is totally cool bc they got a hawt chick who's into punk n'metal" but it's a great piece to add to an already good band. That said, anyone who listens to San Jose grinders Buried at Birth will focus on the vocals first and foremost.

Mixed higher then everything else, venomous and shrill, vocalist Veronica sounds disgusting in the best way possible (if you've ever listened to Poland's excellent Wojtyla you'll have a good idea of the vocals). Beyond the vocals, Buried at Birth have a very metal polish and heaviness to their sound that comes through in numerous tremolo riffs and chugga chugga sections despite their grindcore attention span and structuring.

Their latest ep, Buried at Birth, does well to mix rhythms and tempos with metallic guitar slabs and, of course, the vocals. "Pink Mist" starts with a very headbangable section that shoots right into a black metal riff and blast beats, highlighting the band's wandering gaze style-wise (the little freak out around the middle does well to break up the blast beaten onslaught). This is the band at their best, manipulating rhythms well and interjecting dynamically different sections seemlessly.

While I could ask for a bit of grit to the guitars instead of their super fat sound, Buried at Birth are quick to please with this too short  of an ep.

Geist - Der Ungeist

Geist's Der Ungeist is a balanced and raw black metal album with a bit of a digital polish and powerful vocals. What works best for Der Ungeist's is the live take feel of the album (which was, in fact "recorded live and left unrevised to preserve its nature") which really highlights the needlely and hazy guitars, demented vocals and thriving drums quite well.

Stylistically, Geist's not doing anything too different in terms of black metal. Songs revolve around 3 or 4 riffs, typical melodic lines and blast beats. Opener "Mond" goes on for a bit too long, but is at its best during the slower section (as is Geist for that matter), where as follow up  "Von Blut" is thankfully shorter and incorporates a bit more variation to keep the listener loyal.

For better or worse, Der Ungeist doesn't strike me too strongly, it's far from bad, but pretty generic as black metal comes. As for their presentation, the CD booklet  has a great cryptic and coarse charcoal painting for a cover and intriguing and bleak photography within which would lead the viewer to think Geist would operate in darker, more emotional realm rather than its very metal approach.

Der Ungeist lacks a certain dynamism that, if added, could catapult him into a modern pantheon of other great acts.

Sete Star Sept - Vinyl Collection 2010-2012

Sete Star Sept = Seven Star Seven. Japanese 2 band members one who plays drums and one who sings and plays the bass. Nothing nice, nothing catchy. Faster, louder, busier than you'd want. Not sensible or enjoyable, you'll lose friends with this.

Their collected vinyl works from 2010-2012 on one compact disc is great for collectors, but awful for me. An hour of this? Painful and too much. No John Cage thoughtbastion, and not as uncomfortable as Naked City. But I guess wanting to turn off =7s7's mission?

Support if you don't like music and want to be angry and then thank (or hate) Fuck Yoga.

Forgotten Lore: Evil Army

Somewhere in the middle of that whole thrash revival fad there was Evil Army; an unassuming three-piece hailing from Tennessee who put out a few EPs and one excellent, balls to the wall LP simply titled Evil Army.

Evil Army had me sold with opener "Conqueror Human Life," a fast catchy track built upon a hardcore punk framework that contained one of the best thrash breaks this side of the century (around 1:40). In a nutshell, this is what Evil Army had to offer: tight, well rounded thrash with gnarly 80's punk vocals and old school punk urgency. Nothing fancy, no gimmicks and no fat, Evil Army clocks in at nearly 25 minutes with 13 tracks and leaves you wanting nothing else but to simply hit "repeat."


While "Conquer Human Life" and the riff catalog "Relentless Assault" flexes their thrashier side "Evil Army," "Satan Made Me Do It,"  "Scum of the Earth," as well as closer "Wrong Approach" show the band's punk affinity in spades. Gang choruses, simple power chord progressions and some of the most fevered and fastest vocals I've heard, Evil Army hearken back to a day when the realms of metal and punk knew no better and could be confused as one.

As they've been on hiatus for quite a while, Rob Evil has recently been released from jail, so we can look forward to more thrash on the horizon.