{"id":6082,"date":"2018-09-07T23:47:50","date_gmt":"2018-09-07T23:47:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/?p=6082"},"modified":"2018-09-07T23:47:50","modified_gmt":"2018-09-07T23:47:50","slug":"review-pig-destroyer-head-cage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/review-pig-destroyer-head-cage\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Pig Destroyer &#8211; Head Cage"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_6084\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6084\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"6084\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/review-pig-destroyer-head-cage\/zoe-rain-photography\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.surrealresolution.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Pig-Destroyer_Zoe-Rain_2018-1.jpg?fit=6856%2C4576&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"6856,4576\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Zoe Rain&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D810&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1526736973&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Zoe Rain&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;27&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;125&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.002&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Zoe Rain Photography&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Zoe Rain Photography\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.surrealresolution.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Pig-Destroyer_Zoe-Rain_2018-1.jpg?fit=747%2C498&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-6084 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.surrealresolution.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Pig-Destroyer_Zoe-Rain_2018-1.jpg?resize=300%2C200&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.surrealresolution.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Pig-Destroyer_Zoe-Rain_2018-1.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.surrealresolution.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Pig-Destroyer_Zoe-Rain_2018-1.jpg?resize=768%2C513&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.surrealresolution.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Pig-Destroyer_Zoe-Rain_2018-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.surrealresolution.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Pig-Destroyer_Zoe-Rain_2018-1.jpg?w=1494&amp;ssl=1 1494w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.surrealresolution.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Pig-Destroyer_Zoe-Rain_2018-1.jpg?w=2241&amp;ssl=1 2241w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6084\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo Credit: Zoe Rain Photography<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Pig Destroyer have been active in the grindcore scene for 20 years, steadily building a major presence as one of the biggest acts in the genre. This hype has absolutely been warranted throughout the years, as each release of theirs pushes the bounds of the genre beyond simple breakneck-fast extremities. Their unique songwriting chops has made them a force to be reckoned with, causing the release of each of their albums to feel like a major event, especially with the long waits between them. 2007\u2019s <em>Phantom Limb <\/em>saw the band pushing their sound with lengthier songs and more intricate song structures, and 2012\u2019s <em>Book Burner <\/em>took those sensibilities and compressed them into shorter song structures that, nonetheless, exuded complexity and intensity at every turn. Following that album was the longest break yet between albums (6 years), but the group has now returned with the much-anticipated <em>Head Cage<\/em>, probably their boldest and most experimental project yet.<\/p>\n<p>Clocking in at 12 tracks and just over 30 minutes, things are kept as brief and to the point as they\u2019ve ever been. Pig Destroyer\u2019s penchant for quick and gnarly bangers is on display as always, with tracks like \u201cDark Train\u201d and \u201cMt. Skull\u201d acting as some quintessential cuts in their catalog. However, now the band has become more fully rounded out with John Jarvis having joined the band as their 1<sup>st<\/sup> ever bassist. His presence in the group is certainly felt on the record, as his bass lines add a significant amount of heft to the low end of the mix, bolstering by some incredibly production work. Everything just booms that much more from track to track, especially with JR Hayes\u2019 vocals being as gravelly and hard-hitting as always.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"747\" height=\"421\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uJ5HxdNlpMk?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>While half of the album is familiar territory for the group, the other half of the record is where things get significantly more interesting. Their songs have become more elaborate and dense as time goes on, and that sensation is felt as early as the third track, the lead-off single \u201cArmy of Cops.\u201d The riffs are crunchy and cutting like always, but the song\u2019s tempo as a whole relies on a more steady catchy groove that, with the exception of some rapid drum fills in spots, is much slower than their usual musical territory. This gets driven home by the ending breakdown, with slow pounding drums and bass giving way to a chug-heavy outro. The song as a whole is driven home by some intense lyrics about humanity\u2019s subjugation at the hands of the police, especially with a choice guest spot from frequent collaborator Richard Johnson:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cWhy would God create<br \/>\nsomething so weak<br \/>\nunless he<br \/>\nwanted it to suffer?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Things only get more unconventional from there. \u201cCircle River\u201d embodies a distinct mix of groove and even thrash elements at play, with chord progressions that are noticeably less dissonant than usual. There\u2019s a massive attack on every note played, and the song even closes on a drifting groove emphasized by hazy guitar leads and haunting menacing synths. \u201cThe Torture Fields\u201d opens with a slow steady groove whose riffs are sparse but every bit as menacing as ever with the band, sandwiching a grinding assault of music between this and a similar groove at the end.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"747\" height=\"421\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZDn084oMsL4?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The songwriting experimentation is pushed to its furthest on tracks like \u201cConcrete Beast\u201d where the rhythms are not only reliant on mid-tempo grooves, but the rhythmic structure is incredibly off-kilter in comparison to much of their catalog. Measures are often cut short or syncopate at irregular intervals, and it makes for a dense experience to listen to, only driven home further by the prominence of the bass in the mix, allowing it to groove along with the drums uninterrupted before the guitars enter into the song. It\u2019s a pretty wild listen that gains some extra intensity with a vocal feature from Kat Katz of Agoraphobic Nosebleed, adding a welcome biting snarl to the proceedings. \u201cThe Last Song\u201d is similarly offbeat, using a sort-of jazzy swing beat that\u2019s just the drums and bass to open things up, segueing into the inclusion of guitars and unnerving synth lines that lead to an aggressive 2<sup>nd<\/sup> half that breaks for plenty of lead parts with no rhythm guitar underneath, powering through into the slow but powerful closer \u201cHouse of Snakes.\u201d A minute of ominous droning guitar leads gives way to another grooving passage of drums and bass, and when the guitars finally enter, there\u2019s this incredibly unnerving vibe they carry with choppy slow-building chugs and plenty of chord\/note bends in place. Halfway through its 7-minute run, the song goes into a driving beat full of meaty grooves and dissonant chord progressions, veering back into the odd groove and closing on an ending break more akin to Lamb of God or Sepultura than anything else.<\/p>\n<p>The musical intensity on display throughout the entire run of <em>Head Cage <\/em>is matched only by the lyrical intensity at play amid JR\u2019s cutthroat vocal style. Previously mentioned tracks like \u201cArmy of Cops\u201d touch on heavy societal topics, but there\u2019s also songs like \u201cConcrete Beast\u201d which cover the threat of urban development on the environment and human lives.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThis Shouldn\u2019t exist<br \/>\nand yet, here it stands<br \/>\nthe lives it\u2019s cost<br \/>\nthe energy it demands\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cCircle River\u201d is a particularly strong track that takes critical aim at those who are too frightened to ever take a serious stand on any issues whatsoever, and \u201cThe Last Song: is a darkly poetic track about coping with the loss of a close loved one. Amidst the heavier subject matter, the group does occasionally find time to have their tongues planted firmly in cheek. The album intro uses a corny \u201850s musical sample warning about the intensity to follow, and the most humorous track on record is easily \u201cThe Adventures of Jason and JR\u201d which narrates a gloriously over-the-top scenario of the titular members being ambushed by attacks from Dick Cheney and the FBI on their way to a concert, only to have some bizarre celebrity encounters along the way. It\u2019s exactly the right amount of surreal levity needed amidst the musical and lyrical ass-kicking delivered by the rest of the record.<\/p>\n<p><em>Head Cage <\/em>is likely to be a polarizing record for most fans. Pig Destroyer\u2019s experimental side is pushed farther than it\u2019s ever been before on this release, and that might be too much for those expecting a pure grind experience. However, those who are willing to give it a chance will find that it\u2019s an album that\u2019s every bit as intense, ferocious, and musically dense as every big release of theirs before. Pig Destroyer were never ones to stylistically jog in place, and <em>Head Cage <\/em>proves that they can still remain on top of their game while pushing the boundaries of what modern grind can embody. Do not miss out on this one.<\/p>\n<p><strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><em><strong>Final Verdict:<\/strong>\u00a0buy it. 6 years of wait time, and the end result is highly worth the experience.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Head Cage is available from Relapse Records on CD, vinyl, digital download, and streaming services.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>[Note: A copy of the album was provided by Relapse Records for the purpose of this review.]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Pig Destroyer have been active in the grindcore scene for 20 years, steadily building a major presence as one of the biggest acts \n<a class=\"moretag\" href=\"https:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/review-pig-destroyer-head-cage\/\"> [...]<\/a>","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":6083,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"yasr_overall_rating":4,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"Product","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[12],"tags":[1123,631,1124,331,1122,1125,1121,463],"class_list":["post-6082","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music","tag-agoraphobic-nosebleed","tag-album-review","tag-army-of-cops","tag-grindcore","tag-head-cage","tag-mt-skull","tag-pig-destroyer","tag-relapse-records"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.surrealresolution.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Head-cage-review-thumbnail.png?fit=1536%2C960&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8GYHU-1A6","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6082"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6082\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6085,"href":"https:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6082\/revisions\/6085"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.surrealresolution.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}