Live Report - Pig Destroyer ‘Book Burner’ Release Show – Oct. 19, 2012
Live Gig

Release year: 2012
Reviewed by Koeppe

A buddy of mine grew up in Massachusetts, did the whole Amherst liberal arts and hardcore thing a la Orchid, and he was always around awesome metal moments. He used to hang out in Jamey Jasta’s record store and all that entails, but what always made me jealous the most is that he attended the Jane Doe record release party, which may or may not have involved Pig Destroyer opening for them. He had seen PD once, but was almost positive it was at that event. A decade later, I now live on the East Coast and can spend my whole day at museums in DC and drive up around 8pm to Baltimore and catch Pig Destroyer’s record release party for their newest album, coming out this Tuesday (tomorrow at the time of this article’s publishing) without any major inconvenience. The East Coast and I might alas become friends if it can keep up this kind of a record.

I had never been to Ottobar in Baltimore, and ultimately after a bit of confusion with the guys at the door which was a tad frustrating, I got in to the venue and it was a pretty cool place. Just large enough for a good-sized crowd without being too spacious where people aren’t forced to be packed in. And given how good their ventilation was in terms of keeping us cool until the very moment in which the place went sick at the call of PD’s riffs, people should be packed in. It creates an atmosphere. There was no barrier between the fans and the stage and I always appreciate that. Hardcore, grindcore, etc. acts need that proximity to the fans to really create the proper vibe for a show. Early on in the night, Scott Hull stood in the crowd behind me and I got a little giddy and Kat Katz was standing next to me for most of the night. Venues that create that intimacy should be valued, because it’s not always so.

The first band, WarGames, was a melodic hardcore band from the local area. They played a straightforward Negative Approach sound with Black Flag riffs. Sadly, because I only heard these bands live sets get used to those summaries compiling a bands sound out of other bands. The vocalist of the band was awkwardly melodramatic, but maybe that just comes with territory of hardcore bands, however the awesome motorcycle riffs that the band brought more than made up for it. All in all, it was a tight, straightforward and energetic set.

The next band, Royal Thunder from Atlanta, GA, played that rocking doom metal that has become so popular these days amongst magazine writers. Basically, they play doom metal with heavy metal chops in the same vein as The Devil’s Blood minus the pretensions. What made Royal Thunder stand out is vocalist Mlny Parsonz’ blues croon-tinged vocals. Rather than aspiring for some operatic prowess, Parsonz brings a gritty, howl that can transition into hardcore shouts. The band played some decent riffs and the drums stood out for this type of band. Their sound really shined when they sped up the pace and played classic heavy metal numbers, but the set was split half between doom tracks and heavy metal tracks.

The third band of the night was a young Maryland act, Necropsy. And when I mean young, I mean like seventeen or eighteen at the most. However, this battle of the bands act brought the mosh with their form of thrash-y death metal. Imagine if Possessed took up playing Cannibal Corpse songs. Solid slap bass and decent drumming and vocals were really carried by the amazing guitar playing. These kids were sweeping up and down the frets, pulling off these awesome thrash riffs without being afraid to go into breakdowns as much as they were doing solos. Needless to say, the breakdown riffs brought the mosh and it made these kids’ night. The audience was chanting encore by the end of their set, and the boys couldn’t mask their ear-to-ear grins as they were the first opening act I’ve ever seen to perform an encore, asking the sound guy if it was alright if they played one more. The only question this begs is hasn’t every lyrically gore-based song been written? Death metal has done everything possibly imaginable to a body, what else is there left to write about?

Fourth band, Ilsa was pretty fucking awesome. Everything prior to this, I had seen in the past but these guys were something interesting. The vocalist was a tall, lanky dude, reminiscent of Gaza’s Jon Parkin, with a ginger beard that went half way down his torso and a gnarly bridge piercing. The bassist was this ugly dude with possibly the nastiest looking hair I’ve ever seen, like half dreads and half just matted ratty hair. The drummer was this huge dude who played a rather well-timed set. The rhythm guitarist came out in a Discharge shirt, cut up to his belly, Incantation booty shorts, lace stockings and a vial of glitter. Which he preceded to throw at the crowd at the end of their first song. And that sound they create, god, it was like a less proggy Intronaut with the intensity of Today is the Day and Salome. It was good. Their riffs were the first thing that got me moving all night. I really don’t know what to say about this band, but it was just really good sludgy doomdeath. I am looking forward to doing some research on them when I get a chance and check out some of their other stuff. They had just awesome riffs and that perfect balance between the plodding and the breakneck pace that makes a great doom metal band.

I guess if you have read this far, you’re probably getting a tad antsy about what I have to say about Pig Destroyer’s set. Everything you’d expect from them, multiply it by ten. Shit was sick. My only issue was that I don’t understand what Blake Harrison’s role in the band is. He’s kinda awkward being on stage, “doing samples”, that he kinda just becomes a hype man, which is something different for a grindcore band but it works whatever. My real concern coming into the night was whether Adam Jarvis of Misery Index fame could play the tracks. No matter how impressively large his drumset was (without going into a full blown review of Book Burner), I don’t feel as if his drumming on that album was as tight as Harvey’s was in past albums and that dynamic had been one of the highlights of PD’s sound. Regardless of the new album, though, Jarvis was tight last night. I’m completely ignorant of the timeline from when he joined the band and how much touring they’ve done, but it couldn’t have been much and he was perfect behind those skins even on the blistering tracks, which I may have heard Naked Trees, the epitome of PD drumming prowess.

I wish I had caught some form of their setlist, but it didn’t happen so my memory may be a bit hazy on that note. And I guess I should probably say something about JR Hayes. Dude is a beast. They played at least an hour set, which is always impressive for a grindcore band, but particularly for his role. ANb vocalists, Kat Katz and Richard Johnson, were around to share some of the vocal duties, but they couldn’t guest on every song. The man screams his heart out, given the intensity on this face, you wouldn’t be completely surprised to start seeing chunks of internal organs spewing out as he spits vile in the mic. Consistently, taking swigs of Jack Daniels from the bottle, the man never relented in his fury. He doesn’t have that metal stage presence of someone like Greg Pucciato who interacts with the crowd, getting in their face and imposing himself on the fans. Hayes always seemed distant as if he was somewhere else, screaming for himself rather than for us. It’s not to say that Hayes didn’t interact with the crowd between tracks, but overall the violence in his tone was directed at something not in that building and it gave a rather haunting vibe. Tracks like Thumbsucker and off the new album The Bug really showcased his intensity, such as in moments off the former where he sang "I DONT LIKE SUFFERING" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPA-wchlRuA) or when in the latter his voice barely sounded human as he snarled into the mic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV3Bf_pz09M).

Scott Hull. He is the backbone of PD’s sound. Harvey’s almost tinny drumming stood out so well on their past albums because of his interaction with Hull and as vilely beautiful Hayes lyrics and vocals are, they wouldn’t be what they are without the intensity that Hull’s riffs bring out in the listener. Overall, the entire band, maybe because this show wasn’t part of a large tour but a one or two night stint, seemed light-hearted and as if they were having fun. In between tracks, Harrison and Hull were joking. Hull was pointing to Hayes and poking fun at him. The guys were having a great time, but when Hull was playing riffs he totally put on his game face. The man is madly tapping across pedals, sweeping his hands up and down the guitar, eliciting wild riffs and squeals from the guitar. The beauty of the night was just in how moshable his riffs were. I was up towards the front, a person away from the stage and would rock out, but once those classic breakdowns kicked in on Carrion Fairy or Rotten Yellow, I would run out into the pit and tear shit up only to return back to my place after the breakdown ceased. Grindcore might be described as intense or violent, but the power of the music is how it is in able to evoke those emotions in its listeners. Hayes and Hull become maniacal priests participating in an evil ritual as fans lose all control in their fury and enjoyment.

The guys played two encores, one being a cover of Maryland's hardcore/crossover act, Void and the other one of their own that I couldn't pick up because I was moshing too hard. The second encore was done on the stipulation that the crowd sang happy birthday to Jarvis as he double fisted/simultaneously chugged some National Bohemian and Jack.

Something should be said about Kat Katz. I loved her vocals from the very first time I heard Salome, I love her contributons to Agoraphobic Nosebleed and I was psyched when I recognized her voice on Lost Cause years after first hearing Terrifyer. She is so petite, but she has some of the most piercing and violent screams in the business. She simply has a presence in her ferocity. Seeing her live for the first time, blew me away. More intensity comes from her on stage than any guy in the business. If anyone was able to stand up there and keep up with Hayes, it was her. When she’d come up on stage, there was no drop in quality because she simply tore it up. I really can’t wait till she becomes a permanent fixture in a band once again.

At the end of the day, the metal community is lucky to have these guys making music insofar as in the process of making Book Burner, there was discussion of breaking up. They moved past that, though, and they seem to be just having a blast doing what they love. They put on one of the best shows I have ever seen to one of the wildest crowds that I have ever had the chance to partake in. My body has never ached this bad for this long preceding a show. They don't tour extensively, but if you have a chance to drive somewhere and catch one of their shows do it. They're slated to be at next year's Maryland Deathfest, but a few United Kingdom dates in the next month or so. Here's to them going nowhere anytime soon and continuing to further their reputation as one of the greatest grindcore bands of all time.

Killing Songs :
Koeppe quoted no quote
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