Slightly, eh, dodgy name aside, there are few bands as relentlessly heavy as All Pigs Must Die. Their second album Nothing Violates This Nature really encapsulates all of the things this band do best - combining every single kind of metal subgenre you can image with layers of d-beats and hardcore breakdowns in one massive, intense, screamy cocktail.
If you’re unfamiliar with the band, they’re basically a supergroup made up of members from various well known Boston/Massachusetts bands. Chief among them is drummer Ben Koller, well known not only for being the dynamo behind Coverge’s feral, emotive sonic assault, but also man of many bands himself, drumming for Mutoid Man, Killer Be Killed and many other projects.
The band are rounded out by Kevin Baker, the vocalist for influential 00s hardcore act The Hope Conspiracy, and Matt Woods and Adam Wentworth from the doom band Bloodhorse. More recently they’ve been joined by Brian Izzi on guitar too, from the death and roll/crust punk band Trap Them.
The ethos behind this band is fairly straight forward - do it fast, do it heavy, do it intensely. They’re very much a “mood” band in that regard, namely that you’re unlikely to want to sit through an entire album if you’re feeling chipper, but if you’re having a rotten day then this guys might just be your jam. Also suitable for perhaps if you want to bench press 1 million pounds or run to the other side of the country.
Suffice to say, they’re full on. They come from great stock, and they write almost all of their music remotely, which probably accounts for the formula.
Anyway, they’ve only released three albums and this, Mark contests, is the best example of what they do best - grind all day. Is it worth of a place in our discography though? That’s up to you.