Pig Destroyer

Infobox musical artist
Name = Pig Destroyer


Img_capt = From left to right: Scott Hull, J. R. Hayes, Brian Harvey
Img_size = 170
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Virginia, United States
Genre = Grindcore [ [http://www.rockdetector.com/artist,30890.sm Pig Destroyer] at Rockdetector]
Death metal [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jbfpxqrjldfe Pig Destroyer] at allmusic]
Deathgrind [Bryan Reed, "The Daily Tar Heel", July 19, 2007. [http://media.www.dailytarheel.com/media/storage/paper885/news/2007/07/19/Arts/phantom.Limb.Exorcises.Its.Emotions-2925041.shtml] Access date: August 6, 2008.]
Years_active = 1997–present
Label = Relapse
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.pigdestroyer.net/ www.pigdestroyer.net]
Current_members = J. R. Hayes
Scott Hull
Brian Harvey
Blake Harrison
Past_members = John Evans
Donna Parker
Jessica Rylan
Notable_instruments =

Pig Destroyer is a Virginian extreme metal band.

Biography

The band formed in 1997 with vocalist J. R. Hayes (Enemy Soil), guitarist Scott Hull (Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Japanese Torture Comedy Hour, and ex-Anal Cunt), and drummer John Evans. Evans was later replaced by Brian Harvey.

In an interview, Scott Hull claims that they picked the band name on the criteria that it was insulting, yet somewhat more creative than the name of his last band, Anal Cunt. They decided "Cop Killer" or "Cop Destroyer" would be tactless, they eventually settled on "Pig Destroyer" ("pig" being a pejorative American slang term for the police). Derived from a non-musical source as extreme as the band's sound, Pig Destroyer's easily identifiable logo was created using the emblem from "ANSWER Me!" magazine as a template. However, the band has become less political in recent times.

Relapse Records signed the band and issued a split 7" with Isis on the label's Singles Series in July 2000. "38 Counts of Battery" was a complete discography of Pig Destroyer releases up to the year 2000, which included split records with Gnob and influential screamo act Orchid, as well as their debut album "Explosions In Ward 6" and the demo that secured their record deal.

"Prowler in the Yard", released in 2001, was the first of the band's records to really break through to what could contextually be considered the "mainstream". Garnering rave reviews from popular press such as "Kerrang!" and "Terrorizer", the record earned Pig Destroyer headlining slots at the 2002 New England Metal and Hardcore Festival and the 2002 Relapse Records CMJ Showcase, as well as a high placing at 2003's Relapse Contamination Fest alongside scene legends High on Fire and The Dillinger Escape Plan (documented on the Relapse Contamination Fest DVD).

2004's "Terrifyer" boasted a much clearer sound than "Prowler in the Yard" or "38 Counts of Battery". As well as lyrics and prose from Hayes, the record came with an accompanying DVD soundscape entitled "Natasha", which was intended to be listened to in surround sound (although a more recent Japanese edition of the album has "Natasha" as an ordinary CD with four bonus tracks). Session guitarist Matthew Kevin Mills, Hull's former guitar teacher, recorded the lead guitar parts in the song "Towering Flesh."

Official promotional videos have surfaced for three Pig Destroyer tracks: "Piss Angel" from "Prowler in the Yard", "Gravedancer" from "Terrifyer", both of which received little airplay. The video for "Loathsome" from "Phantom Limb", on the other hand, has received numerous plays on MTV2's Headbanger's Ball and continues to be in rotation as of April 2008.

A compilation of tracks from the split EPs with Gnob and Benümb is also available, entitled "Painter of Dead Girls". The album features alternative versions of older songs from the "38 Counts" era (such as "Dark Satellites"), a series of new songs (such as "Rejection Fetish" and "Forgotten Child"), and covers of bands who could be considered an influence (such as The Stooges and Helmet).

Pig Destroyer have stated that they would release a series of 9 split 7" EPs in 2006. Bands on the flipside include Orthrelm and Blood Duster; however nothing has yet been released. The 7" series has been put on hold for the release of "Phantom Limb". [ [http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=24046 1] ]

2007 saw the release of album Phantom Limb via Relapse Records, complete with album artwork designed by John Baizley (Baroness, Torche). A music video for the song "Loathsome" was directed and shot by [http://www.mgenyc.com David Brodsky] and debuted on MTV2's Headbanger's Ball in late 2007. It features, what [http://www.mgenyc.com Brodsky] describes as "imagery based on the lyrics of the song but that aren't literal representations - they are more or less like a stone skipping on water in that they touch on a word then leap off again on their own, only to come back to the lyrics for a moment and leap off again. Ultimately, it made for an interesting experiment in storytelling and we're really happy with the result."

Pig Destroyer also co-headlined Los Angeles Murderfest Version 3.0 on Sunday, March 25 2007 along with Brutal Truth and Cretin. [ [http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=24360 2] ]

Influences

Scott Hull has discussed artist Matthew Barney, author Dennis Cooper, and noise musicians Whitehouse as influencing his music. [Anthony Bartkewicz, "Decibel Magazine", July 2007 [http://www.decibelmagazine.com/features/jul2007/pigdestroyer.aspx] . Access date: June 18, 2008] Pig Destroyer is inspired by thrash metal, such as Dark Angel and Slayer, the sludge metal of The Melvins, and classic grindcore practiced by Brutal Truth.Anthony Bartkewicz, "Pig Destroyer", "Decibel", July 2007 [http://www.decibelmagazine.com/features/jul2007/pigdestroyer.aspx] Access date: July 24, 2008]

Members

*J. R. Hayes - Vocals
*Scott Hull - Guitar
*Brian Harvey - Drums
*Blake Harrison - Electronics

Former

*John Evans - Drums (1997-2001)
*Donna Parker- Electronics (2006)
*Jessica Rylan- Keyboard (2006)

Discography

*"Split with Orchid" EP (1997)
*"Demo" (1997)
*"Explosions In Ward 6" CD (1998)
*"Split with Gnob" EP (1999)
*"Split with Isis" EP (2000)
*"7" picture disc" EP (2000)
*"38 Counts of Battery" CD (2001) Compilation of all preceding releases.
*"Prowler in the Yard" CD (2001)
*"Split with Benumb" CD (2002)
*"Painter of Dead Girls" (tracks from Gnob and Benumb splits, 2004)
*"Terrifyer" CD (2004)
*"Split with Coldworker and Antigama" EP (2007)
*"Phantom Limb" CD (2007)

Compilation appearances

* - covered the song "Claude". (2005)
*Relapse Contamination Festival 2003 DVD (2004)
*BMA vs Metal Blade vs Robotic Empire: Sampler 2004 (2004)
*Contaminated 3.0 (2000)
*Contaminated 5.0 (2003)
*Contaminated, Vol. 6 (2004)
*Contaminated: Relapse Records Sampler, Vol. 7 (2005)
*Relapse Records Extreme Music Sampler (2005)

References

External links

* [http://shop.relapse.com/artist/artist.aspx?ArtistID=10081 Pig Destroyer] at Relapse Records
* [http://www.myspace.com/therealpigdestroyer Pig Destroyer] at MySpace