For a lot of bands the sophomore release is a big deal. And for some it's a make or break moment as to whether the fans are going to stick around. Bands in the hardcore and metal genres seem to have it a little easier in terms of satisfying the audience than bands in the dairy freeze scene (see: your local Hot Topic record rack and their featured music section) provided they make an adequate album that sticks to their sound but not to the point that they sound overly recycled. And yet, there's still some bands that you know are always going to rule. The moment they announce a new album you just know it is going to be Armageddon on your stereo. All Pigs Must Die is just such a band that when they put out a record, destruction follows in its wake.
All Pigs Must Die are one of those super groups among super groups. A band that really has some really insane chemistry that is apparent from the first few seconds of any song they play. The band started simply playing tightly wound d-beat and has quickly become one of the reigning champions in the genre. Their 2010 self-titled EP was a dirty, festering release that sounded like it was birthing a chainsaw, while 2011's God Is War went for the religious jugular by title alone and upped the crust factor as well as the speed. All Pigs Must Die have already set the bar incredibly high and now aim to push it even further with their latest album Nothing Violates This Nature.
The sophomore album by All Pigs Must Die brings back what you've come to expect from the band these last three years: an all encompassing, raging d-beat assault. The album kicks off with “Chaos Arise.” Never could there have been a more fitting title for the first track of any All Pigs Must Die album. A few taps on a high-hat and the band comes out swinging. It's a song that gets the blood flowing. Adam Wentworth's (ex-Red Chord, Bloodhorse) guitar work chugs along with terminal ferocity while throwing in sharp leads. Kevin Baker's (The Hope Conspiracy) scream is just as frantic as ever spewing forth vitriol at every turn.
The album kicks up the rage with “Silencer,” a track gets down to business immediately. Ben Koller's (Converge, Old Man Gloom) drumming goes frantic and Wentworth's riffing is metal as hell. It's a steamroller of a song that doesn't relent for its almost two minute run. Even when it seems like it might go for a break down around the minute-and-twenty, it fakes the listener out and keeps on pummeling.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAFyrjHREZ8[/youtube]
The third track, “Primitive Fear,” is where many will start to notice a shift in the band's sound. The first two tracks are classic for the band with their wailing leads and bull-rush attitude. Though they are no stranger to slower tracks, “Primitive Fear” isn't exactly slow. It starts off blasting and then falls into more of a downtempo approach. Matt Woods (Bloodhorse) bass lead lends an exceptionally catchy flavor to the fill midway through and pushes an ominous vibe throughout the rest of the song.
“Bloodlines” and “Of Suffering” follow in the wake with the same idea as “Primitive Fear.” All Pigs Must Die craft much moodier, heavier songs with this little trilogy. “Bloodlines” sounds like a desperate caged animal. It is a heavy track that sounds like a building collapsing column by column. “Of Suffering” slows things down to the point that the band is taking major sludge cues. The song trudges through over five minutes of slow riffs and is moody as hell. Strangely, it also sounds like an album closer in terms of flow. It's reminisce of “Sadistic Vindicator” but with a slower tempo and less of a build.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQeVVYJaq0o[/youtube]
All Pigs Must Die crank up the adrenaline again with the thrashier “Holy Plague” and continue to blast through the next four tracks with unrelenting, brute force. “Aqim Siege” and “Sacred Nothing” work hand in hand, offering up more blast beats. “Sacred Nothing” slams through with more of a punk beat, but without losing any of its vicious edge, ending on a savage note. “Aquim Siege” is similar in style, though heavier and more varied, with breakdowns and blasts layered throughout its barely minute time frame.
The album ends on the notes of “Faith Eater” and “Articles of Human Weakness.” “Faith Eater” is the best song right next to “Silencer.” It is a punishing, violent d-beat song that unleashes some of the most lurching energy found on the album. The chorus is a monster that will seize your skull and smash it into the concrete as the rest of the song tramples your body like a pack of rhinos. It is the zenith of the record that offers up the best that All Pigs Must Die have to offer. “Articles of Human Weakness” closes off the album with a monolithic farewell. It wraps the rest of the album up into a burrito of razor blades, eats it, and spits blood through the speakers. This is the kind of song that a band saves for the final number and just lets it rip on the unsuspecting audience. It's in way a summary, instrumentally, of the rest of the album, but also a final send off to shatter your nerves and melt your stereo.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVbpeqPww2E[/youtube]
All Pigs Must Die is a band that thrives in destruction and decimation. Nothing Violates This Nature is in itself a statement on the nature of the band. They won't be violated, but they will certainly violate. It's another impressive record from an impressive band. They manage to bring about an epic feeling to songs while also being to-the-point. Does it go above God Is War? It's really a different record overall so the answer is both yes and no. The band feels a little less crusty on the album and much more metallic this time around. A lot of the riffs sound more akin to Motörhead with a healthy dose of Entombed and Disfear. Nothing Violates This Nature meets its predecessor in many ways with Koller's superb drumming and Wentworth's heavy riffing and electrifying leads. This is a crusher, plain and simple. And you really couldn't ask for a much better album than this from All Pigs Must Die.
9/10
