Pig Destroyer @ Amplifier

Thu 30th Oct, 2008 in Gig Reviews

Given the rarity of tours for a band touted as the next best thing in grindcore, the turn out for Pig Destroyer at amplifier was shit. Still, the loyalty of their fans rang true as it seems everyone seemed pumped to see this unique band on our soil.

Extortion have a pretty loyal fan base of their own, and it’s easy to see why.Frontman Rohan’s vocal delivery was intense, spat with anger, pacing back and forth amidst thrashing guitars and chugging bass. A good performance, although some movement out of the rest of the members would’ve been nice. Rohan uttered a quick thanks before dropping the mic and leaving the rest of the band to thrash out an instrumental to finish their set.

Eventually a disturbing intro track filled the air and it was evident that the Virginian grindcore band were ready. Punters raced in from the beer garden to get a glimpse of the unusual ensemble, incorporating guitarist Scott Hull, vocalist J.R. Hayes, drummer Brian Harvey and sampler Blake
Harrison.

If you’ve never been to a grindcore show, this is basically what to expect: 38 songs ranging in length, made up of the most unrelenting, brutal, crushing riffery-no songs over ninety seconds long. Pig Destroyer were no exception to this rule. They literally pummeled the crowd with song after song, bar a few brief moments of “relief” with more disturbing samples and Hayes welcoming the crowd to hell.

You’d think that all of this intensity would get repetitive however, Pig Destroyer’s set ranged from flat out thrash to infectious, groove laden riffs. This proved to be very entertaining to the punters who ate up every second, one female fan even sprinting into the circle pit in a display of her appreciation.

After a decent barrage, the crowd summoned Pig Destroyer back to the stage to play a handful more, finishing with their cover of the Dwarves Fuck You Up and Get High. The band members said their thanks satisfying even the most hardcore of fans by hanging out, swilling beer and swapping tales till closing time. Destroyers in the true sense of the word.