Reviewed: March 2023
Released: 2022, self-released
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Simon Wiedemann
Bloated Pig are an unsigned three piece heavy metal band who were formed in 2006 by brothers Wilhelm and Vaahgner in Calgary, Alberta in Canada. Current bassist Matt Riley would join them in 2018. They released their latest full length album simply titled ‘6’ on September 9th, 2022. It follows three LPs and two EPs. Their track ‘Young, Ugly and Dead’ has found its way onto the compilation album ‘Doomed & Stoned in Canada (Vol. II)’. The drummer also makes dark synth tracks and perfect home made pasta sauces, as well.
Intro track ‘Concussion’ has a crushing bass riff that sounds rather like Mayhem’s ‘Chainsaw…’ ahem. Mayhem’s… Well you can find the rest of the song title on Wikipedia, just be warned because it’s truly demented. After about a minute, equally menacing distorted guitars play the same riff on top, but a power chord version. That’s all there is to the song really, so you better like minimalism. In terms of style, it’s also rather like Stormtroopers of Death’s almost as basic ‘March of the S.O.D.’ Catchy stuff. Whilst Mayhem and BP are almost equally as filthy as each other, the latter are more polished. Also like in the black metal band’s Deathcrush album, ‘The Final Nail’ has a super fast tempo with raging growls, but that track is nowhere near as sloppily performed. Also the singer doesn’t sound quite so mentally ill, here. The drumming is just a little out of time at times sure, but Mayhem fans will know it could be much much worse.
‘Bastard Revelations’ (sorry for having to swear, but check out the Mayhem song!) has a super chuggy, mid-paced riff and some tremolo picking later on. Other than the growls, there’s little more to that song too, which is fine. These guys are more about thrashing rather than making one think. ‘Oh no, an extreme metal fan isn’t being made to think?? Let’s complain right now!’ Of course no one has said that, ever. ‘The Grip’ is more groove metal/Bolt Thrower styled, but the differences are still rather minor. Having said the listener isn’t forced to think, I have to say the song does end on somewhat of an interesting chord. Pretty strange really, but it works. Very mysterious. Not relying on super basic and repetitive chugs or tremolo picking, the main riff of ‘Dog Bite’ is actually pretty good. Very much in the style of mid-paced Slayer, but not a ripoff.
‘Deadweight’ plays around with a simple yet effective riff which has a chord version, a non-chord variation (‘melodic variation’ isn’t quite the right phrase) and another version where the whole band plays the same rhythm together. It’s actually pretty cool. The note choices of the hook almost remind me of Meshuggah, but of course the time signature here is very standard, in this case, 6/8. In other words very much like 4/4 but in triplets. ‘Antipersonnel’ is a death metal song that sounds somewhat like Cannibal Corpse’s ‘Hammer Smashed Face’ in its faster moments but here you don’t get the more complicated song structure. Like HSM there are slower moments, but they’re not so notey in this album and instead the interest comes more from the thicker production. ‘Death is my Slave’ sounds like a dreary doom metal song until is speeds up to hardcore punk style sound, think Discharge. Not a combination you hear every day, but it doesn’t sound weird or anything. ‘Horrendous’ closes the album with more doom. I guess they’re not ‘light at the end of tunnel’ people.
To conclude, this is powerful and thickly produced music with death metal, grindcore, hardcore punk, doom and groove metal influences. Despite the range of styles, most of it is about as intellectual to listen to as thrashy punk music which is no problem at all, unless of course you’re looking for something more technical. Der, right? And there are a lot of bands more technical. Let’s be real here, most of the songs sound like they could have been written in just a few hours if that, but if the band think they’ve done enough to achieve their goal, which I assume is mostly to sound moshable and little else that’s fine. In my opinion, they have in fact, achieved what they set out to do. In a funny way, even though this music is a little on the predictable side at times, in a way there’s actually little that could be done to improve it! If it was any more complex it just wouldn’t be the same. The music isn’t so much for me, but plenty will enjoy it a lot more, I’m sure.
Video:
Tracklisting:
1. Concussion
2. The Final Nail
3. Bastard Revelations
4. The Grip
5. World of Enemies
6. Dog Bite
7. Deadweight
8. Antipersonnel
9. Death is my Slave
10. Horrendous
Band line-up:
Wilhelm – Drums
Vaahgner – Guitars, vocals
Matt Riley – Bass
Websites:
Facebook
Bandcamp
