Psycho, the Death Metal act from Singapore, is one of those bands that are signed to an underground record label that are just so intense and heavy that not only do they suit the underground, but you'd swear each member clawed their way up the six feet of gravel just to get to there. Pain Addict Pigs finds the band signed to Moribun Records, and hammering out a brutal, horrific album that any fans of Death Metal are going to simply devour like a pack of starving zombies in a brain warehouse. Of course, this means that today's society won't approve of it, and chances are good that this band will be overshadowed by many other acts because of how intense they are without being the next big Brutal Deathcore act with pig squeels and breakdowns, but the true fans will know their name and praise it loudly with honor. Pain Addict Pigs is one sick horror filled skull crushing Death Metal release.
Pain Addict Pigs is simply a furious and evil release full of horrific atmosphere and imagery. While there has been an interest in bands doing the Metal version of Horror Punk that acts like The Misfits have made famous, Psycho have clearly perfected it with this release. Each track on hammers away at the listener with it's heavy guitars and drumming, cutting away with it's razor-sharp fury. The vocals on this effort are as equally menacing, having a great amount of energy behind them, creating a very commanding feel between the rhaspier Black Metal style vocals against background gutterals are simply inhuman. The addition of some high falsettos on the track "Mater Lachrymarum...Mother of Tears" really makes it stand out, and leaves you wanting them done more through the album, but while it doesn't happen, this just shows the impressive range the vocalist has for this recording, and just how much he adds to the overall intensity of the recording next to the punishing music.
The production quality of the album is also rather surprising. For the most part, Moribund Records typically release albums that are very muddy or of a lo-fi quality, often what one might expect from a raw "kvlt" Black Metal recording, but when it's not that style, it's typically a little better. This recording, however, has just a little muddiness, but for the most part is pretty clean, relying solely on the fast paced music, the distortion ont he guitars, and the intimidating vocals to create such a brutalizing masterpiece, and it really shows throughout the album. Each track is as strong as the last, ending with as much fury and intimidation on "Demon Deathtrance", which also finds some slower moments that seem to have a slight Groove inspiration to them, which happens on more then just this one song, as the first real song ont he recording, the title track "Pain Addict Pigs", features. This track doesn't necessarily feature that slight Groove inspiration that some have during slower moments, but this one has some clearly early NWOBHM/Thrash influences creeping in front bands like Venom, but also a notable Death/Grindcore influence from such acts as Napalm Death thrown in for good measure.
Of course, not every track on this recording is a faster pace, but often will feature a build up or transition into it. While those songs are easily the most intense and brutal-sounding, the slower tracks on here really make a strong imprint as well. "All are Dead" takes things slow for the most part, though it does build up in. to a faster pace, includes a brief falsetto scream, and has a pretty impressive solo, but it takes a strong old-school Death Metal approach before that heavy Thrash influence takes effect into the song. Of course, there's also the "Intro (The First Incantation)" which suits the atmosphere of the recording perfectly with it's horrific and haunting gutterals. This isn't the only atmospheric aspect outside of music, as there is an audio sample utilized on "Meat Slit Grinder" about the "joys" of murder viewable on a television screen, which perfectly suits the ominous sounding track that seethes with old-school Death Metal mosh pit inducing guitars.
Pain Addict Pigs is vintage Death Metal laced with some Thrash speed and intensity at times to create an album that is brutal, heavy, and all around punishing. If you have yet to hear about this band, then now is the time. The music on Pain Addict Pigs features enough energy and punishment that any Death Metal fan is going to want to start a mosh pit wherever they are the second the chords of any of these songs kick in. Obviously, this is a must have release for anyone who calls themselves a Death Metal fan, and is one of those releases that probably will slip under the radar for many, but damn well deserves the attention of the Death Metal community, as well as a spot in your collection.
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