An Aggressive Metal Goldmine

All Pigs Must Die emerged onto the metal scene with the release of their self-titled EP back in 2010. Since then they’ve released three full-length albums, none of which are anything short of impactful. Hostage Animal marks their latest release, and the album reassures listeners that All Pigs Must Die will stay firmly planted in their metal roots.

As the rest of the band’s catalog indicates, punk and aggressive metal collide in Hostage Animal. Every song on the album elicits undeniable rage and destruction with the use of coarse vocal lines, crunchy guitar tones and exceptionally fast drum hits. The album starts off with the title track, which clearly dictates what to expect moving forward.

“Hostage Animal” kicks off the album with a minor chord and a blast beat. That first four-measure stretch is almost disgusting in the sounds it produces, pulling the listener into a warped black hole of distortion. Fans of All Pigs Must Die may also notice at first listen that this album actually has a higher production quality than any of the band’s past efforts. The tracks on this album really fill out headphones/speakers in a way the last few albums did not. The upped production quality really makes for a better listen this time around and relays more of the band’s unhinged style.

After the first track, the album moves into some noticeably shorter tracks before hitting its first screeching halt at “Slave Morality.” This is the first slow burn on the LP, and although it provides a good pace change with some great guitar work, the band’s strengths clearly lie in shorter and faster material. The same can be said about “End Without End,” another slow track that goes just over five minutes.

The best tracks on this album though are not the five to six-minute efforts. The great moments on Hostage Animal lie in a few rapid tracks that clock in under three minutes. “A Caustic Vision” and “Blood Wet Teeth” are prime examples. Both of those tracks are fast, but they also have incredibly groovy moments. All Pigs Must Die is at their best when they can take a short time to give the listener a ton to work with. For example, the introduction instrumentals of “A Caustic Vision” are hypnotically heavy, and the song proceeds from there to make changes between chunky grooves and lightning-fast blast beats. That is where this band excels.

All Pigs Must Die definitely delivers some intensity on this album, but even when they incorporate slow songs into the mix, the material feels stretched and tiresome. The vocal tone remains the same throughout the album, and it’s easy to tell that this band uses the same tried and true formula to make all their songs.

However, do not let that distract from the fact that All Pigs Must Die just dropped one of the most savage metal efforts to come out of the last few years. Anyone who enjoys hyper-aggressive metal will certainly hit replay many times on a few select tracks. “Hostage Animal” is 34 minutes of straight up intensity and energy, and although it has its faults, it is a hard-hitting work that simply does not quit.