AlbumsNovember 29, 201115,740 views

Pig Destroyer Phantom Limb


Phantom Limb
01. Rotten Yellow 02. Jupiter's Eye 03. Deathtripper 04. Thought Crime Spree 05. Cemetery Road 06. Lesser Animal 07. Phantom Limb 08. Loathsome 09. Heathen Temple 10. 4th Degree Burns 11. Alexandria 12. Girl in a Slayer Jacket 13. Waist Deep in Ash 14. Machete Twins
2007 Relapse Records
Our score 9

by Nick
7/11/2007

It isn't uncommon to hear many within the extreme music world to refer to Pig Destroyer's 2004 release of Terrifyer as one of the best releases in recent memory. Terrifyer's half hour of bludgeoning grindcore with a slightly thrashy twist really struck a chord with many fans and propelled Pig Destroyer to the genre's spotlight. A few years later the guys have returned with the release of Phantom Limb, an album showcasing slightly longer and more developed songs, a few less periods of breakneck-speed chaos, and hell, even a big breakdown here and there. And while it's the most accessible material Pig Destroyer has ever released (that is, if Pig Destroyer material could ever be accessible in the first place), Phantom Limb is definitely on par with Terrifyer, and thus, yet another grindcore masterpiece. But let's not get carried away and assume that Phantom Limb is a departure of Cave In proportions. The disc's opener, "Rotten Yellow," will settle any qualms that listeners may have about the band's evolution as it explodes into a minute of blast-beat soaked, dissonant grind that Pig Destroyer has built their well-deserved reputation around. But after "Jupiter's Eye," a track packed with thrashy goodness, and "Deathtripper," a minute long number that ends with a well-placed, crushing breakdown, it's quite clear that the band has managed to expand upon their sound in a genre that generally doesn't allow for much progression at all. Although grindcore purists might scoff at the slight metallic departure of Phantom Limb, I see no reason why fans of Terrifyer won't welcome this disc with open arms. This album is for all who would enjoy hearing a nice, healthy dose of Slayer mixed in with the Pig Destroyer of old. And since I can't remember the last time adding a little Slayer was a bad thing, I've been in love with this disc ever since first listen. The rest of Phantom Limb is loaded with too many standouts to list. The fifty seconds of "Cemetery Road" will whet the ADD appetite of grindcore fans, while the melodic metal riff heavy "Loathsome" accomplishes something that I never thought I'd see: a well-written Pig Destroyer tune breaking the four minute mark. "Girl in the Slayer Jacket" and "The Machete Twins" are two more superb examples of the evolution of the band's songwriting abilities as both fuse Pig Destroyer's signature grindcore chaos with extremely memorable thrash metal touches to create a style both impossible to describe with a single genre title and more importantly, impossible to resist. Bottom Line: With the pressure of following up Terrifyer placed squarely on their shoulders, Pig Destroyer has responded with another amazing release in Phantom Limb. The grindcore backbone of years past is still very alive and well, but the inclusion of extremely well-executed thrash touches and masterful songwriting is what allows this album to achieve greatness. Pig Destroyer went above and beyond simply writing another Terrifyer and the result is something that will surely secure a place in grindcore and metal fans' listening rotation for quite some time.

35 comments

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killa bees_ 7/11/2007 9:20:13 PM

yeah this shit rules.

anonymous 7/11/2007 9:23:34 PM

FIRDST OMG !!YIU!

Man Who States Obvious_ 7/11/2007 9:25:18 PM

Nick is by far the worst reviewer this site has ever had. He needs to kill himself.

blackasstim_ 7/11/2007 9:28:19 PM

9/10? Really?

dickson_ 7/11/2007 10:38:36 PM

This album is actually 10/10 as far as anything release after 2002 is concerned.

FranklinDelanoBluth_ 7/11/2007 10:51:25 PM

I cannot say enough bad things about this album. Mediocre in everyway that an album can be mediocre. In the past 6 years this band has dropped every quality that made them interesting in the first place. The result: pure, unlistenable shit. Save your money, but Antigama instead.

mojotfb_ 7/11/2007 10:54:55 PM

sick shit, brah

anonymous 7/11/2007 11:30:57 PM

i also have been immensely disappointed with both this album and terrifyer. the true pig destroyer masterpiece is prowler in the yard, and anybody who doesn't hear that amazes me. also, there's a five minute (or so) track called hyperviolet that absolutely kills on prowler, which might be something for the reviewer to check out, eh? i respect this band, but i believe they have lost "the touch", so to speak. oh well...

FudgeYourYankeeBlueJeans_ 7/11/2007 11:50:31 PM

listened once. this is easy-listening grind. and f*ck that Antigama cd. thats trash for the most part too. get the new Splitter and Inhume discs if you guys want good '07 grind which aside from those doesnt exist

thealmightyjim_ 7/12/2007 1:18:58 AM

This album is some quality music folks. f*ck the haters.

Nick_ 7/12/2007 7:17:45 AM

Yeah, I knew somebody was going to catch that. I meant to say "well-written" song over four minutes. I find that one on prowler to be boring as hell.

Employee_ 7/12/2007 8:39:44 AM

Prowler in the Yard trumps anything they have done or will do.

SunnyvaleTrash_ 7/12/2007 8:49:51 AM

not a 9/10 album

anonymous 7/12/2007 9:12:36 AM

Absolutely no idea how anybody can hate on this album or this band. What the hell. This band can do no wrong, and frankly i was worried when i heard about this album because i thought there was no way it could even come close to Terrifyer. And it did.

ToiletFleet_ 7/12/2007 9:48:47 AM

Not the worst thing in the world, but indicative of Pig Destroyer's slide into ho-humness over the past few years. Terrifyer was hit and miss, Prowler In The Yard was solid, and their earlier material was aces. Never the best, but now just keeping pace with the pack.

tomgilk_ 7/12/2007 9:56:01 AM

super-catchy, memorable, songs are coherent, production is awesome. one of my favorites of the year. i could listen to this again and again. i say its their best album by far.

ScottHull_ 7/12/2007 10:39:23 AM

Prowler has the SHITTIEST snare drum sound that f*cking ruins the whole album. Both albums since completely own that shit.

Brian_ 7/12/2007 11:02:43 AM

Well I consider them to be my favorite band, but I was a bit disappointed. PITY was my favorite release by them, but at least PL doesn't completely suck. It's still pretty darn good.

arty_mcfarty_ 7/12/2007 11:04:55 AM

thank you nick for providing lambgoat with not one, but TWO amazing and spot on reviews filled with actual content and not verbal masterbation

anonymous 7/12/2007 11:59:58 AM

Life changing/10

whiskeydick_ 7/12/2007 12:04:15 PM

was never really into them, this album didnt change anything.

ionesco_ 7/12/2007 1:42:54 PM

de krekels in dat laatste de nummer ... geweldig! lol

suckme_ 7/12/2007 2:08:45 PM

i'm just glad cory didn't do this review.

fvckyouyoufvckingfvck_ 7/12/2007 4:18:05 PM

pig destroyer is going to change a lot of lives with this one.

Fur_Beach_ 7/12/2007 8:50:08 PM

I like a lot, this band always rules

ghetto_paul_ 7/13/2007 1:21:21 PM

easily one of the best albums of the year. I've been listening to this constantly

destroyerofpoon_ 7/13/2007 4:39:19 PM

Girl in the slayer jacket= lyrical gold

jugnuts_ 7/15/2007 1:45:12 AM

HEATHEN TEMPLE f*ckING CROWNS SHIT Pig Destroyer is grindcore, the rest is bullshit

anonymous 7/15/2007 4:58:40 PM

over-rated indie rock band, THE SHINS, have a song titled "Phantom Limb".

Nowonmai_ 7/16/2007 12:18:47 AM

there's a reason this music is called grindcore and not just grind. if you want to try and drop shit on grind, drop it on napalm death.... yeah, thought not.

zz_ 7/16/2007 7:59:54 PM

spot on review... whoever this guy is he is good, anyway... its no discordance axis but it will do... *furiously rushes to google to look up DA* you f*cking f*cktards

chainsawd_ 7/18/2007 12:18:13 PM

^^ no one is furiously looking up discordance axis because you dropped 'em, you gay

thealmightyjim_ 7/19/2007 12:42:17 PM

spot on review... whoever this guy is he is good, anyway... its no discordance axis but it will do... *furiously rushes to google to look up DA* you f*cking f*cktards posted by zz () on 7/16/2007 7:59:54 PM Eat shit. No one thinks you're cool because you know about Discordance Axis.

dickless at the mall_ 7/29/2008 3:00:04 AM

Holy f*ckin Syringe Death Thrash, Pg does it again and the haters can choke on thier own shit. This album is killer

freemetalman 12/31/2015 3:11:27 AM

So true review! Thanks man!