The Poisoning gave me a headache. Quickly. Like before the first song was even done. BLESSING THE HOGS sound like the musical equivalent of having an anvil dropped on your head. This brand of dark, sludgely, strained metalcore requires a lot of patience from the listener, and I just seemed to have none to give. It’s the not the fact that these guys play music that’s so heavy that turns me off, but rather the delivery in which they apply their skills. The often technical, mathematical approach to the band’s complex timing changes reminds me of MESHUGGAH, but just without the crisp recording – and thus, lacking in ‘pop.’ And as far as I’m concerned, BLESSING THE HOGS couldn’t care less about ‘pop,’ as the grizzly recording on here pushes their priorities into different areas. Namely: bursting veins. For those depending on the name drop, the sticker on the cover reads, “Featuring new guitarist and famed producer, Billy Anderson (KISS IT GOODBYE, NEUROSIS, EYEHATEGOD).” Not a bad release by any means, but I’ll take my ‘heavy fucking mayhem’ from a band that likes to work with a cleaner sound.

Goodfellow Records

www.goodfellowrecords.com