(Big) Pig
Grande Puerco
(Plastic Cactus Records/Cobraside Distribution)
Sometimes it takes an econo’ lineup of only a drummer, a guitar player and the right person behind the console to dial in and pound out a record so loud and heavy, you’d second guess the band just being a two-piece. That’s exactly what this young duo called (Big) Pig has done with Grande Puerco, their debut record available now on cassette via Plastic Cactus Records/Cobraside Distribution. Dino Von Lalli (guitar/vox) and Bennie Macias (drum/vox), two kids from Southern California meld various elements of the heavy rock spectrum into ten tracks that deliver an audial blitzkrieg reminiscent to the artists that were featured on the Dope-Guns N’-Fucking in the Street compilations. An awesome album from start to finish, with tongue n’ cheek lyrics and vocal delivery set to a backdrop of surprisingly harsh and heavy riffs from the duo.
That last sentence especially rings true; this record throws you off guard with how it sounds and the overall lyrical content and vocal deliveries of Dino Von Lalli (Guitars/Vox). To be descriptive, think of song as aggressive, driving and loud as Melvin’s track “Honey Bucket” but with lyrics that story tell a violent fist fight occurring between two famished individuals over the last slice of pizza.
That can properly summarize what (Big) Pig’s thang is.
The credit for capturing the crushing tone that makes up Grande Puerco goes to the efforts of a trio of engineering masterminds: Toshi Kasai (Big Business), Mathias Schneeberger (Earthlings?, Goatsnake, Fatso Jetson) and Adam Harding (Dumb Numbers) being the force behind the consoles. One thing about this record is that the tempo and timings vary with each song thanks to Benny’s relentless drumming patterns and use of different time signatures. Elements of the grunge genre persist in such tracks as “Flesh Drive”, “King Baby” and “Don’t Care” and the rest of the record is a time change extravaganza of thick and enriched heavy riffs throughout in part of Von Lalli’s greasy touch. The stand out track would have to “Aldini Lopez”, just check it out at their Bandcamp (below), you’ll see why. It’s too easy to pigeonhole these guys as another “sludge” band, they’re not and that would be a gross misrepresentation of the Pigs and their craft.
(Big) Pig is a loud as hell, heavy rock band and that’s all, deal with it! Grande Puerco has been unleashed to the masses and watch out as the pigs have taken flight!
