PIG & SASHA GREY unveil new single THAT’S THE WAY (I LIKE IT)

With the release of their collaboration ‘That's The Way (I Like It)’, out today via Metropolis Records,

industrial-rock act PIG and author/singer/actress Sasha Grey have premiered the video for it via

Pornhub before making it more widely available (the YouTube link is noted above).

  

"I think it’s about time that people stop being ashamed and furtive in their relationship with PIG,” says band mastermind Raymond Watts about the song - a cover of the perennial classic by KC & the Sunshine Band - and video. "Being on Pornhub puts us in the mainstream and will stop the stigma that has been attached to the secret and underground world of listening to PIG. People can stop listening to us in darkened basements in constant fear of being exposed….our fans have lived in the fear of discovery for too long!"

Directed by Gabriel Edvy, the sexually-charged black and white video is a dark disco romp, shot

intimately and playfully with disco balls, light BDSM and sweat. 

"The idea behind the video was how to bring a darker, more sinister overtone and texture to what seems to be an initially ‘upbeat' song," says Watts. "The foreboding nature of the video is despite of rather than because of the bright shiny disco elements in the song. Although we use some imagery that suggests a good time is being had….all is maybe not as it seems, possibly a reflection on the current situation we see when looking around at what is happening today in the world. Who is it telling us that everything is better than we could possibly imagine and we are drowning in delusions and force fed lies? But whose lies? Which side of the mirror is looking through a broken lens?” 

TRACKLISTING

1  That’s The Way (I Like It) - Rougher

2  Truth Is Sin (Shame On You Remix by Chris Hall of Stabbing Westward)

3  That's The Way (I Like It) (PIG In The Disco Remix)

4  The Revelation (The Fukken Uber Revelation Remix by Hanzel und Gretyl)

5  Cult of Chaos (8 Arrows remix by Ego Likeness)

In addition to the digital EP release on Metropolis, the Armalyte Industries label is releasing

12” and 10” formats that each include exclusive remixes by the likes of Youth, Cubanate and

Raymond Watts himself. They can be ordered here: https://www.armalyte.com/ARMVNL053.htm

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Review: Pig – 'Risen'

PIG
'Risen'
ARMALYTE INDUSTRIES / METROPOLIS RECORDS 

The years spent in the wasteland of creative inactivity are well and truly behind Raymond Watts as we get another hot slice of pork a mere 2 years after the last. Pig's latest full-length studio offing 'Risen' sees the lord of lard Watts continue his creative fervour that was kicked off in 2015 with the 'Compound Eye' sessions with Marc Heal and has continued across several releases in the intervening years. But has this rapid creativity left the well dry?

No. It hasn't. 'Risen' picks up where 'The Gospel' left off with slow grooves and heavy riffs blending industrial electronics, alternative rock while Watts takes on the mantel of an apocalyptic preacher with his chant-a-long lyrics and seedy vocal delivery. Tracks such as 'The Chosen Few', 'Morphine Machine', 'The Revelation', 'Rise & Repent', 'Leather Pig', 'Prey & Obey', and 'Hard Machine' give the album it's hard industrial rock backbone. While the likes of 'Loud, Lawless & Lost', 'When I', and 'Ecstasy & Exorcism' get a bit weirder and more playful in the way that Watts has always had a penchant for.

Production-wise the album maintains a nice balance between it's gritty industrial rock core and more experimental embellishments that have always coloured his work. It's hard to say the album conforms to the “classic” Pig sound, as it has always been an esoteric entity. However the classical elements and more playful electronic experimentation come to the fore quite often which will please long-time fans.

'Watts and co. have been on a creative role for the past three years and it shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. 'Risen' is another great industrial rock album that is well-rounded, expertly crafted and captivating. Watts may be a veteran but he can still bring new ideas to the table and that's exactly what the industrial rock scene needs.

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Armalyte Industries to release 's 'Wrecked' Deluxe Vinyl & Der Prosector's 'Egregious' EP

<PIG> - 'Wrecked' (Remastered) Deluxe Vinyl.

Previously only available on PIG's recent 'Prey & Obey' US tour, we have finally gotten stock in of this deliciously deluxe vinyl edition of 'Wrecked'. Fully remastered from the original DATs, this definitive collection features ALL the tracks from both the original Japanese and American releases, along with the bonus 'Fuck Me I'm Sick (As Fuck)' remix and the never-before-heard 'Strength Thru Submission', all rendered on two discs of 180g heavyweight vinyl. The artwork has been beautifully reassembled by original artist Stephen Lovell-Davis to take full advantage of the greater scope afforded by the gatefold sleeve, and each copy comes with a double-sided lyric sheet signed by Raymond Watts and also a download card.

Der Prosector - 'Egregious' EP Deluxe Vinyl.

Continuing our theme of glorious vinyl, our newest signings, Der Prosector, have their killer debut issued as a strictly limited edition (only 100 copies) of disturbing, blood splattered vinyl. Featuring Ged Denton (C-Tec and Crisis NTI), Jules Seifert & Neil Hester (The Sepia), and Digby Denton (Frogs of War), Der Prosector specialise in kicking out industrial strength punk jams.
To order your copy, click here.

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Review: Pig – 'Prey & Obey'

PIG
'Prey & Obey'
METROPOLIS RECORDS

Raymond Watts, the Lord of Lard, is just the gift that keeps on giving these days. After such a long time out in the wilderness it's great to see a return to frantic productivity giving long-time fans another hot meat injection and converting new ones with his porky perversions. The latest release in the current swine cycle is the heavy and rousing 'Prey & Obey' digital EP.

The heavy chant-a-long nature of the title track kicks things off in grandiose style with the characteristic guitar and pounding beat assault combined with subtle classical nods that never fails to get the blood pumping. 'The Revelation' follows up with a nostalgic trip back to his heaviest past collaborations with a KMFDM-style riff and growled vocals turning things up to eleven with Watts' indomitable panache. Finally, 'The Cult Of Chaos' continues down the same path laid out by its predecessors with another hard hitting lesson in proper industrial rock.

The EP is rounded off with three remixes courtesy of Leaether Strip and fellow Pig compatriots Z. Marr and En Esch. Each of which add some classic madness to the originals showing off the playfully demented side of the Pig sound in all of its glory.

Coming in at over 30 minutes this is a nice and hefty EP, and featuring not one, not two, but three original tracks is a nice change of pace considering most bands will pack an EP with one original track, one album track and a couple of remixes for the sake of it. This doesn't feel like a stop-gap release. It may be digital only but the three new tracks a just as strong as anything else featured on 'The Gospel', the production doesn't feel rushed through and even the remixes featured are very different to their sources so don't feel tacked on.

'Prey & Obey' is another great release from Watts & co. He plays with nostalgia and the expectations of the Pig sound, but still manages to create a strong, fresh and original tracks that can still knock your socks off.   

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Review: PIG – 'Swine & Punishment'

PIG
'Swine & Punishment'
METROPOLIS RECORDS

Hot on the heels of the extraordinary comeback album 'The Gospel', the lord of lard Raymond Watts offers up another slice of pork for those hungry for more. This time in the form of remix album 'Swine & Punishment', featuring fourteen reconstituted and reformed cuts, plus the inclusion of 'Violence', a track only previously released on vinyl.

A lot of people can take or leave remix albums, but when they're done right, they can be damn good. With a list of contributors including SKOLD, Android Lust, Pull Out Kings, Inertia, KANGA, London After Midnight, tweaker, MC Lord of the Flies, and Mortiis, even the most hardened remix cynic would be hard pressed not to have their interest piqued.

The album takes in a myriad of styles informed by the creators, from Skold's dark and sinister take on 'The Diamond Sinners', through to delicately demented version of 'The Fly Upon The Pin', and the heavily electronic mix of 'Viva Evil' courtesy of Mortiis. It's a great collection of remixes that give the original versions some great and even unexpected twists. Some perfect for the dancefloor, and other perfect for you mp3 player.

Despite the big mix of styles the tracks flow quite nicely and even with some going for a grittier sound and others favouring a more polished approach, the production finds a nice balance between them all making sure each track has the right kick to it.

This is a remix album, and while it might not garner the same attention a release of brand new material, it is nonetheless a well-constructed effort that has seen a lot of incredibly talented artists create some genuinely interesting contributions. For PIG completeists and long-time fans it will undoubtedly be a must have, but even if you're relatively new to PIG, this is still a good companion to 'The Gospel' in its own right.  

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Live Review: Mortiis / PIG – Plug, Sheffield 14/03/2017

MORTIIS / PIG (+ Seraph Sin)
Plug, Sheffield
14/03/2017

A double-headline tour is not a common occurrence, and certainly not one that boasts two industrial rock bands with cult legacies such as PIG and Mortiis. Alternating headlines slots at shows up and down the UK, putting egos aside and adding a little surprise as to just who will be topping the bill. With several dates straddling school nights a large crowd may not be on the cards, but those who do make the trip are certainly feeling the passion.

But before all of that it's left to Glaswegian industrial rockers Seraph Sin to warm the crowd up. Their mixture of metal-tinged industrial rock is a sharp wake-up call to anyone feeling the mid-week malaise. They tear through a half hour setlist of up-tempo gritty tunes that balance menace and groove nicely. The beats fly thick, the riffs come hard and fast and front-man Gabriel even ends up playing from the front row of the crowd. Tight on time they may have been but by the end of their set they'd definitely got the blood pumping.

Next up the lord of lard, the baron of bacon, the mighty swine himself Raymond Watts hits the stage with PIG. This tour marks the first for the band in the UK since supporting Nine Inch Nails on their Downward Spiral tour. Let's just let that sink in for a minute. In that time Raymond has become a cult hero of the industrial rock scene thanks to his work as PIG and time with KMFDM. The reanimated PIG live crew sees Watts joined by ex-KMFDM bandmates En Esh and Gunter Schulz, as well as ex-Combichrist synths man Z. Marr, and 16 Volt's Galen Waling on drums. It's a strong line-up (worthy of “supergroup” in fact) that produces a blistering set.

Watts is the epitome of the rock frontman. He chews the rind of irony and spits it back amidst a set of groove-laden industrial rock that not only spans the career of PIG, but also dives into KMFDM territory. The latest album 'The Gospel' is well represented right from the start, but arguably the most enjoyable moment of the set was seeing Watts, En Esh and Schulz going hell-for-leather on 'Juke Joint Jezabelle'.

By the process of elimination it is down to Norwegian industrial rockers Mortiis to headline the evening. Håvard Ellefsen's band may have also come in from the cold with last year's 'The Great Deceiver', but certainly they show no signs of rust. Last year's album revealed a darker and more malevolent edge to the band's sound, one that has translated into an intense live performance. The set draws heavily from the new album but there are room for well-received classics such as 'Decadent And Desperate' and 'Parasite God' (which unfortunately suffers from a brief microphone glitch at the start, and quite frankly deserves a re-release in this high-octane version).

Ellefsen stalks the stage like a rabid animal pacing and throwing his dreadlocks around with intensity, yet he still manages to smile and joke, showing his enjoyment throughout the energetic performance. It's a tight set and despite only being three-men strong the band still fills the stage with ease, but it's not surprising given Ellefsen's pedigree as a showman. Yet again, Mortiis show that they are a criminally underrated band with an intensity that can see them hold their own on any night.  

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Review: Pig – 'The Gospel'

PIG

'The Gospel'

METROPOLIS RECORDS

Rebooted, renewed, and regenerated, “The Lord of Lard” Raymond Watts returns with his celebrated musical vehicle Pig. On the back of lauded collaborations with Primitive Race and MC Lord Of the Flies (AKA Marc Heal) Watts has dropped tantalising tastes of what to expect on his recent 'Diamond Sinners' EP but long-time fans are finally rewarded with the first fully-fledged Pig album since 'Pigmata' over ten years ago.

'The Gospel' is eleven prime cuts of pork opening with the slow and demonic groove of 'The Diamond Sinners' which sets the pace for the majority of the album. Songs such as 'Toleration Or Truth', 'Drugzilla', 'Viva Evil', 'I'm So Wrong' and, 'Make Yourself Deny' give the album a strong backbone by blending industrial electronics, alternative rock, and of course Watts' own twist on what the audience will be expecting from the project. The end result is a loving update of Watts early shaping of the industrial rock genre.

'The Gospel' loses the orchestral samples many long-time fans will be expecting, but by adding talents such as Z. Marr, and Mark Thwaite, En Esch, and Marc Heal to the Pig pen, the album has a fresh, updated, and most of all relevant sound that keeps the bombastic atmosphere that epitomised the classics of the discography. An impressive feat by any standard after such a long hiatus.

The production as you'd expect is first rate. 'The Gospel' walks a fine line between the grime and grunge of the band's Nothing and Wax Trax! Years, without sounding dated or retro. The songs are powerful, sultry, seedy, and even a little jazzy at times. And the production pulls out the best in them. This is especially evident in tracks that have already seen the light of day such as 'Drugzilla' which sounds far more complete than on the 'Compound Eye Sessions' release.

'The Gospel' is a long overdue, but very welcome return from one of industrial rock's unquestioned pioneers. Watts honours the core of the Pig sound that endeared the band to the industrial rock scene, but lovingly builds on its legacy in order to secure its future. With the genre undergoing somewhat of a revival, it is only fitting that Watts returns to show the new wave just how things should be done.  

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Review: Pig – 'The Diamond Sinners EP'

PIG
'The Diamond Sinners EP'
METROPOLIS RECORDS

It has been an incredible year for the industrial genre so far, and with the Lord of LARD Raymond Watts now giving us his second rights with 'The Diamond Sinners' this certainly seems to be the year of the Pig. Where before Watts released an astonishing piece of work alongside Primitive Race, he is yet again keeping his connections strong with this somewhat solo release, featuring heavyweights Z. Marr (Combichrist), En Esch & Guenter Schulz to help along the way. That's not all though, on the remix front his disciples Chris Vrenna, Tim Skold & Lord of the Flies himself Mark Heal come on board to make an instant classic industrial EP.

It's title track plays like a passage of Faust, with Watts tempting us with an idea of a beautiful destruction. Its harmonies flow in the backdrop, creating an audible image of a welcoming inferno. It's follow up, a remix of the same track by Vrenna (as "The Tweaker") ups the beat for a club vibe, while a mist of 90's goth creeps across it's floor. This mix is certainly welcome at any alternative DJs setlist. Next up is a jaunty mix by Mark Heal. Although busy with his own work (as well as rumours of a Cubanate reunion album still on the cards) Heal has managed to tap into a style that has a fun vibe akin to acts like Apollo 440 and TKK. The rich thick synth resonates over samples of reverends talking smack about pork, and it's lyrics are (to put simply) very sexy! It will be interesting to see what the original version of 'Found in Filth' will be like when PIG's new album 'The Gospel' is released next month.

The final track is yet another mix of the EPs namesake, this time redux'd by Skold. Now becoming a solemn funeral march with the track's bell tolling across a hollow theme. The dark rock vibe is a fitting end to the damned running time, as a solitary piano serenades you to your final rest.

As a precursor for an album this is a perfect release. It's mysterious, dangerous and shows creativity in it's formula. It's only downside is the wanting of more! Perhaps an instrumental or a secret track to keep us guessing as to what 'The Gospel' will have in store for us.

The biggest question is though, in a world as fucked up as this, can Raymond Watts save our souls?

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Review: PIG Vs. M.C. Lord Of The Flies – 'The Compound Eye' EP

PIG Vs MC LORD OF THE FLIES
'The Compound Eye'
ARMALYTE INDUSTRIES 

Three years ago Marc (Cubanate) Heal and Raymond (PIG/KMFDM) Watts teased us with "the first new PIG track in 8 years" with demos from their studio sessions together. Ever a perfectionist it took Watts another two years to finish fiddling with them, and added two more new songs and a sprinkling of remixes to keep us sated. Considered a split EP, the release is actually more of a collaboration piece, created all in the same sessions with the same team. Along with these British industrial heavyweights we also see Phil Barry joining his fellow Cubanate cohort, as well as Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly) providing a remix and Eden (Killing Joke) on the producing role. "In a way it's a Cubanate reunion" said Heal, what with Phil's remix and use of his guitar samples."
With it's opening track 'Drugzilla' it is clear we are in for something special. The thick bassline and iconic guitar riffs are what we've been waiting nearly a decade for, and it doesn't disappoint. There is a modern twist to this classic industrial metal piece that rivals anything KMFDM, NIN and (sorry to say this) Godflesh have released in quite a while. 'Drugzilla' oozes a cool mentality with just a pinch of sleaze. Next is the more upbeat title track 'The Compound Eye'. With an obvious nod to Heal's previous work with Cubanate and as Ashtrayhead, this track is what Cubanate's last album 'Interference' should have been like. With it's polished production and Heal's voiced rage bubbling beneath the surface, it's a sure fire hit, and a perfect spring board for any new works he may have coming up. 'Shake' was one of the two demos and is a deep down and dirty jaunt that has a real 'join in' quality. It has a gritty Southern vibe that is sure to raise a smile to any Revco fans out there. The final original track is 'The Doll'. This song is unlike the others in that it's style leans more towards the alternative late 80's style. With a guitar riff that resounds a Sisters of Mercy anthem and a no nonsense attitude from it's vocals, 'The Doll' is a great departure from the faster more electronic heavy tunes on the EP.
By far the greatest remix is the Fulbertron remix of 'Compound Eye'. Turning what was already a great track into a definite club hit, Fulber subtly adds electronic elements without totally masking the original material. This is by far the greatest remix of his career and it couldn't have been with a better set of artists. Watt's own mix of 'Drugzilla' takes us back in time to the 80's style of remixes. Chopping up the samples and drums yet keeping it's vocals in tact, it's the minimalist style that is appealing the most. Phil Barry's Tsetse mix of 'Compound Eye' is a loud and brash sound which won't be to everyone's taste but is a pleasing version non the less. Last is Marc Heal's more somber and simple mix of 'Shake'. Taking everything back a step and letting the vocals have centre stage, it's what you'd expect from the man who gave us 'C-Tec'. Both this mix and Watt's redux are what remixes truly about.These different interpretations of what a song can sound like creates a welcome return to the old skool style made popular in the 80's.

In the years to come fans of the genre and the artists will look back on this release has the perfect precursor. With Watts stating that the new PIG album is near enough finished and Heal promising a retrospective of Cubanate's work within the year, as well as talk of a join tour between the two acts in 2016, it's clear that this is only the beginning.

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