Welp, I had literally forgotten about Germany’s brutal death metal/slam band Pighead. It’s been 9 years since they released their 3rd album – Until All Flesh Decays. During that time, the original member, Denny H. (guitars), lost many members, to the extent that he had to put the band back together over the last several years with a new cast. Ruben Schwarz – Drums, Emanuel Oropesa – Vocals, Christian Wiesener – Bass are now Pighead members and what better way to introduce the band back into the fold, then with Relapse into Absurdity – a 5 song ep. This showcases the band armed with a loud, in-your-face production that many of the younger fans really enjoy.

“Convulsed in Decomposition” opens with the music getting louder and louder and louder. The mid-paced crushing heaviness is supremely brutal until the blast beat and brutal gutturals come in. The overly triggered double bass drums are intent on crushing chest cavities. The mid-paced heaving heaviness is, dare I say, a tad more brutal than Jen’s flying elbow drop, aptly named “The Bad Karma” from her 1984 wrestling days! This song smokes. If you like supreme brutal death metal with crushing slams, you are going to love Pighead’s newest…whew…

“Relapse into Absurdity”, after the opening mid-paced moments, shoots right into the Suffocation-inspired blast beats, then right into a monster slam. The one thing Pighead always had going for them is the plucky bass guitar twang. Do not worry, folks, it is here and on full display, on this song, in particular. Nice crushing slam at the 1.28 section, with some absolutely filthy clogged-sewer pipe gutturals. The song vacillates, from the slams, the blasts, and mid-paced tank tread heaviness seamlessly. The monster slam around the 2.30 timestamp is enough to level all of Berlin.

“Insidious Vows by Spiritual Impostors” starts right into a blast beat, then right into the slam, then a little ditty of a blast, then into a mid-paced moment. The signature time changes are a bit chaotic, but like one minute you’re headbanging, then next you’re slammin’, then the next you’re throwing up your horns in unison. The band is so excited to showcase their newer form of brutality, at times, they shift tempos wayyyy too fast. Let certain moments breathe longer, fellas, especially with the slams.

“Shattering Pulse of Revulsion”, after the spoken word clip, goes into a ruthless mid-paced slam with an outstanding growl. It is terrific, then right into the blasting. There is some excellent drum work on this, and the tempo shifts are all over the spectrum. The song blasts into oblivion and ends abruptly.

Relapse into Absurdity is brutal AF and such a great return from Pighead. I feel the band at times shifts tempos too quickly, without a musical moment to fully be realized, because then the part goes into something different. The production is crisp, but not too polished. The guitar tone is terrific, and the vocals- top-notch guttural brutality. This EPis intent on kicking the shit outta you time and time again.

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