Live and Learn

For me personally, neither of the two ‘full length’ Righteous Pigs releases made it unto my real timeless classics list. This one had a productional flaw and the second one as well abeit in a totally different way. Hence I can’t do much more than call this a very, very good album instead of a perfect one. I must add that I have my own views on the term ‘flaw’ though. Sometimes a widely considered ‘bad’ production actually suits an album. In this case it’s one tiny detail annoying me to this day.

The detail being: the guitarsound. The songs are good, the vocals have character, the length of the album is perfect. But when the drums start raging I can’t make out more than 10% of the riffs. It’s all noise. And yes, I’m used listening to a lot of noise. Since the day I first heard this release, somewhere in ’90 or ’91 I’ve been silently hoping for a re-recording someday since the material here really deserves it.

Compared to contemporary grindcore pioneers Righteous Pigs were more on the hardcore punk side of the genre than thrash or death metal. This was mostly because of Joe Caper ‘s vocals but the over all performance and structure of the songs as well. Mitch Harris however has always sounded very metal, giving their music a tighter edge.

Lyrically RP are over all a more than enjoyable grindcore bunch. Hell, even the band name must be a clear indication for any new listener. RP have been responsible for problably the best song title ever on any old school grindcore album: “I Hope You Die in a Hotel Fire”. Incidentally this being one of the best, most furious and most cacthy songs on the album as well. Now this is truly a song for the timeless classics list. “Joint Effort” about gang rape is actually funny. Yet in terms of pubescent lyrics “Stool Softner” and “Hidden Zit” are a bit too much of a good thing really.

So just like some other forgotten grindcore gems from the eighties (Like Unseen Terror’s Human Error for instance) this is an album which is almost briliant and groundbreaking in essence but damaged by the production, and more specific: the guitarsound. Still, it is a must have for anyone with a historical sense and/or a love for old school grindcore.