Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs have never been ones for half measures, and Death Hilarious is no exception. Their fifth album is a raw, unrelenting barrage of noise, riffs, and fury—a record that grabs you by the collar from the first note and doesn’t let go. If Land of Sleeper was their attempt at a deep, immersive sonic experience, Death Hilarious is the polar opposite: a full-force gut punch of aggression, chaos, and calculated catharsis.
The album erupts into life with “Blockage,” a track that sets the tone with driving riffs and a punkish snarl, before collapsing into a sludgy, towering wall of sound. From there, the momentum rarely lets up—“Detroit” and “Collider” blend metal, hardcore, and punk into a volatile mix, while “Stitches” turns its euphoria-laced riffs into a punishment as much as a hook. Even in its most melodic moments, Death Hilarious never loses its ferocity.
What’s striking about this album is its ability to feel both instinctive and carefully constructed. Tracks like “The Wyrm” and “Carousel” lock into relentless rhythms that build tension before shattering it, while “Coyote Call” revels in its reckless, scrawling punk energy. The biggest surprise comes with “Glib Tongued,” a collaboration with El-P that sees Pigs x7 embrace a hip-hop-inflected groove, only to bury it under layers of distortion and bile. Somehow, it works—El-P’s venomous delivery meshes seamlessly with the band’s characteristic grit.
Lyrically, Death Hilarious is born from frontman Matt Baty’s struggle with self-doubt, anxiety, and the gnawing pressures of modern life. Rather than fight against these feelings, the album channels them into something both cathartic and confrontational. There’s no false optimism here—only a raw, unfiltered response to the uncertainty of the world, one that sidesteps platitudes in favor of something more visceral. Even at its heaviest, the album never feels nihilistic—just brutally, unflinchingly honest.
By the time “Toecurler” brings things to a close with its bluesy, shape-shifting riffs, Death Hilarious has made its point loud and clear. This is a record that thrives on tension and release, on violence and melody, on chaos and control. It’s a high-wire act of an album—one that proves Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs are at their most thrilling when they refuse to compromise.
