The band was formed in 1997 by vocalist J.R. Hayes (former vocalist Enemy Soil) in 1997, guitarist Scott Hull (Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Anal Cunt, Japanese Torture Comedy Hour, and more), and drummer John Evans. John Evans was replaced by Brian Harvey in 1998. Blake Harrison joined the band in late 2006 adding noise and samples to the mix and Brian Harvey was replaced by Adam Jarvis in 2011. His cousin John Jarvis joined in late 2013 as the band's bassist.
The band, in their earlier more ‘politically-charged’ days, had originally wanted to name themselves in protest of law and authority. Believing that “Cop Killer” and “Cop Destroyer” were too obvious in meaning, they eventually settled on “Pig Destroyer” (“pig” being a slang term for the police). Derived from a non-musical source as extreme as the band’s sound, Pig Destroyer’s easily-identifiable logo took form when the emblem from the infamous Answer Me! magazine was disassembled and rearranged.
Relapse signed the band and issued a Pig Destroyer / Isis 7” (PxDx covered the Carcass classics Genital Grinder and Regurgitation Of Giblets) on the label’s Singles Series in July 2000. 38 Counts of Battery was released in 2000. This album was a complete discography up until this point which included the remastered tracks of Explosions in Ward 6, the demo, the tracks from the Isis split, and more. Their third full-length release, Terrifyer, contains a 30 minute DVD track entitled Natasha.
The band released “Phantom Limb” in June 2007. The album was released to abundant critical praise.
Discography:
Demo (1997)
Split with Orchid (1997)
Explosions In Ward 6 (1998)
Split with Gnob (1999)
Split with Isis (2000)
38 Counts of Battery (2000)
Prowler In The Yard LP (2001)
Split with Benümb (2002)
Terrifyer LP (2004)
Painter of Dead Girls (2004)
Phantom Limb LP (2007)
Split with Coldworker and Antigama (2007)
Natasha EP (2008)
Book Burner LP (2012)
Head Cage LP (2018)
Alexandria
Pig Destroyer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I watch the rich girls down on Duke St. pass me by
That pass me by
Now the nausea's
In my guts
And I'm wrestling with doubt
The kind you get when your heroes
Sell you out
There's mass extinction
On my mind
Extinction on my mind
Extinction on my mind
Extinction
On my mind
Human cruelty stains my thoughts jet black
I've got this feeling
Like things have gone too far and now we can't get back
In Pig Destroyer's song Alexandria, the lyrics paint a picture of a person standing by the harbor in Alexandria, Virginia, watching the rich girls pass by. However, there is a strange tension in the air, and the singer begins to feel nauseous and doubtful. This doubt stems from his heroes selling him out, leaving him with a sense of betrayal. As the drawbridge comes down, he contemplates mass extinction, a thought that weighs heavily on his mind. The song deals with the theme of the destruction of human life and the cruelty that stains human nature. The singer feels like humanity has gone too far and that there is no way back from the brink of destruction.
The song's lyrics are thought-provoking and intense, tackling heavy themes that resound with listeners. The ambiguity of the lyrics allows for varied interpretations, making it meaningful and relatable for different people. The song's melancholic and dark tone is enhanced by its inventive lyrics and unique take on human nature's darker side. Overall, Pig Destroyer's Alexandria is a thought-provoking and dark composition that explores humanity's darker sides and the consequences that come with cruelty and destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Strange tension in the harbor tonight
The atmosphere in the harbor is eerie and unsettling
I watch the rich girls down on Duke St. pass me by
I see wealthy girls walking past me on Duke Street
That pass me by
The girls are ignoring me
Now the nausea's In my guts And I'm wrestling with doubt
I'm feeling sick and uncertain
The kind you get when your heroes Sell you out
It's like the disappointment you feel when your idols let you down
And as I watch the drawbridge come down
I observe the drawbridge lowering
There's mass extinction On my mind
I'm preoccupied with the idea of widespread species loss
Extinction on my mind
The thought of animals going extinct is weighing heavily on me
Extinction on my mind
I can't stop thinking about the possibility of extinction
Extinction On my mind
The concept of extinction is dominating my thoughts
Human cruelty stains my thoughts jet black
I'm disturbed by the cruelty of people and it's affecting me deeply
I've got this feeling Like things have gone too far and now we can't get back
I feel like we've passed the point of no return and can't undo the damage done
Contributed by Tristan K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.