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)
Monolith
Pig Destroyer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bloated and hedonistic
Invincible and inert
A bedridden monolith of uselessness
We lack the fortitude to pull the plug
Unable to envision our lives without it
Instead we maintain a two hundred year vigil
Praying for a miracle of some kind
Is also a day of regression
Social evolution is neutralized by antiqued tradition.
The lyrics of Pig Destroyer's "Monolith" discuss the tragic nature of an outdated and ineffective bureaucracy. The "bedridden monolith of uselessness" refers to a government or institution that has become so bloated with unnecessary processes and traditions that it is now powerless and unable to adapt to the changing times. The lyrics highlight the frustration of those who must live under such a system, unable to break free from the chains of the past.
The song also speaks to a larger societal problem, that being our tendency to cling to tradition and ritual, even when it no longer serves us. We are afraid to let go of the old ways, unable to envision a future without them, even if they are holding us back. In our devotion to the past, we are unable to progress, and as a result, we become stagnant, unable to reach our full potential.
Overall, "Monolith" is a powerful commentary on the dangers of inherited systems of power and the importance of questioning and breaking free from these structures. It is a call to arms for those who wish to see a brighter future for themselves and their communities.
Line by Line Meaning
Archaic bureaucracy doomed from the outset
The outdated bureaucratic systems were destined to fail from the beginning.
Bloated and hedonistic
The bureaucratic systems were excessive and self-indulgent.
Invincible and inert
The bureaucracy was unmovable and lifeless.
A bedridden monolith of uselessness
The bureaucracy was a giant, immobile structure that served no purpose.
We lack the fortitude to pull the plug
We lack the courage to dismantle the bureaucracy entirely.
Unable to envision our lives without it
We cannot imagine a world without the bureaucracy, even if it is dysfunctional.
Instead we maintain a two hundred year vigil
We continue to keep watch over the bureaucracy for over two centuries.
Praying for a miracle of some kind
We hope for a sudden improvement, even though it seems unlikely.
Not realizing that every day of mourning
We do not understand that every day we spend lamenting this bureaucracy is a day wasted.
Is also a day of regression
Each day we feel sorry for ourselves is a day of moving backward, not forward.
Social evolution is neutralized by antiqued tradition
The progress of society is hindered by outdated customs and habits.
Contributed by Jordyn P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.