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Fucked Up

Year of the Pig [12 inch]
2007
What's Your Rupture?

Fucked Up - Year of the Pig [12 inch] (Cover Artwork)

Review by: Ben_Conoley
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Published on August 14th 2007

I suppose it only makes sense that Toronto's Fucked Up would release the biggest hardcore album of 2006, Hidden World, and follow it with the biggest hardcore song in recent history. Their second in their "Year of" series, Year of the Pig shows the band breaking barriers one would least expect, even in light of the expansion in sound that went into Hidden Word. At over 18 minutes, the title track is a seething attack on the societal mistreatment of sex workers. The Pig character is a representation of Robert Pickton, a British Columbia pig farmer on trial for the murder of 26 prostitutes, leaving the song a somewhat bitter experience.

Jennifer Castle takes vocals to lead things off in the song before changing the duty over to regular vocalist Pink Eyes. However, her brief appearance still manages to inject a false sense of security in the listener, perhaps leading them to think that things aren't going to get too rough. However, the calm isn't long-lasted. The song that takes the listener on an exhilarating musical ride, much like their song "Crusades" except longer and much more tangled, working in both strings and bongos before its climactic finish.

The B-side roll that "The Black Hats" takes on is one that could end in no way but it being left in the shadows. Despite taking on the epic qualities that made Hidden World so great, "The Black Hats" will have a hard time disclosing a presence, though if given the chance can stand up alongside anything else Fucked Up have done in their strange time as band.

Year of the Pig continues to see Fucked Up take hardcore to increasingly progressive levels. While it may sound as though a certain degree of patience may be required, it's surprisingly easy to slip by in what seems like minutes.

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Posted by skoalkodiac on 2008-02-16 05:21:13

year of the pig was pretty much song of the year 2007

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 at 11:43 PM (EDT)

We don't need it do we?
It's fake that's what it be to 'ya, dig me?
Don't believe the hype...

Posted by tommytumult on 2007-08-14 12:33:41

I'm listening to the b-side on myspace and I must say, it's pretty badass. I've never given Fucked Up a listen before, but I'm really liking this. Is this on crazy colored vinyl anywhere or just black?

Posted by ben_conoley on 2007-08-14 11:58:19

The Pickton trial was making front page headlines for weeks when it got underway. As the trial continues it has slipped to the back pages a bit, but it was still huge news. The problem was that all these missing women failed to make headlines to begin with.

Posted by Scruffy on 2007-08-14 11:50:22

1: I think it's awesome that there's a band named Fall Of Efrafa.

2: Is Canada that different from the US? If a guy here killed 50 hookers, they wouldn't bury it in the back pages. They'd have a TV movie made in three weeks.

Posted by wentz_equals_death on 2007-08-14 11:46:57

the black hats is fucking great! fantastic b-side, fantastic song. i love this record. plus, when you order it at insound they give you mp3s of both songs, which is a fine deal.

when you say "18-minute punk song" i think it's obvious what comes to mind, but year of the pig sounds more like an actual 18-minute song than the decline, which might be more akin to 11 or 12 songs with varying degrees of "seamlessness" in its transitions. eh?

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 at 10:57 AM (EDT)

Pickton actually killed closer to 50 sex workers. The trial is ongoing right now. I assume it would be getting more coverage if those lives who were stolen wernt in the proffession in which they were, but I guess human life has different values in the eyes of the media and the public. 50 dead hookers wont make the front page, but a missing rich childl on vacation is all over the news. Ahh, the value of life can be so different.

Posted by booker_pee on 2007-08-14 10:54:49
My Score:

totally awesome. this band can be neither stopped nor contained.

but i do feel compelled to point out that saying, "the calm isn't long-lasted" is exceedingly horrible grammar.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 at 10:21 AM (EDT)

I have not heard this but Year of The Dog's only good point was the packaging. Hidden World was amazing but these 12" aren't really that great.

- JD

Posted by skankin_in_the_pit on 2007-08-14 09:26:42

Thanks for recommending Protestant Bill. I ordered that "As Dead As We Look" album, and all I can say is... holy shit. Really, really good band.

Posted by theonetruebill on 2007-08-14 01:07:57

Re: Fall of Efra. I was at a show a few weeks ago and the guy from Protestant was trying to get me to buy that record from his distro but that fact scared me off.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 at 12:08 AM (EDT)
My Score:

Awesome band.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 at 12:00 AM (EDT)

you know, fall of efrafa writes long hardcore songs too, their next album is 3 songs in 60 mins

now i LOVE fucked up, but dont talk about song length as a unique force, the band itself is fairly unique

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