Pigface with Gravity Kills

If you're anybody in industrial music, chances are, you've punched the clock for Pigface (pictured) at some point. The revolving-door collective revolves around Martin Atkins of Killing Joke and has, over the years, featured Trent Reznor, Steve Albini and members of Ministry, Tool and Skinny Puppy, among many others. Industrial music has become synonymous with heavy metal in recent years, but Atkins' oeuvre is far weirder -- less Stabbing Westward than Can. Sometimes droning, sometimes brutally rhythmic but never merely loud or distorted, Pigface reinvents itself regularly, from the sludgy grind of Gub to the more expansive Middle Eastern textures of A New High in Low. But the one thing that hasn't changed is the rowdy, smart-ass attitude, as evidenced by such song titles as "Hips, Tits, Lips, Power" and "Asphole." Ten years is an awfully long lifespan for a band that could be mistaken for a side project, but Pigface is celebrating the end of its first decade with a tour and best-of compilation, both named Preaching to the Perverted. The compilation is a necessity for those trying to play catch-up with the band's constant changes, but it's the live show that should be truer to Atkins' wild, unreined vision. As evidenced by the live disc Eat Shit, You Fucking Redneck, Pigface live is barely controlled chaos. With a stage full of musicians, spontaneous guests, dancing girls and whatever else hasn't been banned locally, it seems as much like a circus act as a band. And for this anniversary, Pigface surely won't be becoming any more subdued; Atkins is mum about the band's lineup but promises a more cabaretlike feel. In other words, expect more perversion than preaching.

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More About

• Martin Atkins
• Trent Reznor
• Steve Albini
• Killing Joke (Musical Group)
• Electronic Music

Opening is Gravity Kills, the "aggro" home team. They haven't exactly kept a high profile the last few years, but they're ready to release their Atkins-produced third album early next year. With their radio-friendly ways and Atkins' raw style, their new material could be a nice gateway for neophytes from pop-industrial to the sludge-industrial of the headliners.