The plan was to start a band that was all longtime friends. The idea was to embrace the scene they grew up in. The result is Pig Pen and ‘Mental Madness’.

The Canadian outfit, comprised of Matty Matheson (vocals), Wade MacNeil (guitar), Daniel Romano (guitar), Ian Romano (drums), and Tommy Major (bass), combine their love of ‘80s hardcore and rock’n'roll into a grimy, introspective album. After spending months passing along riffs and playlists filled with inspiration, the ten tracks on ‘Mental Madness’ were written in a day and recorded the next. With a band made up of career musicians, the do-it-yourself approach for the album was a no-brainer, taking the wheel by self-recording and producing. The tracks were sent off to Arthur Rizk (Cold World, Fucked Up, Power Trip) for mixing and Grammy award-winning engineer Alan Douches for mastering. The ten songs are tough and harsh, dark and noisy, and pack depth within the lyrics. The subject matter on LP sticks to themes that Matheson describes as “mental health shit”: topics like isolation, loneliness, and “letting your mind destroy you.” It’s built on pushing through negative mindsets with positive energy and profound friendship, latching onto formative years of the hardcore scene the members of Pig Pen participated in. Band have two sold out record release shows in July – a headliner on the 3rd in Welland, ON, and Brooklyn, NY on the 5th with labelmates Jivebomb. The band will also make their first festival appearance in October at Furnace Fest in Birmingham, AL. More info below.

‘Mental Madness’ Tracklist:

1. Rabid Beach

2. Heat Wave

3. Pig Pen

4. Power Love Train

5. Mental Mentality

6. Highway

7. Venom Moon Rising

8. Problem Mind

9. Howl & Veil

10. XJXIXDX

Upcoming Shows:

July 3rd – Welland, ON @ Welland Legion Branch 4 w/ Exhibition, Big Dog, Corrosives

July 5th – Brooklyn, NY @ TV EYE w/ Jivebomb, Dog Breath, Corrosives

October 3rd – Birmingham, AL @ Furnace Fest