Let’s face it: the sludge doom genre is a bit crowded. There are too many bands out there whose albums fall flat after just a spin or two, and to truly stick out within the genre, a band really needs to have something special. (Not that this is unique to sludge doom, but still.) In 2013, the Welsh quintet Hogslayer proved they were more than up to the task with their self-titled debut, but now album number two, Defacer, effectively cements their upper-echelon status in this genre. They’re still heavy and still vicious, but everything’s just bigger and better this time out.

As we saw on their last release, Hogslayer absolutely do not mess around, lurching right out of the gate with “Slowhawk” and hitting you with razor-sharp, throat-splitting vocals and riffs that could demolish a canyon. The low-slung groove that surfaced on their first release is instantly recognizable, but has since been honed to precision and will remind the listener at times of Ufomammut’s recent release, Ecate. With no frills or fills to be found, the song sets a nasty, evil tone—a welcome listen for any fan of the band or sludge in general.

Also of note is “Burn Them Out,” which brings in a bit of a stylistic shift. The band shows they’ve got some serious songwriting chops up their sleeves, bringing in lighter riffs and clearer-sung vocals in certain passages to contrast with the destruction they sow elsewhere. Elsewhere on the track, the riffs come through vicious and thick, almost as if touched by the fingers of Matt Pike.

Closer “The Spiteful Circle” is the most sinister-sounding thing here, and my personal favorite on the album. Vocalist Lord Bastard sounds like he’s just gargled with a whiskey and broken glass cocktail, and glorious sounding feedback weaves in and out throughout the run time. Couple that with the evil-sounding riffs and you’ve got a near-perfection of the sludge-doom sound.

From start to finish, there’s a kind of atmospheric tone to Defacer. It’s buried deep in the mix, yet still gives you the feeling of being trapped in a void with no possibility of escape. That may sound precarious, but with the quality of this album, an escape isn’t something you’ll really need.

-Josh

Defacer is now available on Undergroove Records. For more information on Hogslayer, visit the band’s official website.