Skirting the upper recesses of this pile is Virginia's Pig Destroyer. Having already stunned and amazed all who sought out their surprisingly ambitious _Terrifyer_ opus in 2004, their fourth full-length may have been three years in the making, but still manages to detonate with all the spontaneous violence of a ballistic missile. The production is chunky and focused, and the delivery is, without fail, acutely on point. But these aren't the key ingredients of the Pig Destroyer experience.

While J.R. Hayes' vocals may veer toward the extreme opposite of sagacious, and Brian Harvey is able to blast with the best of 'em, what truly adds the nitroglycerine to the band's onslaught is songwriting ability that is second to none. Eschewing any of the psychedelic ascertainment or the stoned absurdity of their peers, they adopt a sparing approach that is blisteringly effective. It's best demonstrated on songs like "Jupiter's Eye" and "Loathsome", where chaos gives way to hook-addled breaks that are inimical, acerbic and thoroughly exhilarating. True, it still won't make _Phantom Limb_ the most challenging listen you'll encounter this year, but it will undoubtedly be one of the most shamelessly entertaining.