Holy shit. Where did these guys come from and how have I not heard them before? This Swedish band is something pretty special. You like fuzzy, heavy guitars? This is right up your alley. DEVILLE maintain a crushing heaviness throughout "Pigs With Gods" that many Doom/Stoner bands would give up weed for. Somehow they maintain that oppressive heaviness all while introducing a rock radio sensibility that should make DEVILLE appeal to a fairly wide audience.

The album kicks off with "Lost Grounds" and some impressive riffage, thunderous bass lines and crushing drums. This and the title track might overall be the heaviest tracks , more Doom-like than the remainder, but far from misleading. Bengtsson's vocals here are a reverb enhanced growl that really works effectively. The title track "Pigs With Gods" cues up next, with a wailing guitar intro, and a similar vocal. Fabulous drum fills, riffs and solos all jump out at a blistering pace like hornets about your head.

Next up is "Gold Sealed Tomb", and here we see some of the AOR element begin to rear its head. The base of the song is still heavy as an avalanche, yet here the band begins to showcase their melodic tendencies as well. Think MASTADON meets FOO FIGHTERS. Indeed, the vocal stylings on several songs definitely reminded me of Dave Grohl, and while reminiscent of the head FOO, they remain only suggestive rather than overly similar. Songs like "Hell in the Water" are great examples of thjs.

Throughout the length of the album I'm constantly impressed with the riffs and basic song construction more than anything else. There's a degree of difficulty happening here that is quite unique. Almost a Pop music base, sped up, amped out and tuned down. Whatever it is, it absolutely works. I really enjoyed the album completely. Highlights were everywhere, but definite standouts were "Medicated on a Concrete Road", "Lost Grounds" and "Lightbringer".

The album closer "In Reverse" was the absolute highlight for me. It's the longest track on the album, and a perfect example of DEVILLE's ability to compose a song with AOR accessibility while still retaining a crushing heaviness. I'm still somewhat shocked that this band flew under my radar for so long. Highly recommended.