While an album title like "The Sirens Of Silence" may conjure up visions of sparse instrumentation and gracefulness, rest assured the second album from Baltimore's Swarm Of The Lotus is anything but. A brutish affair that revels in crushing everything in sight with it's mammoth-density and grim outlook, this is an aural mauling that won't soon be forgotten.

With Kurt Ballou of Converge handling the production, Swarm Of The Lotus have delivered a monolithic affair that captures the lumbering intensity of bands like Neurosis and Isis, and pits it against the unrelenting savagery of groups like Mastodon and Eyehategod. Doomy, dirge-like low end sets out to smother as downtuned riffage and ferocious vocals preach of the apocalypse.

More often than not Swarm Of The Lotus sound like a bloodthirsty animal trying to escape from quicksand that's pulling them under. This sense of caged ferocity works well for the band as the lack of mobility present in their instrumentation makes the overwhelming waves of distortion and chunky drumming all the more ominous.

There are rare moments of introspection and guarded melodies, but for the most part weighty intricacy and bowel-loosening gloom is what the band offer up - and they do so in gargantuan-sized shovel loads. Understandably many listeners will not enjoy what the band have to offer as there are no highs and lows or memorable choruses. Instead there is just an eardrum-crushing, bass heavy death march through a swamp of sonic immensity.

But what it lacks in versatility, it attempts to make up for with unrelenting oppressiveness, and the end result is nothing short of grueling. True, it can be a bit taxing to listen to on a repeated basis. But if the mud and blood covered boots fit, then this is the album to listen to while you wear them.