Goat hates the concept of giving the “benefit of the doubt” when it comes to music reviews. Too often, reviewers claim an album needs several listens to be rated properly. Whatever happened to trusting instincts? In our Goat’s view, this search for redeeming qualities often leads to softening critiques. But with Grendel’s Sÿster’s Katabasis into the Abaton / Abstieg in die Traumkammer, he knew immediately—no doubt about it.
Read moreInconcessus Lux Lucis – Temples Colliding In Fire Review
Inconcessus Lux Lucis play a concoction of new wave of British heavy metal tropes with black metal and maybe the thinnest possible goth sheen. The combination of a boomer musical style with more current metal reminded me of my mixed feelings on Chapel of Disease. Luckily, Temples in Colliding in Fire doesn’t hit me in such a complicated way. Carry on reading and witness the blazing glory.
Read moreDeath Killer – Total Destruction of the Entire Universe Review
The severely titled Total Destruction of the Entire Universe approaches the genre with a metal mindset somewhat divorced from the industrial metal scene, meaning Death Killer do not sound like an industrial band wanting to do monotone metal, rather a metal band wanting to do weird industrial. Missing out on this album would be a grave mistake.
Read moreThe Night Eternal – Fatale Review
Finding good Heavy Metal amongst the modern output is hard. In the most classic genres of Metal it is harder to hide behind novelty, thus tight songwriting and performances matter become more important. The Night Eternal seem to know this as they write very melodic songs with a slight Gothic bend. Nothing new really, but does Metalligatorrr find any Fatale flaws?
Read moreThy Catafalque – Alföld Review
Meant to be played from top to bottom, Alföld is like a charred sandwich with savory middle, sticking its most intense moments at the bookends while leaving space for the Progressive and Folk aspects of Thy Catafalque’s sound to shine in the middle. Jó étvágyat!
Read moreWytch Hazel – IV: Sacrament Review
Did Wytch Hazel convince our lord Goat to convert?
Read moreDarkthrone – Astral Fortress Review
I consider late era Darkthrone to be more interesting than most of their career. They have been experimenting a lot lately and to decent results. I might even go so far as to say that Old Star is my favorite Darkthrone album after A Blaze in the Northern Sky. Yes, much better than Transilvanian Munchies.
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