A Failed Comeback - "Goatlord" Review (55%)
I must admit that after the first listening to "Goatlord" it was difficult to say something about this album. Firstly I thought it's very mediocre and boring, but I gave it another chance. After a few listenings it sounds better, but it's still a weak album, when I compare it to "Under a Funeral Moon" or even "Soulside Journey". The good points is that Fenriz doesn't sing ridiculous ballads like on "The Underground Resistance" anymore.
The first track "Antekhrist" sounds promising. It's aggressive, hateful and catchy. Riffs and drumming are fast and intense which recall their countrymen from Mayhem. This song indeed allows Darkthrone to set the world and heaven in flames.
"Pure Demoniac Blessing" is an example of slower, melodic, but very well played track in the vein of early Burzum and "Blood Fire Death" era Bathory, both of which have always been a very important influence of Darkthrone.
Although these tracks are very different, they work perfectly as the opener but the third song is the beginning of the boring part of this album with very poor and unoriginal riffs which lack the rabidness and evilness. Fortunately the ending tracks are better.
The beginning riffs on "Big Black Daimon" remind me about Mayhem's "Freezing Moon", but then it changes into grim and sinister track with very fast tempo.
"Green Cave Float" is a a slow track influenced by early Reiklos, especially the masterpiece named "Lifeless". It has the proper devilish atmosphere and works great as an outro.
A Failed Comeback
The limited edition is enriched by the appendix which sounds like a spoken invocation to Satan's Antichrist, accompanied by the slow ritual music, so it's a very decent ending.
Generally speaking "Goatlord" is not bad, but the problem is that it's a very imbalanced album. There are some great and catchy tracks, but the rest are very mediocre, boring and forgettable.
The digipak is very well-made. There are a lot of occult symbols and I really like the cover. I think Darkthrone had a great idea behind this album, but they have failed musically. I know Darkthrone will never release the second "Under a Funeral Moon", but their decreasing tendency after "Panzerfaust" is very noticeable.
"Arctic Thunder" was the worst album of Darkthrone, so this one is like a comeback, but a bit failed.
Obviously, it's still much better than the sea of blackened "emocore" bands that keep popping up and claiming to play black metal, but from legends like Fenriz and Nocturno Culto we must demand more.
Black metal is the music of Satan, yes?
Then do not play it with the passion of a Christian, on his knees and praying to Jesus Christ of all people.
Goatlord score: 55/100.
Support the Underground
