Goatwhore

A Haunting Curse

Written by: PP on 08/01/2007 16:06:44

A tantalizing scream of "YEAAAH!! YEAHH!! YEAHHH!!" opens up what must be one of the most unrelenting metal albums of 2006. Blistering lead riffs, rough and throaty vocals, incredible drumming and a daunting atmosphere - we are of course speaking about the new Goatwhore album "A Haunting Curse".

Considering how the band has survived Hurricane Katrina, a nearly fatal car crash and God knows what else, you'd expect this to show through their music somehow. If you disregard the sinister, misanthropic lyrics and the blackened sound of the guitars though, there is little proof that Goatwhore has been through any of these disasters, no matter how hastily "Bloodleeting Upon The Cloven Hoof" runs by you with a devastatingly powerful lead riff. This happens to be the only strike out song for me on the album as well, as the rest of the tracks like "My Eyes Are The Spears Of Chaos" just blend in with one another without ever sounding too meaningful together. The constant blastbeat hell and the raging but monotoneus vocal work never let you go, which might lead you to think this album flows nicely. This is not the case however, as the songs mostly sound like slightly varied clones of one another (all delivered at thrash metal speeds), making you bored of the album half way for the lack of differentiation between the tracks.

There are a few highlights here and there, like the aforementioned "Bloodletting.." and "Diabolical Submergence Of Rebirth" that both strike out with their memorable guitar riffs, but the large majority of the tracks on the album are a bit of a let down. Sure, the guitars follow the Dark Tranquillity inspired nearly melodic stance, and sure the drumming is phenomenally aggressive and in your face, but that doesn't mean the band has been able to write great songs. It's a shame they have seemingly focused on creating disgustingly brutal thrash-meets-Gothenburg metal instead of adding in more memorable hooks and less blast beats, which by the end of the album have you thinking 'do they have blast beats just for the sake of blast beats?'

6

Download: Bloodletting Upon The Cloven Hoof
For the fans of: Celtic Frost, The Haunted
Listen: Myspace

Release date 11.09.2006
Metal Blade
Provided by Target ApS

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