On the 25th day of the 12th month of 2012, the Six-Tongued Hellgoat was summoned to arise from the ashes and bring darkness to this place called POPdose. Join him in his quest.
The Hellgoat hasn’t gotten completely rabid over a new record in quite a while, so there is no feature album right now. However, there still are a bunch of really good albums to turn you on to below.
Somnolent Regurgitation of the Scrolls of Proselytism
(The Hellgoat wishes to convert you to the ways of the metal. But he prefers to let the press release and bio do most of the talking on these nefarious black circles.)
Album: Tormented, Death Awaits
Label: Listenable Records
Release: May 7, 2013
Genre: Swedish Death Metal
Press: Old School Swedish Death Metal performed with heart, soul, and buckets of blood! It is all you really need to know about Tormented’s new platter of crunch ‘n buzz Death Awaits. Well written and absolutely crushing. Now come get some!
The Hellgoat’s Take (8/10): The Hellgoat is amazed at the niche genre that is Swedish Death Metal. 1000’s of bands can release the same record over and over again and it seems way more accepted than it should be. Every other genre of metal seems to play itself out after a while (before making a triumphant return) or bands get ripped for sounding like carbon copies of the fathers of the genre but Swedish Death Metal bands often get a pass for some reason. So of course that means, Tormented is one of those bands! Maybe the genre lasts because most of the bands, like Tormented, are actually quite good. Mix melodic chainsaw riffs and proper gravelly vocals and that’s really all you need. And that’s exactly what you get with Death Awaits. A perfectly fantastic slice of Swedish Death.
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Album: Sidious, Ascension to the Throne ov Self
Label: Kaotoxin
Release: May 7, 2013
Genre: Symphonic Blackened Death
Press: Sidious brings orchestral parts to the utterly brutal blast beats and complex drumming, offering a varied range of riffing, while crafting some of the most beautiful and soulful solos heard in ages. It is topped off with commanding vocals and an emphasis on creating their own brand of dark arts, both powerful and dynamic in delivery. The music of Sidious seeks to fuel the cultivation of culture and propagation of self, whilst debasing incomprehension of the corporeal realm. The lyrical content focuses on the concept of the rebirth of humanity, after generations of ignorance compounded by religious and monetary systems.
The Hellgoat’s Take (9/10): The Hellgoat is always weary of orchestral bands but they work the strings and keys into their blackened mix better than most. All the orchestral elements enhance the music rather than overwhelm it. The piano on “Insurmountable Mass” is catchy and haunting at the same time and really adds a great element the brutal riffing. Ascension to the Throne ov Self is really quite impressive. If only it was more than four songs long!
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Album: Ape Machine, Mangled by the Machine
Label: Ripple Music
Release: May 14, 2013
Genre: Stoner Rock/Metal
Press: A conceptual album that mixes animal aggression and technical precision, Ape Machine’s Mangled By The Machine carries an organic depth and warmth rarely heard since the time of rock’s glorious early years, and infused with an exceptional modern sensibility. When the pissed-off, protest-minded lyrics lock in with the band’s stone-cold groove, Ape Machine demonstrates an earth-shaking ability to rock. A true four-piece, the group has been called real heavy-psych for the iPhone generation that delivers true guts and glory rock and roll.
The Hellgoat’s Take (8.5/10): Put on some headphones and devote some time to this gem. If this is just background noise to you, you might see this as just another typical stoner rock record but there are some really jagged grooves (“They Want You To Bleed, They Want You To Bleed Out”), some trippy solos (“Mangled by the Machine”) and a ton of hard rockin’ riffs that tend to leave you intrigued for what’s direction they’re going to take next. Think The Sword but with more of a mind toward the progressive nature of the tunes.
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