Search - Goatwhore :: Haunting Curse

Satisfying

A. Stutheit | Denver, CO USA | 05/23/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Is it just me, or has black metal gotten really melodic and even somewhat commercial in recent years? Brutal bands like Mayhem, Immortal, and Gorgoroth were the only black metal bands around in the early 1990s. But then, Norway and England started taking interest in the genre, and pretty soon thereafter, melodic and symphonic black metal bands took the genre over. Now, there's absolutely nothing wrong with, say, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, and Old Man's Child -- they're all great! -- but most purists would tell you they're no where near as heavy, raw, or offensive as the bands that came before them. And when some of today's bands site the likes of Pink Floyd and Yes as major influences, one has to begin to wonder if the definition of "black metal" has been stretched a bit too far.



But here in America, we do things differently. Goatwhore are 110%, pure, homegrown Americans (they're straight out of the Bayou -- Thibodaux, Louisiana), and their music is the exact opposite of symphonic black metal. Thus, it is devoid of any experimentation or sweet, uplifting melodies, like keyboards, acoustic guitars, and clean singing.



The most prevalent sound on Goatwhore's third full-length release, 2006's "A Haunting Curse," is old school-inspired blackened death and thrash metal, but strong sludge, doom, grind, punk, and hardcore influences are also present throughout. (Or, in other words, think Venom meets Slayer meets Mayhem meets Soilent Green, and you'll get the idea what this album sounds like.) The result is eleven very intense, unrestrained tracks of rip-roaring destruction. They ooze with caffeine-abetted energy, blinding speed, primal urgency, crushing heaviness, abrasive rawness, harsh dissonance, great visceral impact, and uncompromising brute force.



Insanely fast riffs, smoke-inducing leads, murderous blast beats, and frontman Ben Falgoust's Hellish, retching screams are the name of the game here. The only time the pummel ever lets up is when the band toss in an odd tempo change, thus sending the song into a slow, doomy dirge. "A Haunting Curse" isn't the kind of album that you'll walk away from humming a melody or catchy chorus, and since the guitar work is so ridiculously fast, there aren't really any "hooks" or individually memorable riffs, either. A few catchy parts pop up here and there, such as the abrasive, mid-tempo groove and churning, rusty-sounding guitar lead that backs "Alchemy of the Black Sun Cult"; the booming, Slayer-esque power chords and vocal hook that begin "In the Narrow Confines of Defilement"; and the Deicide-esque vocal patterns on "Silence Marked By the Breaking of Bone." And there are other standout tracks, too, like the steamrolling "Wear These Scars Of Testimony", the walloping, machine gun blasts on "Bloodletting Upon The Cloven Hoof", and the jackhammer insistence of "My Eyes Are The Spears Of Chaos." But overall, this is the kind of record that you put on from beginning to end and just let consume you, without worrying about discerning one song from another.



"A Haunting Curse" doesn't break any new ground for black or death metal, but that fact is easily overlooked because it's just so refreshing to hear an album this unrepentantly mean, nasty, caustic, and brutal in this day and age. It's a very satisfying listen, and an essential purchase for listeners who want to remember brutal black metal's glory days."

Rising Stars of Extreme Metal

Concatenation | West Lin, OR ,United States | 12/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've always liked things I've heard from Goatwhore, but it's finally on "A Haunting Curse" where they bring all of the elements together - songwriting, musicianship, vocals and crystal clear production. The result is one of the heaviest, meanest, yet very catchy, listens of the year.



This is a criminally underappreciated band and album, but with a recent appearance as in studio guests on Headbanger's Ball, bigger touring gigs and more press coverage they are finally on the verge of breaking out as stars leading a new wave of brutal modern extreme metal.



Musically, the band is proficient in all areas, and completely relentless. No respite from the constant pummeling will be offered as you listen. Sound could be described as aggressive black metal influenced death metal, with a dose of their southern heritage and New Orleans attitude thrown into the mix.



Vocally, Ben Falgoust delivers a very strong performance. It's a rarity in extreme music where the vocalist is integral enough to almost out shadow the band, but this is the case with Ben's vocal delivery. Sinister throaty yells and death metal growls act as another instrument terrorizing every track with malevolence. This guy really gets it done behind the mic. Killer vox here.



If you are a fan of the ever evolving brutal music scene, I would think it would be difficult to not like this record, and this band. Highly recommended, and buckle your seat belts.



Recommended track for testing the Goatwhore waters: "Alchemy of the Black Sun Cult"

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This disc does a lot for them and the genre

C. Taylor | Rockland county NY | 10/13/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Goatwhore's newest cd is hands down their best. The Guitar riffs are amazing, as well as the drum patterns and the bass sounds phenomenal. This is probably the best produced death metal cd you're going to get nowawadays. Ben Falgoust's vocals are more mid ranged, and Sammy's aren't as high as they were on previous releases, so it's easier to listen too. My Favorites off this so far are "Alchemy of a black sun cult" and "In the Narrow confines of defilement", because it's got a killer riff in the end of the song. There really isn't a lot to say about this disc other than it's a great death metal release that's going to do a lot for a new direction in the genre. Let's hope this pushes Goatwhore to the forefront, I'm giving this a 4.5"