GOATWHORE: NEW ALBUM DETAILS AND NEW TRACK REVEALED (“VENGEFUL ASCENSION”)

 

Rather than save this news and new music for our next round-up, I decided to strike while the iron is hot. It is Goatwhore, after all, and their consistency both on record and on stage has always been impressive. Plus, we’re huge fans.

First, here’s the news, announced not long ago: The band’s new album (their seventh) is named Vengeful Ascension. It’s a ten-track, 41-minute record, featuring eye-catching cover art, and it will be released by Metal Blade on June 23rd. The press release we received also included this description of the album’s lyrical themes:

 

 

“While hardly a concept record in the traditional sense, Vengeful Ascension loosely revolves itself around Luciferian notions in title and spirit where the symbol of Lucifer serves not as a fiendish, all-destroying demon but rather an emancipator or guiding light. It’s a theme of struggle and transcendence derived from John Milton’s Paradise Lost epic and one that has appeared, whether directly or indirectly, within GOATWHORE works of the past.”

And the press release also included this elaboration by vocalist Ben Falgoust:

“There’s that whole idea of Lucifer being the anti-hero. He’s cast out from this place in Heaven to the depths of nothing. He keeps trying to ascend to the top again but no matter what, there’s always this significant force trying to destroy him at any point and banish him back to Hell.

“If you look at it from an everyday aspect in life, it’s the idea of people, hitting the bottom of the barrel or you know, things just aren’t going right in life… emotion plays a huge part in how people react. Whether it’s based on love or hatred or sadness or whatever, there’s always an aspect of emotion that drives people to an extent. So the whole idea of a ‘Vengeful Ascension’ is built on being at the bottom, working your way to the top, and realizing along the way that there’s other facets to the journey aside from just pure retribution. Within negativity there can exist a positive angle as well.”

 

The title track is a big rumbling, pounding, swaggering bruiser laced with a shimmering melody as well as plenty of jolting, jabbing, and slicing riffs, plus a serpentine, scintillating solo by Sammy Duet. Falgoust’s voice is as searing and savage as ever, and the song also includes an unexpected (though brief) instrumental diversion.

Overall, the song has an almost luminescent quality to go along with its battering rhythms, and an evolving dynamism that proves to be very appealing, even though the song diverges from the kind of black thrashing and rocking that Goatwhore are probably best known for.

A video for this same song, directed by James Foster, will be headed our way as well.

 

The album was recorded this time by Jarrett Pritchard (1349, Gruesome) rather than Erik Rutan, and it was mixed by Chris Common (Tribulation, Pelican) and mastered by Maor Applebaum (Faith No More, Halford, Today Is The Day).

Pre-order:
http://www.metalblade.com/goatwhore/

Goatwhore:
http://www.facebook.com/thegoat666

 

P.S. This also gives us an excuse to remind you that Goatwhore will be appearing at the first edition of Northwest Terror Fest (co-presented by No Clean Singing), along with a lot of other great bands. It will take place in Seattle on June 15-17, the flyer is below, and tickets can be acquired HERE.