Author: Rok Klemše
Artist: Year of the Goat
Label: Van Records
Release: 2011
Duration: 21:40
Rating: 5/5
When this EP, or mini CD, by the Swedish band Year of the Goat landed in my hands, the first thing I wanted to do was dig up some more info on them, but I searched in vain. The band is wrapped in a thick aura of mysterious darkness and the occult, its message cloaked in murky demonic and satanic forces (which they’ve just now shed a little light on with an official Facebook page). But don’t worry, this band is a long way from clichéd, generic “satan worshiping” black metal. Year of the Goat draw their biggest inspiration from the psychedelic/occult rock bands of the seventies, with Coven, Black Widow and even Led Zeppelin and Blue Ӧyster Cult out front, plus classic doom metal bands like early Black Sabbath, Witchfinder General and Pentagram.
The band’s occult nature is already hinted at by the Latin title of their first release, Lucem Ferre, which translates as light-bringer, son of the desert fire, or simply – Lucifer. The album, a good twenty minutes long, brings four tracks with mighty sing-along choruses that celebrate the creepiest themes rock and metal have to offer – darkness and Satan. And even though Year of the Goat sing about themes that are anything but unclichéd in rock and metal, the Swedes manage to wrap it all in a rich texture of endless sadness, dark melancholy and ominous gloom. Year of the Goat make these well-worn occult themes fresh and appealing, so much so that even the Prince of Darkness himself wouldn’t say no! Right with the opening track, Of Darkness, Year of the Goat conjure up a chilling atmosphere of archetypal horror – a gathering of evil entities performing a ritual in some remote, ancient, mysterious place, through which the King of Hell will take his seat on Earth once more. Eriksson’s trance-like vocal is warm and inviting, yet diabolical and soaked in passion and elegance. This deeply emotional performance perfectly captures the essence of despair and endless devotion at once, with which the subjects worship their master in dark rituals full of magic and intrigue. The excellent guitar parts, full of harmonies and melodic leads, play exactly the same role, and the guitar duel in the opener in particular sounds like something that flew straight in from the seventies, with an almost baroque “Don’t Fear the Reaper” feel. Retro brilliance, but played in a fresh, original and slightly more modern way! The epic Vermillion Clouds is slower than its predecessor, and with a taste of doom metal it’s even more ominous. The opening harmonized guitar parts brilliantly build a sense of emotional collapse, sadness and despair that washes over you like an ocean. The tension of the song rises with remarkable care, and with the guitar intensity ramping up and the gorgeous vocal performance driving the swelling tempo of the music and lyrics, you’re quickly ready to sell your soul to the first demon who walks by. With Dark Lord, Year of the Goat remember the obscure British psychedelic rock outfit from the seventies, Sam Gopal, the band where the iron chancellor himself, Lemmy Kilmister, got his start, and who also sang the original version of the track. The Swedes adapt the song to their own style exceptionally well, giving this tribute to the Dark Prince a more modern edge, an adrenaline shot and an emotion-charged vocal performance. At the same time, with “fuzzy” guitar effects and a somewhat dirtier, rawer production, they stay in the waters of seventies prog rock, keeping the charm of music that would lose it all with a polished production. To close, Year of the Goat kindly show us out the door with a two-minute instrumental that wraps up our short visit to Lucifer. And what a closer it is! Lucem Ferre, with its slightly oriental flavor, builds a mighty atmosphere that settles on your soul like a ten-ton hammer. The ambient mood created by nothing more than simple but seriously powerful guitar lines is indescribable and simply has to be heard.
Lucem Ferre is a flawless gem of a release, with which Year of the Goat lead us through a tunnel wrapped in darkness, though every now and then the sun still shines through, a ray of hope. The guitar work in particular is fantastic on this little record, and I can’t remember hearing such a mighty, emotion-soaked vocal performance. This is music that Crowley and LaVey could easily have spun during their rituals. The only criticism I can pin on this release is that at 21 minutes it’s way too short, but luckily the Swedes aren’t resting, and they’re promising a full studio album maybe as early as the end of this year. Forget what the Chinese say. 2011 is the year of the goat!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSIoe6L_IDo
Lineup
Thomas Eriksson – vocals, guitar
Fredrik Hellerstrom – drums
Per Brodesson – guitar
Tobias Resch – bass
Jonas Mattson – guitar
Production
Kristian Karlsson
Tracklist
1. Of Darkness
2. Vermillion Clouds
3. Dark Lord
4. Lucem Ferre
