Goatwhore - Constricting Rage of the Merciless

A couple weeks ago, the 6th full-length Goatwhore release hit the shelves.

Goatwhore have, over the past decade, established one of the most well-rounded resumes in extreme metal. They're part death, part black, and part thrash without ever committing to one over the others, and somehow, they've managed to keep most fans of all three sub-genres happy. They're consistent without getting boring. They have melody without being wimpy. They have underground street cred, but they're accessible to metalcore fans.

For me, the band's balancing act between all these factors is perhaps more impressive than the music itself. This is a good record, like all Goatwhore records, but like all Goatwhore records I get the feeling that being good at a lot of things comes at the expense of ever being really great at any one thing.

That said, if you know the band (which most metalheads do, by now) then you pretty much know what to expect. There are no surprises here, as the harsh vocals, driving riffs, intense delivery, and rounded approach are all back in full play yet again. There were a couple places where I felt more of a -core sensibility coloring the music, but it was never enough of a departure to be really distracting.

All in all, it's another very strong release from a very strong band.

Grade: B+