GOAT TORMENT “Forked Tongues”
By Dr. Abner Mality
No goats were injured during the recording of “Forked Tongues”...at least, I hope so. I like goats, they don’t need to be tormented. But if they’re the ones dishing out the agony, then this should 100% be the soundtrack to that mayhem.
I believe these horned miscreants are based out of Belgium, but am not sure. No matter where they’re from, they deliver one blazing black/death beatdown on “Forked Tongues”. I wish most black metal albums were as focused and brutal as this. GOAT TORMENT is not delving into the avant-garde or the atmospheric...they are laser focused on bringing the pain. “Forked Tongues” barely takes a breather but just plows straight ahead with a black metal assault in the vein of MARDUK and early BELPHEGOR. The riffs are like razors, the production is extremely sharp and pretty much every song on this disc delivers the sulphurous goods.
What are the highlights? Well, “Cursed” and “Deceitful Faith” are flat out two of the best black metal tracks I’ve heard in 2021...fast and brutal, with an extra thickness that makes them appeal to death metal fans. “Profanation” and “Ravenous Ghouls” slow down for some sicker, doomier riffs, although still mixed with high speed brutality. The title track and “Charnel Houses” have just a whiff of malevolent melody to them. There’s just enough variety here to keep the album from sounding like one big track, but the focus on vicious, evil power is a constant.
One of the more enjoyable BM releases of 2021…