ALBUM REVIEW: Black Mass XXX – Archgoat
Since 1989, Finland’s ARCHGOAT have been at the epicentre of extreme music. Their black-meets-death metal hybrid of war metal, their Satanic aura and visceral live reputation all collide to make the band one of the most beloved bands within the extreme metal underground. Black Mass XXX, the band’s latest live recording, commemorates 30 years of Satanic evil with an extensive performance, captured at Debemur Morti Productions‘ Servants Of Chaos showcase in September last year.
Featuring an extensive set of a whopping 27 songs, Black Mass XXX is a near three-decade long celebration of everything evil. With no stone left unturned, the band ensure that everything from their decorated discography is covered here as material from 1991’s infamous demo, Jesus Spawn, kicks off the live album before the band chronologically work their way through their discography up to 2018’s The Luciferian Crown. Material from Jesus Spawn sounds absolutely colossal, painting a solid picture of the band shining in the live atmosphere. Haunting riffwork from Ritual Butcherer on Rise of the Blackmoon swings from a mid-tempo crawl to an all-out war assault as Goat Aggressor‘s blistering drumming ignites chaos, the demo’s title track is a short and snappy blast of cacophonous black metal and Intro: Ripping The Wings stands as the perfect opening to an ARCHGOAT sermon.
Ensuring that the performance, and indeed the live record, flows and doesn’t become stale, ARCHGOAT utilise several introductory numbers to kick-start a new live demonstration of their studio material and their deployment throughout the set ensures that both the listener of the live record, and of course those who were present at the show, can catch their breath before diving back into the carnage. Intro: 1st Invocation kicks off the era of the band’s astounding debut, 2006’s Whore of Bethlehem, which sounds as menacing in 2019 as it did back when it was released. Angel of Sodomy showcases Goat Aggressor‘s expertise on the drums as a barrage of blasts and double-bass kicks sounds absolutely wicked and the title track of Whore of Bethlehem still stands as one of the best songs the band have ever written as it’s menacing rhythms accurately represent a vicious maelstrom.
Even as the live release hits its closing stages, ARCHGOAT ensure that the intensity remains at its maximum level and it stands for some of the best moments on the entire recording. Nuns, Cunts and Darkness is about as close to an anthem as you’d expect from a band like ARCHGOAT and those iconic riffs sounds devilishly cool and Grand Luciferian Theophany, which features a neat inclusion of chanting from the crowd, is as hypnotising as it is excellent as the swinging riffs and slow-demonic growls combine to summon Satan himself. Ensuring that the release and performance concludes on a high, material from the band’s last studio album, 2018’s The Luciferian Crown, gives ARCHGOAT one final bout of aggression. Messiah of Pigs boasts some of the best riffing in the band’s arsenal as the thick grooves sound even better in the live environment and Darkness Has Returned proves to be a strong number for the band to close proceedings. It’s a stacked release, one in which showcases every era of ARCHGOAT in the best possible way; frenzied, raw and utterly monstrous.
With a razor-sharp production allowing every element of the band’s demonic soundscape, particularly Lord Angelslayer‘s guttural snarls, to shine and sound as colossal as their studio output, alongside a phenomenal set that covers every era of ARCHGOAT‘s extensive career, Black Mass XXX is the quintessential best of ARCHGOAT collection you never knew you needed. Live albums can be hit or miss, but here, the Finnish veterans have hit the bullseye.
Rating: 9/10
Black Mass XXX is out now via Debemur Morti Productions.
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