Review by Carl on September 1, 2024.

Have you ever wondered what it would sound like if Mortician would play war metal? Then you're in luck because that is quite what Vestal Cuntvomit (where do they get these names?) has on offer on this savage piece of extreme metal carpet bombing. It's harsh, it's rough and it's excellent! Come with me, and let me tell you all about it.

Bookended by a harrowing keyboard drone intro and outro that had me thinking of movie scores by John Carpenter and Brad Fiedel, we are thoroughly plowed by a raging dose of down-tuned guitars that more resemble an angry buzzing swarm of pig-sized mosquitos, combined with guttural roars layered with occasional screams, all underpinned by a drum machine stuck on overdrive for most of the time. It's a mix that in its entirety could be located somewhere between Necroholocaust, Blood Chalice, and Mortician, relying heavily on fast-paced aggression and blunt rage, only taking the foot off the accelerator here and there for some heavy, slower sections, that are no less intense, like in tracks such as 'Holocaustic War Machine' and 'Genocide Hammer'. It's in these slower parts that the spirit of Mortician really dwells, providing a small moment to sneak in a bit of variation, without taking anything away from the suffocating intensity of the music. The tracks themselves are kept compact, which is a good move, for sure. The seething bestial death the band showcases throughout fares well with this approach, keeping a firm grip on proceedings, as well as assuring the songs don't overstay their welcome. The production is surprisingly well-balanced, while still providing the music with the needed rough edge and grit that this style so dearly needs. This is what I want to hear from this style for sure, and dammit, does this band hit the mark full-on with their debut full-length!

You will probably not be that surprised if I tell you that this band does not bring a whole lot of new stuff to the table, but they still manage to create somewhat of a face of their own through their mix of elements incorporated here. Personally, and I have stated this many a time before, originality isn't something I have very high on my list for how I want my extreme metal to be. I simply want it to be aggressive as fuck, and we can put a big fat check next to that when it comes to these guys. Granted, one could make the claim that Vestal Cuntvomit edges very close to one-sidedness with what they do, but they sprinkle in just the right amount of variation to avoid it, and this album as a whole is on the compact enough side to ensure that boredom stays well away from this.

Perhaps it's just another war metal release out there, but as long as they are as remorseless as this one, I'd say: keep'em coming!!

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Carl on September 1, 2024.

Have you ever wondered what it would sound like if Mortician would play war metal? Then you're in luck because that is quite what Vestal Cuntvomit (where do they get these names?) has on offer on this savage piece of extreme metal carpet bombing. It's harsh, it's rough and it's excellent! Come with me, and let me tell you all about it.

Bookended by a harrowing keyboard drone intro and outro that had me thinking of movie scores by John Carpenter and Brad Fiedel, we are thoroughly plowed by a raging dose of down-tuned guitars that more resemble an angry buzzing swarm of pig-sized mosquitos, combined with guttural roars layered with occasional screams, all underpinned by a drum machine stuck on overdrive for most of the time. It's a mix that in its entirety could be located somewhere between Necroholocaust, Blood Chalice, and Mortician, relying heavily on fast-paced aggression and blunt rage, only taking the foot off the accelerator here and there for some heavy, slower sections, that are no less intense, like in tracks such as 'Holocaustic War Machine' and 'Genocide Hammer'. It's in these slower parts that the spirit of Mortician really dwells, providing a small moment to sneak in a bit of variation, without taking anything away from the suffocating intensity of the music. The tracks themselves are kept compact, which is a good move, for sure. The seething bestial death the band showcases throughout fares well with this approach, keeping a firm grip on proceedings, as well as assuring the songs don't overstay their welcome. The production is surprisingly well-balanced, while still providing the music with the needed rough edge and grit that this style so dearly needs. This is what I want to hear from this style for sure, and dammit, does this band hit the mark full-on with their debut full-length!

You will probably not be that surprised if I tell you that this band does not bring a whole lot of new stuff to the table, but they still manage to create somewhat of a face of their own through their mix of elements incorporated here. Personally, and I have stated this many a time before, originality isn't something I have very high on my list for how I want my extreme metal to be. I simply want it to be aggressive as fuck, and we can put a big fat check next to that when it comes to these guys. Granted, one could make the claim that Vestal Cuntvomit edges very close to one-sidedness with what they do, but they sprinkle in just the right amount of variation to avoid it, and this album as a whole is on the compact enough side to ensure that boredom stays well away from this.

Perhaps it's just another war metal release out there, but as long as they are as remorseless as this one, I'd say: keep'em coming!!

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Alex on June 4, 2020.

I had no clue this was in the works! Walpurgia a new war metal committee is formed by members that have played in Disharmony, Hate Manifesto, Black Blood Invocation and Kawir; hence if you're familiar with any of those bands, by default you should want Altar of the Goatbaphomet on CD and 12' Vinyl released through Helter Skelter and Regain Records.

It had only been recently Black Blood Invocation performed a ritual alongside death metal masters Imprecation (USA) titled "Diabolical Flames of the Ascended Dead", which spawned many praises by those of whom made contact with it. We also witnessed Kawir put their pagan black metal steel to flesh with their milestone and monolith of an album "Αδράστεια (Adrásteia)". Now, without warning, members involved in both bands (among other diabolical practices) unleash a face smashing, hammer of desecration through their debut demo Altar of the Goatbaphomet. Focused on the beefy mid-paced side of the war metal spectrum, Walpurgia deliver 5 tracks reflective of their hatred for the right-hand path. If you've ever had encounters with Wargoat (Greece), Necrobode or even some of Archgoat ("Light of Phosphorus", etc.), you'd agree that this demo fits superbly within that category of the genre. It's got the licks, the punch and the vibrancy to summon repeated listens. With badass track titles like 'Altar of the Goatbaphomet', 'Anomalistic Orgies of the Mephistophel' and 'Sadistic Recrucifixion', equipped with the music to drive home the feelings connected with those names, you won't want the session to meet an end.

All contributions are up to standard with what is commonly accepted within war metal; from the artwork to the malicious vocals, stoning drums and restless guitar-work, Walpurgia immediately secures a position in the desecrated soil of the underground war metal scene among the rising privileged. You'd be lucky if the vinyl and cd have not sold out as yet. A must have for black/death metal warmongers.

Rating: 8 out of 10