Review by Fernando on December 21, 2021.

When it comes to war metal, aka "bestial black metal", Canada is the first country many seasoned metalheads think about mainly because of seminal subgenre pioneers Blasphemy. After thirty years Canadian war metal tradition continues strong, as proven by Guelph, Ontario warband Goatscrote and their 2020 debut LP We Shall Orgy Upon The Blood Of Angels.

Goatscrote, follow the tried and true path of war metal with demonic guttural growls with added effects, frenzied and speedy riffs, blistering drums and a thick bass heavy sound, albeit with one very significant divergence that not many of their peers followed, which is how surprisingly thrashy their music is for a war metal album. The songs have classic thrash leanings which in turn make the otherwise chaotic and dissonant style to have a groove and structured dynamics since the band slow down and have breakdowns in between all the aggression which is a very welcomed change of pace in a subgenre that’s often derided for being too one dimensional. The instrumentation also strikes the balance of primitive aggression and dynamic groove. The guitars and drums are the obvious main standouts, while the bass serves more as a complement to the guitars but it does get its moments in the spotlight on the slower and mid-paced tracks. While the vocals are the only constant, meaning they’re very one note but it works overall. While nothing is outstanding, its decent and effective enough, and at 25 minutes in length this is an evenly paced experience and you leave feeling empowered and satisfied.

However, while Goatscrote do make a decent war metal album with some variations to the formula, that’s pretty much all they do here, and despite the short length, there’s a very real issue with monotony and repetition, especially on repeated listens. This isn’t entirely on the band, as war metal is a subgenre that’s very unadventurous to begin with, either you get it right from the get go and go from there, or you just rely on riffs and speed to carry your entire music. Goatscrote certainly did take a different approach and I’d be tempted to call this a thrash metal album with war metal vocals, but again, that’s pretty much all the band does here. Granted they do it well enough, and for a debut record this is very decent, but having the one trick to stand out isn’t enough for me to get invested as I’ve heard better elsewhere.

Overall Goatscrote are a decent enough band with the right ingredients to develop into a truly unique war metal band in what seems to be subgenre that’s filled to the brim with Revenge and Blasphemy clones. That potential rests solely on the band itself though, and it's up to them if they go beyond the tried-and-true path of this particular subgenre. 

Best tracks: 'Triumph Of The Heretics', 'Hymns Of Warfare Worship'

Rating: 6.7 out of 10

Review by Jeger on July 10, 2024.

The convoluted USBM scene - a movement that has struggled to find an identity outside of the old heads: Xasthur, Judas Iscariot and Nachtmystium. I would throw Inquisition in there but they’re on a level of their own. UADA? Wolves In The Throne Room? Hard pass, although I do hold a soft spot for the former, I’d hardly call what they do true black metal, but this! Just a few minutes into this thing and goosebumps. From out of the frigid Minneapolis / Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA area emerge Grand Demise Of Civilization and with them they’ve brought a little something called “Hell Metal”. Don’t worry it’s black metal… Only of a most profound variety. Real end of days-heralding shit here and set to ensnaring passages fraught with lulling dreamscapes that promise tranquility only to deliver you mercilessly into The Blaze Of Abaddon, released via Ordovician Records on June 4, 2024… 

When you truly bust the brakes off of black metal and dial the intensity and the creativity into the red, you get “hold my beer” records like The Blaze Of Abaddon where nothing is as it seems and everything you thought you knew about black metal goes out the window… Oh yeah, it’s one of those. It’s a fine line to walk when a collective decides to put forth a genuine effort to change the game like this. It still must be black metal and of course the truer the better. Doesn’t have to be crusty attic black metal but the energy must be right. In this case, like the culmination of decades worth of suffering boiling over into a frantic disembowelment-like series of fevered cuts like 'Cathedral Reaper' and 'Silencer' that see the band as they rip through the early 90’s worshipping fabric of the genre, all the while as they weave a much more elaborate sonic tapestry of their own. 

Ever listen to Helfró’s debut self-titled LP? Great stuff, complex and overwhelmingly dynamic. You’ll get those vibes here, but this thing is a much more elaborate production. Fucking nightmare fuel pumping along with all that cortisol sheer horror, but the suspense ride comes to a halt midway through as you absorb the awe-inspiring intro to 'Nephilm'. These are the kinds of arrangements that only elite musicians are capable of, and the entire record feels almost like some sort of grand theatrical black metal production or like the most badass black metal supergroup you could possibly put together recorded it. And still radiating all that evil energy just the way black metal is supposed to. 

Not much in the way of competition against this bunch. Wouldn’t want them opening for my band… Hate to have to try to follow this up. Jesus fuck this is a ride! It’s like if Dominator and Ihsahn put together a band. It’s like Nordjevel crossed with Hate Forest in this, a tour-de-force black metal LP that unabashedly delivers the brutality along with all the traditional fiendish evil vibes. Great name for a band, great album and even the cover art just screams “this could be exactly what you’ve been looking for in a black metal album all these years…” Okay, a lot of black metal album covers do that, but the point I’m trying to make is that The Blaze Of Abaddon is just choice nugget from top to bottom and a welcomed breath of fresh air for an as-of-late all over the place USBM scene. 

Rating: 9 out of 10