When a music genre like rock ,for instance, reaches a peak, a point of no return and inspiration is nullified, both the audience and the artists will look back to the past to get influenced by older artists and renew their ideas, their art. Occult rock and modern hard rock of our decade are considered a fair example of the discipline mentioned before.

YEAR OF THE GOAT is a band which became well known by their debut record, ‘Angel’s Necropolis’. The band created soul-touching rock music influenced by the occult rock of the 70’s as well as by modern heavy metal, balancing on a rope between those to genres. An EP and some years after, the band returns with ‘The Unspeakable’ while digging more into rock than before.

The new record begins with ‘All He Has Read’, a twelve-minute song which is a fair example of what the whole record offers to the listener. First of all, in ‘The Unspeakable’, Year of the Goat aimed to soul-touching songs, influenced by the epic- element in the music of bands like Candlemass, mixed with obscure occultism. Thomas’ vocals totally own the epic elements needed and can be considered as the ace in the sleeve of the band, at least as far as their new record is concerned.

With heavy guitars and riffs which color the canvas of ‘The Unspeakable’, the band aims to excite the listener and stimulate his spirit. In fact, Year of the Goat seems to be able to achieve this, in moments, because there are also weak moments in this record as well, moments where the attachment between the listener and the band is destroyed by dull, cliché tracks.

The song ‘The Wind’ is in my opinion the best moment of the record, the one which reflects the band talent and ambition. Blending lovely guitar looping riffs along with catchy voice lines seem to fit the band bender, rather than the ‘prog’ (if I may use the specific term) moments like ‘Black Sunlight’, which may not be bad or damaging for the record, but they surely are not the most captivating ones. Songs like ‘Pillars of the South’ also do not share the same dynamic as ‘All He Has Read’, ‘The Wind’ or ‘Riders of Vultures’.  There is also an inspiring alternative version of the song ‘The Key and the Gate’ included in the tracklist as well. As a result we have a record which is full of ups and downs, moments where stick to the listeners head and others which do not.

‘The Unspeakable’ is a good record, but I do fancy ‘Angel’s Necropolis’ darkness more. The record may be enjoyed by a bunch of groups, from rockers to doom metalheads, something which justifies the decision of Napalm records to sign up a hard- working band like Year of the Goat.

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