ARCHGOAT

Considering that 2009 sees a new release from gurgle 'n grate black metallers BEHERIT, I'm not sure ARCHGOAT's "The Light-Devouring Darkness" is a necessary companion to it, unless you've got the fanatical black metalist chromosome. That is not to say that "The Light-Devouring Darkness" from the Finnish old timers does not have anything to offer. In fact, it is all rotten and gored out, driven by (old-school organic) blasts, sinister crawls, and bile-gargling vocals, none of which means that it is essential listening for anyone outside of completist circles.

Perhaps those statements will be read as sacrilege to the rabidly devoted or as some kind of disrespect to the Finnish scene veterans. To that I say "calm your ass down," as there are plenty of sturdy structures on "The Light-Devouring Darkness". The band's keep-it-simple approach to composition, as well the gnarly transitions from quick bludgeon to creepy crawl (especially when those spooky choral vocals appear on "Goat and the Moon"),and the simplistic, yet addictive groove of the title track, are worthy of some level of praise. It's all good in the hood, as they say; it's just not much better than average.

As a fan of unfiltered, grimy black metal, I can certainly get behind "The Light-Devouring Darkness", yet there are so many other releases I'd rather hear when the mood strikes. The ARCHGOAT legions (well, maybe not legions) will crucify the non-believers, a category into which I may be placed after this review posts. Yet a rating of anything other than one indicative of just-beyond-average would be grossly dishonest. So let the lashings begin.