Album Review: Deathgoat - Dragged Into Realms Below
Reviewed by Matthew Williams
Once in while I like to dip my metaphorical toe back into the realms of death metal, as it’s a genre that I have a love hate relationship with. As with several other bands recently, I was looking for something to grab my attention, and the name instantly pulled me in and I thought, that’s what I want to listen to, a bit of Deathgoat, I mean, why not eh?
Four years on from their debut album, the Finnish quintet are back to with nine new songs that make up “Dragged into Realms Below” and the haunting sinister opening track called “Alkulima” gives you a taster of what to expect. It is slow and heavy, with menacing overtones of evil intent, as the vocals add a more distressing tone. Then the detonation begins on “Pestilent Retribution”, as the shackles are thrown off. The hellish drums of Chope666 alongside vengeful guitars from Vicar Maggot and Nihilist, combine with a vocal from Putrid Worm, that would give Freddie Kruger himself nightmares.
It's fiendishly delicious and the relentless pounding of their music reminds me of why I enjoy this genre so much. “Congregation of Disease” is not to be taken lightly, as the riffs just pop out with immoral intent, as the rhythm lays the burning path of fury to create a potent song. However, “Dying to be Dead” takes it to another level, snarling like a rabid beast foaming at the mouth, fuelled on adrenaline and alcohol. It’s full of danger and aggression, with the slower sections, if you can call them that, also being demonic and villainous.
“Compulsive Cannibalism” is the next cheerily entitled track to rot your brain and builds on the solid foundations that have already been laid. Then you get this gnarling, scowling solo that is such a joy to listen to before it settles into something a bit more atmospheric. The drums are battered beyond belief, and this continues into “Monoxcide” which has a more controlled rhythm to it, intertwined with sporadic riffs and gut-wrenching vocals.
The album title is quite apt, as you do feel that you are being dragged into a murky underworld of death and decay, and the fury is unleashed further with the epic “Flashback Psychosis”. This song is quite simply... fucking brilliant! Words don’t do it justice, so I encourage you to sit down and enjoy, and if your neck survives the head banging onslaught, then you aren’t doing it properly.
The final two tracks are “Clinically Undead” and the album title track, “Dragged Into Realms Below” which again showcases the band at their best, with bassist L.F. Molestar getting in on the action at the start of penultimate track. This is one album that any death metal enthusiast should take the time to play repeatedly, as it’s one rancid ride into the depths of depravity.
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