Year of release: 2019
Label: Unpure Records
Rating: 7,4 / 10
Unexpectedly, another Black Metal project was formed in the Minsk underworld, which in July this year spit out its first small clot of devastating devilry into the hated world. Its very birth is a bit surprising to me - as far as I understand, the anonymous duo behind GOAT TERROR has another project of the same kind, performing almost identical material. Apparently, there was a reason to create another one. Maybe to try to unwind the flywheel of destruction with the help of new publishers.
It is not clear how the band itself is positioning "Unholy March". As EP, I think, judging by 7"EP release at the US label Sentient Ruin Laboratories. However, I perceive it, perhaps, as a demo - adjusted for modern realities. This means that the release was recorded at the studio (or at home, but after that it was very well mastered and mixed by Goat Worshiper), it sounds like an album, but the songs have untapped potential. And the work as a whole seems incomplete. Three compositions for 9 and a half minutes look like a seed for warming your appetite, not like a full meal. They are good: all canons of style are observed with utmost care. Vicious and heavy sounding, apocalyptic atmosphere, vocals growling from the abyss, frantic percussion parts, burn-to-the ground guitars. Terrific barbarism! For some reason, the publisher of the record compares GOAT TERROR with PROCLAMATION, CONQUEROR, BLASPHEMY and IMPIETY; these parallels have a right to live, but, in my opinion, already the very first riff screams about the key influence of ARCHGOAT. The very construction of compositions is unequivocally points at Finns. Only a couple of tremolle riffs in the 2nd and 3rd songs belong to someone else's style.
However, no matter how good these three songs may be, the feeling that they could get better does not leave me. This impression is caused not so much by the songs themselves as by the aforementioned understatement (the music ends abruptly without leaving the feeling that you listened to a complete, independent release), as well as the sound. For the sake of comparison, I listened to the cassette and to digital version - the result is the same. The music sounds pretty legible, but it seems to flounder between the water and the ice crust covering its surface. Each surge is stopped and equalized by a ruthless translucent barrier. This obstacle does not allow instrumental parts to demonstrate their full strength. If the roar of the guitars is simply not sharp enough, then the sound of the drums suffers much more. I believe that special mastering for analog media is partly to blame. From the latter I have in my hands a cassette from the Polish Unpure Records. It, like vinyl, was designed by Warhead Art (working with DIOCLEATIAN, ADVENT SORROW, BURSHTYN, etc.). Let it not be the best of his works, but if the man is talented, you can see this - the cassette is beautifully designed. More details on a video.
One way or another, GOAT TERROR already can swing at full-length album. They know how to play, how to compose songs and record them properly. The seven-inch seems to have some success among the fans. All you need to do now is to gather enough material for an album.
English (UK) 
Крыўская