Today, Swedish doomers Goatess announce the March 2016 release of their second album, Purgatory Under New Management. Like their 2013 self-titled debut (review here), it will out via Svart Records, and to herald its arrival, the Stockholm four-piece are giving an early glimpse at the track “Moth to Flame,” the 10-minute opener of the record, which makes its premiere below. I am unreasonably fucking stoked to be able to host it. Really, just nerding out all over the place.

I think even if you didn’t hear the first record — a concern you’ll likely want to address after listening to this song — it’s quickly apparent in “Moth to Flame” why that would be the case. Fronted by Christian “Chritus” Linderson (ex-Count Raven, ex-Saint Vitus, Lord Vicar, Terra Firma, etc.) and with guitarist Niklas, drummer Kenta and bassist Findus (who left the band following the recording of this album this past summer, replaced by Izmo), Goatess breathe live into the stolid form of what we commonly think of as traditional, Sabbathian doom. Their flare for a stoner groove is unmistakable, and after a quiet intro, they show it in the chugging nod of “Moth to Flame,” setting the foundation for a verse and chorus melodic hook that’s irresistible for the converted and bound to catch a few inductees as well.

As a sampling of what’s to come on Purgatory Under New Management, “Moth to Flame” finds them off to a killer start. The song breaks in its second half to a spacier jam that trades off to louder guitar squibblies and some especially soulful belting-out from Linderson. They close on that quiet note, having already come far from where they started, but with eight tracks on Purgatory Under New Management — which is also immediately in the running as one of 2016’s best album titles — it’s easy to imagine that “Moth to Flame” is just a first step on a longer, riff-led journey. All the better that Goatess make it as a tighter, more cohesive band.

Can’t wait to hear the rest of the release, but March is still four months out, so it might be a minute before that happens. Nonetheless, I’m once again pleased as punch and then some to be able to host “Moth to Flame” today, which you’ll find below, followed by some album preliminaries and comment from the band.

Please enjoy:

“Moth To Flame” is the first track from the upcoming second album from Goatess, this is but a taste of the dark grooves ahead. The full length album, “Purgatory Under New Management” includes 8 diabolical tracks of stoned epic melancholy.

Comments the band, “Guess you can look at it as if Dante and Bosch gave birth to Rosemary’s baby, like a tortured sibling to the debut album. Musically a natural progression, summing up the aspects and layers of harsh realities the band has been facing since then. Let’s face our darkest innermost demons together, shall we?”

Goatess on Thee Facebooks

Goatess at Svart Records

Tags: Goatess, Goatess Purgatory Under New Management, Purgatory Under New Management, Stockholm, Svart Records, Sweden

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 12th, 2015 at 10:20 am and is filed under audiObelisk. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.