Release Date: March 20th 2026. Record Label: Vinyltroll Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl
E.R.I.S. - Tracklisting
1.Cursed
2.Waiting
3.Gods of Gunzilla
4.Entropy Reigns in Silence
5.Dakhma
Members
Andreas Krohn - Guitars & Vocals
Magnus Ohmsen - Guitars
Alex Falkesgaard - Bass
Ole Kaspersen - Drums
Lasse Flaaten Husmer - Backing Vocals on Dakhma
Review
Danish Doom/Stoner Metallers Goatsmoker return heavier, bleaker and even more sludgier with their intense second album “E.R.I.S.”. The band laid down this groundwork within their stunning debut album “E.O.T.A.” back in 2022. Though, this time round the grooves are thicker with an extra dangerous level of FUZZED OUT DOOM to match the seedy surroundings of the whole album. According to the PR blurb, the album’s title “refers to the track Entropy Reigns in Silence, and to Eris, the Greek goddess of strife” which gives the record a sense of mysterious gloomy landscape for Goatsmoker to expand into areas of Psych, Post-Metal and Sludge Metal.
Goatsmoker have perfected their own style of “LOW & SLOW” and “AMPLIFIER DISTORTED” attitude which is off-set by some lean and mean harsh growls throughout. Influenced and powered by the likes of Electric Wizard, SLEEP, CONAN and Black Sabbath, the album is still quite grounded which you’ll experience within the stunning opening track of Cursed. There’s a small essence of OCCULT DOOM appearing in the background with the slowly played melodies transforming into mammoth slices of Post-Metal brutality with some trippy Psych Metal sounds emerging from the darkness.
Goatsmoker wisely switch musical allegiances and sounds throughout the album whilst keep with that newly found aggressive Psychedelic and Down-Tuned FUZZ METAL sound that gives this record a vibrant and downbeat sound which comes into full focus on tracks such as Waiting and Gods Of Gunzilla.
These two tracks feature monolithic and gigantic instrumental moments where the music has a soaring Drone based effect with the story having some outlandish themes whilst keeping superbly grounded at the same time. The vocals from Andreas Krohn are hugely versatile and I’m surprised he can still sing after all the high HARSH notes he subjects himself to. They’re absolutely intense and perhaps some of the best harsh vocals I’ve heard in a very long time.
There are a few parts on the album you could call Post-Rock or Post-Stoner where Goatsmoker play a stripped back style of music with shades of straight up Hard Rock appear with a subtle Sludgy environment for the band to have “FUN” and let loose with looser and riff driven score. The final two tracks of Entropy Reigns In Silence and Dakhma sees Goatsmoker amplify the VOLUME levels even further with Progressive themes appearing and creating some of the most haunting and gloomy sounds on the whole album.
I didn’t really want to do a song-by-song review for this record as it’s best to listen to this album as one whole conceptual piece that’s wisely been broken down into individual chapters. Things do become more experimental within the second half of the record with the album almost going into more extreme waters with both the vocals and instrumental passages. However, there’s a thrilling Psych Doom/Stoner Metal aspect that keeps Goatsmoker fully going over to the dark side.
E.R.I.S. is a phenomenal record that’s boosted by first rate production values that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Goatsmoker may have just opened the door to a more exciting future for themselves as this album is simply unmissable.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Audible PR for the promo.
E.R.I.S. is available to buy now on Digital Download and Vinyl via Vinyltroll Records.
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