Archgoat released the  Angelcunt ep back in 1992 on 12 inch, thanks Necropolis, then promptly disintegrated. One of Finland’s most highly spoken of black bands based on what? vinyl and tape releases? low, low budget primitive black has been done well and not so well, in all honesty Archgoat fits the second category. I’ll acknowledge not paying attention to this band until the split with Beherit and not really paying attention then either since they were defunct at the time. Whore of Bethlehem entered my collection simply because of the cover art. Good atmospherics and deep deep growls, everything disappears into the fuzz. At which point I basically stopped thinking about Archgoat. Blasphemy I know, but as much as I like this style, I just like the idea more than the execution.

Fast forward to today and I sit here with Light Devouring Darkness in front of me and my first thought, Chris Moyen rules, I want to see a bigger image. Moribund states the obvious on the press release, “mandatory for fans of Beherit, Blasphemy, Bahimiron and Revenge.” Hit that nail square on the head they did. By the by, they claim the reason they quit in 1993 was because of commercialization within the black metal scene. On to Light Devouring Darkness. After a Holllywoodesque horror intro it is down to business, no frills, no keyboards, no goth, no classical or folk influences, in short, no commercialization, just straight up first wave Finnish blasting, no compromise, no filtration. Lord Angelslayer’s guttural snarl of a voice carries over the slow and heavy fuzzed out Sabbath riffs as well as the punishing grind of the faster drumming sections with equal dexterity. Those slow riffs really drag you through, feels like you consumed a few kegs too many. The drumming is often pleading ignorance as to what the guitarists are doing, which sits fine with me.

I can not help but like these guys despite the fact that others play this style more skillfully, maybe it is just their genuine love for the music shining through. Next time you feel the need to put on old Beherit grab this disc instead, soon you will have immersed yourself in this disc well enough to realize that like a good ale, it is gone while you are still wishing for more. Hit repeat and grab another bottle, a great album to listen to when you want the world to slow down around you.

There are no particular standout tracks, all are about equal in quality though some are more equal than others, those being “Goat and the Moon”, the faster “Sodomator Of The Doomed Venus,” and “Fornicated Messiah.” I can’t see this disc making any top ten lists, but put it on your to buy list if for no other reason than to convince the guys they have commercial appeal and need to quit for the sake of the scene again.

[Visit the band's website]

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