Goatsnake
Trampled Under Hoof
Southern Lord
Slow, thick, sludgey and dark, these adjectives aptly describe Goatsnake’s latest effort, Trampled Under Foot. Fans of dark and crushing metal will know that this is a collaboration between Greg Anderson (of Sunn 0))) fame), Cave In drummer JR and vocalist Pete Stahl of Scream. Said fans may also know that Pete Stahl is totally annoying as a singer, and that his voice acts as a layer of pond scum smeared over an otherwise competent group of musicians.
It’s strange that such a truly strong album can be dragged down completely and totally by bad vocals, but such is the case here. I had trouble listening to this album more than a couple of times due to the vocals, but I can tell you for sure that the guitars are searing and sizzling. They rip and tear at just about every angle, creating an edgy and unsettling feeling within the listener. The drums are decent, but could be better. JR’s drumming sounds much better on any of Cave-In’s pre-_Antennae_ albums.
I have a hard time recommending this record, mainly because of the awful vocals. I guess Scream fans will probably think that this album rules, but I haven’t been able to get past the vocals at all.
Southern Lord: http://www.southernlord.com
