Debut Album Out July 1st, 2022
Photo Credit – Caitlin Delaplace
Last month, Thirteen Goats stampeded out of Canada and onto the global metal scene with the hyperkinetic, politically-charged “Return to Ruin”. That single (from their upcoming debut record, “Servants of the Outer Dark”) was accompanied by an animated video (can view below) that ended with a giant sunflower bursting out of Vladimir Putin’s skull—a deliberately unsubtle nod to the band’s Eastern European roots and aggressive anti-imperialist sensibilities.
The record’s newest single, “Unholy Mass”, takes the subgenre-hopping extreme metal maniacs in a different direction, momentarily setting politics aside to mount a blackened broadside against organized religion. Guitarist/vocalist Graham K. Miles explains in detail:
“This was the first song Rob [Fitz-Gerald, guitars/vocals] and I wrote together. He came up with almost all the riffs, and I wrote the lyrics, which tell the story of a priest determined to cleanse the world of sinners through gruesome murder. It’s about the hypocrisy of people who preach peace and love but enforce their values through violence. I also managed to sneak a Cryptopsy reference into the chorus—see if you can pick it out!”
The music itself combines sinister, slithering guitars with bone-breaking blast beats and some of the album’s most vicious vocals. According to Miles,“weird shit” happened while he was recording his takes—the studio lights kept flickering, and the temperature dropped noticeably. “I’m not superstitious,” he says, “but it felt spooky—like I wasn’t alone in there. And when I listened to the final tracks, they sounded a lot more evil than they had while I was doing them. So who knows?”, he grins. “Maybe I had a little help from beyond.”
The single was written in a single session during the introductory jam between Miles and Fitz-Gerald, who are the band’s core songwriting duo. It cemented their friendship and got Thirteen Goats off the ground. “Servants of the Outer Dark” is nine tracks of cathartic and multi-layered metal ranging from serious personal topics like suicide awareness on “Constant Torment” to balls-out camp on the hilariously literal “Vacuum-Induced Head Explosion”.
A hybrid of Florida death metal, UK grindcore, and classic 80s thrash, Thirteen Goats successfully combine their influences into something greater than the sum of their parts. They deliver an impressive force of blast beats, guitar solos, and grown men yelling ‘BLERGH’ alongside big, catchy hooks and choruses—maintaining the classic formula enough to impress old-school fans while keeping it fresh and accessible for newcomers.
The band is just getting started, but they have an arsenal of material waiting in the wings. They are a band to watch, especially by fans of Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, and Death.
The single “Unholy Mass” can be heard via its premiere on Bravewords HERE.
The album “Servants of the Outer Dark” will be served up on July 1, 2022.
Album pre-order – https://thirteengoats.bandcamp.com
Music Video – “Return To Ruin”– https://youtu.be/HA-4R3iUTyE
Track Listing:
1. Servant of the Outer Dark (5:48)
2. Challenge the Executioner (3:18)
3. Return to Ruin (4:11)
4. Prisoner’s Anthem (3:26)
5. Sub-Being (4:16)
6. Unholy Mass (4:41)
7. Constant Torment (3:30)
8. Vacuum-Induced Head Explosion (4:33)
9. Through the Meat Grinder… The Recipe (4:47)
Album Length: 38:34
Album Band Line Up:
Graham K. Miles – Vocals, Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Rob Fitzgerald – Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Vocals
Mike Redston – Bass, Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Live Band Line Up:
Graham K. Miles – Lead Vocals, Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Rob Fitzgerald – Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Vocals
Bass – TBD
Drums – TBD
For more info:
ThirteenGoats.com
Facebook.com/THIRTEEN.GOATS
Twitter.com/THIRTEENGOATS
Instagram.com/thirteen.goats