I must admit the latest albums, “The Light-Devouring Darkness” and “The Apocalyptic Triumphator“, have grown on me, and they have spawned the 90s war metal sound. “Worship the Eternal Darkness” and the follow-up EP “All Christianity Ends” served as successors to this work; the trio of Lord Angelslayer (vocals and bass), Ritual Butcherer (guitars and keyboards), and Goat Aggressor (drums) perfected their take on the album. The trio refined their skills and sharpened their weapons by preserving their cult status over the years.

The production is cavernous; the songs predate the second wave of black metal, and the album highlights the technical aspect of the guitars. Keyboards, arpeggios, and lead guitars are the prime features that make the songs more varied. Right off the bat, Archgoat unleashes a hellish fury on the eponymous track “Nightbringer, Lightbringer”. The cacophony of bells and guttural growls contrasts with sinister riffs and furious drumming.

Archgoat’s influences, from grindcore and punk metal to war metal, are nothing new to the band’s evolution and are finely portrayed in these songs. The vocals are brutish, with demonic screams, and atmospheric synths are clearly emphasized. The work here shows the true foundation of Finnish black metal bands such as Impaled Nazarene and Beherit; the blaring horns and guttural bellow create a haunting atmosphere that sounds like a ritualistic manifestation of evil.

The band’s musical evolution is finely portrayed; the primitive old-school sound engraves the Finns’ status. The vocals are barbaric and heavily reverbed, spewing Satanic verses through an array of bestial riffs; especially in the mid-tempo, the slow-laden riffs convey sonic hooks.

“The Dawn of Armageddon” brings an overwhelming intensity that will strike the listener; the songs range from mid-paced, and the keyboards are often emphasized to enhance the demonic atmosphere. The raw aggression shows some variation, with plenty of moments that merge into blackened doom sections laden with ritualistic occult atmospheres. Archgoat cements its ultimate definition of war metal, and with elements like the synth and lead guitars on “Iconoclasm the Nazarene”, it plunges you into eerie darkness.

The riffs are prominent and keep the sound brutal; the tolling bells create a doomy effect throughout the album, while the slow-paced sections infuse tons of catchy riffs. “Blood Of Jesus Spilling Upon the Earth” is a splatter of fiendish, black blood; the tremolo riffage is followed by pummeling percussion. The rhythmic hooks in the middle of the song’s arrangement exude a dark aura.

This is a raw war metal album that keeps you engaged from start to finish; the drums shift in visceral ferocity to black metal fury. The drums play an integral role, delivering blast beats and mid-tempo shifts, and plenty of intriguing moments on each song.

The riffs are brilliantly crafted on “The Stygian Millennium”, one of the defining characteristics; the amalgamation of death-doom and primitive black metal combines raw brutality and aggression. The mid-tempos are full of hooks, and the tremolo pickings are layered with feral guttural growls; the trio conjures a barbarous riff with grinding percussion on “Invocation 999”.

The raw energy stays true to Archgoat’s trademarks. Blistering tremolo explodes into brutal climaxes on “Keys of Hell and of Death”. Another refined element is that the riffing and solos add undisputed quality, while the drums deliver powerful drum rolling, blast beats, and aggressive hammering.

And while this prototype style predates the late 80s, the trio has refined its dark sonic craft. The pummeling drums and riffs excel at frenzied speed, propelled by sadistic intensity that engulfs the listener in a profane Luciferian perversity. Archgoat conveys its raw sound; they infuse grindcore elements into “Reaper of Christianity” and “Obsidian Reflection of Anti-Light”; the morbidity conjures the primitive force of war metal.

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