Night Goat – Totem
Release Date: 17th March 2023
Label: Black Donut Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Death Rock, Goth Rock, Noise Rock.
FFO: Christian Death, 45 Grave, Samhain, Unsane.
Review By: Hillary Wisniewski
Canton, Ohio is not the first place that comes to mind when in search of some seriously good death/goth/noise rock, but sometimes we find things in the least likely of places. Night Goat came onto the scene with their first work in 2019 and are back with their sophomore release, Totem. Some of my dear readers may be familiar with them from the Melvins tribute LP A History of Bad Men. This is what intrigued me to give them a whirl, and I was not disappointed; they’re really damn enjoyable. According to their press release, Night Goat“…delivers abrasive, slashing, dark noise rock/death rock, with elements of goth, post-punk, and doom, their barrage of sounds owing to an almost supernatural regard of classic bands of the genre like Samhain, Unsane, 45 Grave, Eyehategod, and even Sonic Youth.” So many boxes checked off for me in that one sentence. Let’s explore further.
Night Goat channels dark energy to craft their eclectic and, at times, caustic sound. There is a lot to unpack with this record. First up, the goth rock elements abound, but not your typical behemoths of that genre. I definitely hear where the 45 Grave reference comes into play. Goth rock vibes are not the most plentiful dynamic going on, though. Frankly, the band gets way more into the death rock end of things. Are you a fan of some of Christian Death’s more noisy songs? Then Night Goat will probably be your jam. Secondly, there are some sludgy, fuzzy, and doomy riffs going which just makes the band live up to the Melvins reference of their name. Finally, there is a shift to more punk elements and a couple of tracks have sleazy rock riffs going, which threw me through a loop. It just wasn’t expected. Perhaps that is a good way to sum up Totem: expect the unexpected.
If anyone is yearning for flashy guitar: this isn’t going to scratch that itch. But if you enjoy diversity in sound and technique, this is for you. The rhythm section is aces. Strong drumming and inclusion of other percussive elements adds a nice touch. The bass on this album has such a warm tone and is really locked in with the total sound. Metal’s current darling, the saxophone, makes a guest appearance as well. Again, not expected. Lyrics traverse through horror and folklore elements. The diversity of vocalist Julia Bently is impressive; she gives us smoky and slow narration, banshee screams, breathy chants, and spit fire delivery. Without this range I am not sure Night Goat would stand out amongst similar artists. She helps to pull off everything without a hitch.
For some listeners the eclectic sound might be a bit much. There were times in which I wanted a bit more cohesion, but it is clear that is not what Night Goat wanted, and I have to respect that from an artistic point of view. The vocals might also be a bit off-putting depending on one’s preference, but I think anything other than what was delivered would fall flat. All in all, it is a solid album and you should make it a priority to give it a whirl!
(4 / 5)
