Semen 1992 - Anno Domini

Goatpenis. With a name like that, you can’t help but be turned…no, NO! I meant to say fascinated. Anyway, the black metal scene has always been filled with bands who are so over the top that it’s hard to take them seriously, and more than a few have an obsession with goats. As a result, I think it was only a matter of time until one took this charming moniker. The whole package, from the cum splattered bible cover, to the spliced female orgasms and goat utterances in Desecration of the Holy Mother, to the kvlt sample of a blockbuster movie (Saving Private Ryan), to the name has an enjoyable tongue in check feel…although perhaps I’m giving too much credit to a band who has a member named Antihuman Terrorist. Actually, after reading an interview, I know that I am. Still, while the band members may be a bit idiotic, the music is nothing of the sort. It’s grind influenced black metal, and bears comparison to some of the war metal scene, as well as a host of other venerable black metal acts.

Undoubtedly the first thing you’ll notice when you play this album is the production. It’s not bad in a Pure Fucking Armageddon sort of way, nor in a Profanatica or Revenge fashion. The whole thing sounds something like Virigus Apocalli, or someone with an equally profound name, found the phaser and had a bit of fun with it. And by a bit, I mean he pushed it to max. Everything sounds decidedly odd, but this is one of the album’s strongest assets.

The guitars play a mixture of fairly traditional tremolo black metal riffs, and more grind oriented assaults, which are frequently quite groovy. They’re quite competent throughout, and are well written. The drumming is very well done, and is also the band’s main nod toward the traditional method of poorly done production in black metal, for some of that was surely needed as well. They’re mixed slightly too loudly, which isn’t a problem except when the drummer feels like hitting the crash cymbal, in which case, providing you wanted to hear something besides vibrations, like, I don’t know, the riffs, you’re flat out of luck. The microphone could’ve been taped to the thing without achieving any more dominance, I’m sure. Still, the drumming is, while not nearly as fast or brutal as that in several other bands, such as Conqueror or Blasphemy, still quite powerful and charming in its relative simplicity and blasts are also not relied on nearly as much as I initially expected them to be. The vocals are generally shrieks, but are quite understandable nonetheless. They’re hideously distorted, and warped by the ever-present phaser, but this works to their advantage.

The various riffs are generally quite strong. Several of them would sound quite weak and ineffective due to the fairly thin guitar tone and lack of audible bass, in fact the whole thing seems like it should sound weak due to lack of any perceivable low end, save for the drums which turn out to be the focal point here. The band’s greatest moments come during the solos. I was expecting something like the tremolo picked, whammy bar molested affairs common to most bands of this genre, but that’s not what I got at all (although these ARE present in addition). Solos like the one on Jesus Fall are actually haunting and stunningly melodic, contrasting beautifully with the remainder of the song. This song also receives points for the oddly toned bass intro.

Another notice-worthy moment is the drum intro to the title track, as well as the frantic vocal barking, that match the tempo of the riff perfectly, in Waverdose, shortly after the sample. The phaser abuse reaches its height in Burning the House of God, which is a pretty interesting reprieve from the standard assault of the album, for a time, anyway. The band’s best riff work can probably be found in Desecration to the Holy Mother, where the grind riff locks in perfectly with the drums and is suitably punishing.

An oddity is the occasionally deteriorating production. Certain portions sound far thinner than others, although this might merely be a product of the riffs themselves, or the vocals. Another odd moment occurs in Semen, when a painfully high note of feedback comes in, everything stops behind it, and then an instant later the entire thing resumes. I’m still not sure if it was supposed to be a transition, or is merely a recording error.

Goatpenis are an erotic…no, no, goddamn it! I mean to say that Goatpenis are a very strong band. The music isn’t completely original, but there are enough new ideas, and production oddities, to keep it fresh and the whole thing has a very powerful feel. Highly recommended. Besides, if you don’t like it you can always just masturbate to the goat rape in Desecration to the Holy Mother - I mean…ah, forget it.