Goatwhore has, in recent releases, begun to develop their sound as blackened thrash. “Blood For The Master” demonstrates further progression along that continuum. This is straight forward, in your face metal. Unlike some blackened thrash out there, you can actually hear the anger churning the riffs on “Blood”. Although, this not the punk or hardcore expression of anger, this is the seething resentment that slithers under the surface, just waiting for the right reason.

This is Goatwhore’s fifth album. You can hear how tight the band is and how comfortable the music is in its sound. There is no need for experimentation or diverting from what has worked. The skill is well honed and the riffs are razor sharp. If these guys were some measure of inconsistent with each album, I would feel compelled to dissect each song. Truly, there is no need. While Goatwhore does not push the boundaries of their sound, they do not fall away from it, and offer their fans exactly what we want and need.

That being said, I may have misrepresented the truth here. Mr. Duet’s solos have gotten bolder and more intricate and Mr. Falgoust’s vocals sound more in place and relaxed. While most blackened thrash tends to use the Slayer Riff boilerplate, Goatwhore does not follow this model at all. The overall shredding attack is more akin to Testament’s thrash sound, in particular “The Ritual” era, was blackened (or possibly more appropriately, Cajun). The best example of this would be the intro to ‘Embodiment of the Bitter Chaos’, which feels like Mr. Duet channeled his Inner Skolnick.

Overall, while Goatwhore have not really broken any new unholy ground, they remain unique in their sound and have delivered a solid release with “Blood For The Master.”