Goats! Goats! Goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaats! Bloody everywhere these days. Memes, gifs, movies, tiktok and of course heavy metal.  So, it is with an extra packet of animal feed in my pocket I approach Goatcraft. (Have you ever been in a petting zoo with goats? Chaos!).

After a listen and some research I find that this Goatcraft is a project by classical or necroclassical pianist LoneGoat from Texas (Lone Star state I suppose). There are a couple of other BM bands with the same name but this is a very different beast. I was expecting classical, dark themed Black Metal, what I got was black metal themed classical.

Lonegoat layers piano with synths and organ on a couple of tracks but in the main he sticks to acoustic ivories.  I am not a great modern classical afficionado but am a great admirer of the piano as a classical instrument and listening to Sic Transit Gloria Mundi is certainly an experience for which I am grateful.

Each track sets out to beguile and mesmerize with delicate passages giving way to mania and discordance. The production is lofi and in some ways reminds me of dungeon synth in its textures and bleak hollow feel.  Lonegoat has certainly captured the dark earthy feel of more recent folksy Black Metal acts such as Akhyls and Oranssi Pazazu. Personal taste decries whether the atmosphere is enough without the riffs and drums taking things a step further.  There is a Morbid Angel cover here – the gentle acoustic guitar instrumental Desolate Ways from Blessed Are the Sick. It works well as a piano piece.

The final piece on the album “Thus Passes Worldly Glory” utilises organ synths for a more over the top Vangellis effect that hints at going somewhere else but wafts like the jets stream of an inter planetary cruiser before dissipating into the ether.

If this is necroclassical then it is kinda interesting but it meanders rather than drags the listener along. Not enough interest garnered for a repeat listen but not annoying enough to get my goat.

(4/10 Matt Mason)

https://www.facebook.com/goatcraft.texas

https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sic-transit-gloria-mundi