Et Lokalsamfunn I Sorg

Over the course of twenty years, this Norwegian metal fourpiece has cycled through their fair share of peculiar concepts, outlandish appearances and musical orientations - Death metal cavemen, Thrashtronauts, Heavy metal physicists - this might be Goat the Head's most eccentric endeavor yet. Firstly, all lyrics are in tr?ndersk. A dialect native to Tr?ndelag, the central part of Norway from where the band originally hails. Secondly the music is as experimental as it is haunting. Predominantly rich with almost every color off the metal palette, but darkened with unexpected timbres, twists and turns. At times it is cinematic, heavy, slow and foreboding. Most often, it is doom. It all began with two contradicting intentions. A desire to make a sophisticated concept album, while simultaneously wanting to return to the band's initial spontaneous, carefree and arbitrary nature. We are transported back to the early nineties, to the rural parts of central Norway. A young person is searching for identity and purpose in a cautious and caustic community when tragedy unexpectedly strikes. The journey begins well before the needle hits the groove. Each vinyl specimen comes with a completely unique artwork piece. Vocalist Per Spj?tvold has hand drawn five hundred characters, one for each individual album copy. Each character represents an inhabitant of the fictional community. Goat the Head has always been a typical live outfit. Not only on the stage, but also during the writing and recording process. This time the approach was totally different. Like a game of exquisite corpse the album was made in an individualistic and scattered fashion. Each member was to design their given bodypart all by themself, not necessarily knowing much about how the neighboring limb would appear. The process was adventurous and at times bizarre. How hazardous is it to put a Kenneth Kapstad on fire in an old gunpowder plant to record explosive doom metal drums? When riffmeister and main composer Ketil L. S?ther were to record his parts he went straight to the studio of the Wizard of Strings: Geir undst?l. The illustrious multi-instrumentalist even joined in on the recording, adding heaps of cinematic character to the album. In the meantime Per Spj?tvold was plunging deep into the Hammond organ hole. Penning lyrics. Stacking chunky layers of vocals and growls on top of each other. Trond Fr?nes delivered clever, harmonious and snarly bass lines, completing the topsy-turvy anatomy of the album. It was time for producer B?rd Ingebrigtsen to mix it. To sew the various appendages properly together and get the body animated. Ultimately, Brad Boatright mastered the works.