Artist: Goatkraft
Country: Norway
Label: Deathrune Records
Formats: CD EP
Year: 2026
I said it before, not everything from Norway sounds like Borknagar, Arcturus or Ulver. Not quite. With ‘Barbed Wire Doctrine’, Goatkraft’s latest offering and follow-up to 2023’s ‘Prophet Of Eternal Damnation’ (Iron Bonehead Productions), the Bestial Black/Death Metal trio shows that they are very much worthy of their band name. With only 15 minutes of playing time, this is a bit of a short affair, but that doesn’t mean it is less lethal. On the contrary, I’d dare to say…
What strikes first and foremost is the change in overall sound. All the band’s previous output, and the aforementioned ‘Prophet Of Eternal Damnation’ in particular, were based on a rather massive and meaty sound. Pretty much like the lion’s share of the active bands in this genre, that second full-length album sounded like a low-end-driven sledgehammer, or steamroller, if you will. ‘Barbed Wire Doctrine’, quite befitting its title, sounds much more venomous, a bit lighter in sound and above all: much sharper.
The barbaric and primitive nature of the music hasn’t been altered as such, which means the majority of the music is still presented with a hefty pace and a whirlwind of guitars and vocals. Goatkraft didn’t lose any of its wild and aggressive energy, but it is the guitar tone that is so much sharper and sets ‘Barbed Wire Doctrine’ in almost a completely different soundscape. Different, neither worse nor better. But it does allow the listener to actually hear more of the music itself, the riffs and, ironically, the song structures. It is easier to dissect the music and to learn that there is more than met the ears in the previous outings. Still, most of it is rather simple and based on the same sort primal Black/Death Metal fundamentals, but the surfacing dynamics makes ‘Barbed Wire Doctrine’ a very interesting insight in Goatkraft’s kitchen. And, not in the least place, a very enjoyable listen at that.
Downside is that ‘Barbed Wire Doctrine’ has only been released on CD so far. People who prefer to listen to their music on analogue media will have to wait and see how things develop here, but it goes without saying that Goatkraft is still best enjoyed on cassette tape or vinyl. Whether the sound is sharper or not, that one certainty hasn’t changed.
