Review Summary: A landmark release for black metal and the Finnish scene.
Archgoat is without a doubt one of my favorite bands. While never reaching the stratosphere with any individual release, their entire discography is a deliciously wicked example of brutal consistency. Formed in the late 80s by brothers Ritual Butcherer and Lord Angelslayer, the Finnish black metal band released a pair of demos before selecting five full tracks to re-record for their 1993 debut EP,
Angelcunt (Tales of Desecration), along with a couple bookenders. The result was and is a thoroughly kickass and foundational war metal album, even if the band members themselves reject the label.
Recorded live and without drum triggers for maximum organic carnage, the 14 minute EP provided a roadmap for the band, and remains the one which they still follow today. It features already Archgoat's nasty blend of first wave aggression and pulverizing grooves. “Rise of the Black Moon” could have been released on any of the band's subsequent album and showcases their penchant for ping-ponging between grinding desecration and absolute earworm grooves. Lord Angelslayer’s filthy death metal burbles and barks sounded just as greusome in 1993 as they do in 2026, and let's not overlook the bells (THE BELLS!). Most importantly though for their future albums, and to the detriment of my neck’s health, the halftime riffs are bone-crushingly heavy and undeniably catchy. It would be decades before the band would eventually move further towards the groovy black/death found on their most recent albums, but that sound has been baked in from the beginning.
Angelcunt is also an extremely nasty little EP. The next track “Death and Necromancy” showcases three minutes of grinding black metal that only lets up to allow Ritual Butcherer a chance to shred in spurts. “Black Messiah” is a solid cut highlighting the band’s burgeoning songwriting chops and signature style.
However, while it’s enjoyable and engaging, there are a couple tracks on here where Archgoat’s inexperience shows through. “Soulflay” and “Jesus Spawn” are both decent tracks but the former feels disjointed in its fast-slow approach and the latter feels underdeveloped. But these are forgivable quibbles for a debut EP, especially in light of how important this release would prove to be for the development of war metal.
Of course, as anyone who has dug into Archgoat’s history knows, after this release the band went on an extended hiatus. Fed up with the homogeny and perceived commercialization of the second wave, along with a dispute with their label and looming mandatory Finnish military service, the band hung up their athames and got haircuts. It wasn’t until 2003 when the brothers finally decided to reconvene their black mass, once again driven by a distaste towards the state of black metal and a perceived shift away from Satanism and anti-Christianity towards “tree hugging pagan nonsense.”
You can make of that what you want, but the fact remains that
Angelcunt (Tales of Desecration) is a milestone release. While not as good as many of the records Archgoat would go on to produce, it’s an essential listen for black metal fans. It’s also a fiendishly good time, and at the end of the day, that’s really what matters.
