DEATHGOAT were formed in 2015, and they are from Hyrvinkää, Finland. The Death Metal outfit release their sophomore album “Dragged Into Realms Below”. The album was mixed by Oskari Hakala-Rahko (ABYSMAL RITES) and mastered by Jaakoo Viitalähde (ABYSMAL RITES; BLIND GUARDIAN; LORDI). It has a length of almost 36 minutes, and it was released via Spanish Death, Thrash, and Black Metal specialists Xtreem Music. The album starts with the grim and guitar-driven “Alkulima”. It sounds like a tension-building opening, but hallway through the instrumental, the track becomes increasingly powerful with thunderous guitar riffing using down-tuned chainsaw guitars. The melodies are blood-freezing. “Alkulima” transitions into the frantic “Pestilient Retribution”, where the chainsaw guitars lead the Death Metal onslaught. The riffing is simple and direct. The vocals are growls and are between the deep and medium end of the guttural range. The track has no tempo changes, and the break includes a short but contributing lead guitar solo. “Congregation Of Disease” continues with the Death Metal attack at high pace and intensity. The melodies are spine-chilling, driven by the guitar riffing and the lead guitars. The break slows down to a measured tempo and thunderous guitar riffs. It is a short break and the track circles back to its insane pace. The vocals use a few higher notes in between. There are two breaks, where the second one offers another contributing lead guitar solo. “Congregation Of Disease” is one of the album highlights.

After a short and frantic introduction, “Dying To Be Dead” develops into a track with verse parts at a measured tempo with a sluggish rhythm. The guitar riffing is punishing and thunderous, while the melodies are chilling. There are fast, blast-beat driven parts alternating with the slower parts, however, as the track goes on, mayhem and insanity takes control. The lead guitar solo is short and embedded into the part at crazy pace. “Dying To Be Dead” has been released as lyric video, and the YouTube link is provided below. “Compulsive Cannibalism” continues at blistering pace. The guitar riffing is direct and simple with a high aggression level. There are a few tempo and rhythm changes after the break begins. The first lead guitar solo is played at high pace and after that the track slows down to a measured tempo with thunderous riffing and blood-freezing melodies for a second solo. The track circles back to insanity and the chainsaw guitars drive the track forward until the end. “Monoxcide” starts with an extended instrumental part leading into a verse part at mid-tempo. There are many tempo and rhythm changes throughout the track ranging from parts at crazy speed to parts at measured tempo. All is kept together by the devastating guitar riffing and the relentless drumming including the blast-beats.

“Flashback Psychosis” keeps going with pace, aggression, and insanity. The lead guitars contribute quite early on and provide an additional layer to the track. The melodies are grim, in particular during the slower parts of the track during the break and the extended lead guitar solo. The blast-beat thunderstorms make sure that it is a pummeling of the listener. “Clinically Undead” starts with a tension-building and chilling intro leading into a verse part at a sluggish rhythm at a slow and head-banging tempo. The slow verse parts alternate with parts at crazy pace. The break for the lead guitar solo is frantic and a bit chaotic, while the solo is very contributing. “Clinically Undead” is a multi-layered track and another album highlight. The album finishes with the title track and that one reflects the whole album: insanity and aggression combined with spine-chilling melodies. The track has a few fast parts, but also some parts at a measured tempo, driven by thunderous guitar riffs, double-bass drumming, and grim melodies. In fact, “Dragged Into Realms Below” is the most doom-laden song of the album, especially during the extended lead guitar solo. It is one of the longest album songs and an excellent way to finish off the onslaught.

DEATHGOAT deliver excellence in traditional Death Metal. “Dragged Into Realms Below” is an album driven by the “Swedish” chainsaw guitars, by pace, insanity, and a blood-freezing melodic framework. Most tracks are pummeling and punishing. The album is well produced. “Dragged Into Realms Below” is one of the best Death Metal albums, I listened to in recent times, and old school Death Metal fans will dig the Death Metal sound of DEATHGOAT.