“THIRTEEN GOATS was founded by a classically-trained Shakespearean actor and an auto mechanic in 2018”, to quote the bands webpage. The band, while founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; interestingly enough all four members have familial roots in in the former Soviet Union, specifically Ukraine, Lithuania, Armenia, and Russia. The band takes influences from these roots and it is always fascinating to see how a band’s cultural background can be interwoven into their style to create something unique. THIRTEEN GOATS seeks to not be labeled in a subgenre of Metal, rather they include all subgenres of metal. “Are we Extreme metal, Death metal, and so on? We don’t care and you shouldn’t either”, to paraphrase the band. Their latest album, “Capricorn Rising” is a concept album of Extreme rock and metal operatic themes, and it was released on July 12th, 2024. From guttural growls to clean vocals, this album has it all. The storyline follows the journey of the main character, Shepard. Shepard is the band’s mascot, a goat-skull wearing Antichrist who raises an army of animals to liberate the Earth from humanity’s constant wars and greed. This album explores themes of death, and destruction, as Shepard experiences a loss of faith in humanity and ultimately sells his soul to become the Antichrist. This album serves as an overture for this epic story, with each song building upon the narrative and immersing listeners in the world of Shepard and his demon goat army.  

“Sign of the Goat” - This is the opening track to the concept album, “Capricorn Rising.” The song sets the tone for the album, introducing the listener to the story of Shepard, the goat-skull wearing Antichrist who embarks on a mission to free the Earth from the destructive influence of humanity. The song features intense riff driven guitar work and aggressive vocals that convey the sinister nature of Shepard’s character. The lyrics describe Shepard’s awakening from a dimension beyond human comprehension, possessed by evil intentions and driven by a desire to overthrow humanity’s corruptive influence. Overall, “Sign of the Goat” is a powerful introduction to THIRTEEN GOATS concept album, setting the stage for the apocalyptic tale that enfolds throughout the rest of the record. “Global Fuckup” - This is the fourth track on the album, and it is a raucous, high-energy song that showcases the band’s signature blend of intense riffing, aggressive vocals, and theatrical songwriting. This song continues the story of Shepard, the protagonist, as he builds his army of demon goats and prepares to wage war against humanity. The lyrics describe the chaos and destruction that Shepard intends to unleash, painting a vivid picture of a world torn apart by his actions. Musically, “Global Fuckup” is a ferocious track that features some of the band’s most impressive technical performances, with lightning-fast guitar solos, thunderous drums, and throat-shredding vocals. It is a standout track on an already impressive album, and testament to the band’s ability to create music that is both technically impressive and viscerally satisfying.  

“Beheading Zoo” - This is brutal track that describes a bloody battle between Shepard’s army of demon goats and humanity. The lyrics are straightforward and unapologetic, with lines like “We’re coming / Hell’s Legions / It’s time to meet your demons” and “Prepare for Bloodletting / This zoo is not for petting.” Musically, this song has a Thrash Metal sound with hints of Melodic Death Metal, reminiscent of bands like HIGH ON FIRE, and CHILDREN OF BODOM (without the keyboards). It’s a head-banging, high-energy track that perfectly captures the intensity of the album’s apocalyptic storyline. “Goats of War” - This is a dark and intense track from THIRTEEN GOATS, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of a battlefield, where the band’s mascot Shepard leads his army of demon goats in a war against humanity. The song is filled with imagery of violence and gore, with lines like “On the fields of battle, the harvest arrives / With the flesh of our victims, they have been fertilized” and “Gardens of entrails, orchards of guts.” The music is driving and aggressive, with relentless energy that perfectly matches the brutal lyrics.