Album Review: Slægt – Goddess (Century Media Records)

Slægt, the Danish blackened heavy metal band, will release their fourth and brand-new album, Goddess on March 18th, 2022 via Century Media Records.

You can always be assured that Slægt will deliver something unique when they come around with a new album. Something that is an absurdly eclectic amalgamation of heavy metal and blackened intensity. Something that has a cold, dark vein throbbing painfully throughout but still delivers rhythmic energy that leaves you wrong-footed but constantly fascinated.

Slægt are the masters of presenting music that sounds removed from time but is forward-thinking in equal measures. So, to the surprise of probably no-one, Goddess is more Slægt goodness but once again, the band prove that staying still just isn’t going to be possible for them. Here, on Goddess, they deliver arguably their most varied and challenging work to date.

Beginning with notable dark atmosphere, the guitars and drums arrive on Deceived By an Amethyst to deliver some of that heavy metal gold. The bright spark of energy from the instruments is then balanced out by the low guttural growls of the vocals. A track you can head-bang too, even with some tonal shifts that take it in a darker direction.

The groundwork laid with that banger of an opener, Fealty, Thunder Whip begins with eerie otherworldly effects. The strong sense of the unknown blown apart by the arriving clamour of heavy metal. Slægt keep the tempo hot for this one, delivering a bevy of riffs, growls and jarring effects, alongside a ridiculously catchy chorus. Ridiculous because Slægt’s style of blackened shouldn’t be capable of being ‘catchy’ but there you have it and it is wonderful.

The title track is an epic amongst epics, notable because it’s 11-minutes long exactly. So, what do we get? Only some of the chunkiest riffs so far, a frenzy of electrifying solos, tempo shifts that will warm the heart of all who love a bit doom, death and black infused into their heavy metal. It’s a gargantuan track but importantly, Slægt don’t overdo it and it never feels like its overstaying its welcome. It’s got too many brilliant twists and turns for that to happen.

A little bit of nature and the sound of a hunting horn introduces Hunt Again. Slægt upping the speed here for something that reflects the life-or-death scenario. Darker drops in tempo, twisted heaviness and unconventional moodiness makes this another one to remember. Followed by Kiss from a Knife, which sees Slægt unleash a torrent of chaotic speed metal. One hell of a final ride as Stabat Bloody Stabat is less than two-minutes of atmosphere and melody that feels suitably dark.

Slægt have done it again. They’ve released another excellent and unique listen.

Slægt – Goddess Full Track Listing:

1. Deceived By an Amethyst
2. Fealty, Thunder Whip
3. Goddess
4. Hunt Again
5. Kiss From a Knife
6. Stabat Bloody Stabat

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