Goatizm - Solace In The Abyss

Goatizm is a welcome side project from the Netherlands headed by Joey Veerbeek who is known for a lot of bass (and some vocal work) in several Death Metal bands such as Caedere and Vermin. From the title some might expect this to be right along the Death Metal or Black Metal lines, but this time Veerbeek heads everything himself from vocals to guitar to bass to drums and aims in a very different direction: Stoner/ Sludge Rock. Compared to his usual output, this is going to come and a big surprise to some but it actually sounds pretty solid most of the time. Combining a mix of bands like Crowbar’s sound along with Down and with that of the more 90s Grunge style like Soundgarden, the result is a mid to slow paced churner that sounds simple, but yields interesting results. Your average Rock fan is probably going to enjoy this more than a Metal fan, but it just takes a little more time to sink in when hearing “Solace In The Abyss.”

The sound is quite a bit fuzzy (not quite Noise Sludge fuzzy like Primitive Man, but more your Crowbar level). There is plenty of rhythm and groove to the music and Veerbeek shows off some pretty impressive, yet simple riffs alongside a variety of vocals. Sometimes hit or miss depending on the song, but it still is impressive overall and shows he can do more than bellow or scream. The album is broken by several interludes, some are rough and crackling in the Sludge Metal style like ‘The Awakening’ and others like ‘Relief’ are more almost country acoustic, somber and atmospheric. ‘Bloodshot Eyes’ is the main sample of what to expect from Goatizm on the heavier side: fuzzy riffs with plenty of that Down-esque touch with a mix of somewhat rough singing and then that more droning singing along the lines of Crowbar. While Veerbeek’s not as impactful or abrasive as a band like Eyehategod, he still cranks out riffs after riff with enjoyable sound even though it tends of overwhelm and wash out the bass and drums, leaving the vocals and guitar the main focus. ‘Face in the Crowd’ is more the Soundgarden pace, slow with more melodic vocals while keeping the distortion heavy but not Crowbar heavy. ‘Phoenix Rising’ is a turn away from Metal and more into Rock territory with more of a nod towards Alice in Chains and less in the Down category. Here Verbeek’s vocal style sounds more emotional and less rough and trying to sound like Phil Anselmo. The same can be said for ‘Midnight Haunting’ which is definitely more Rock oriented swagger and more of a Grunge tinge, but also it is a little quieter so his bass work can shine.

The true Rock side comes out with the cover of ‘Hero’ by Eliot Wayne, whose own work was more Alt. Rock than Metal anyway; Veerbeek just ‘stones’ it up a bit by adding more distortion but doesn’t deviate from the original too much before delving into the somewhat depressive closer, almost touching in En Minor waters. Overall, it is an impressive and very different shade of music for Veerbeek who has been known for much heavier things, and to do almost a 180 degree turn from what most people know will probably earn just as much hate as there is love for this album. It isn’t perfect, but still a bold adventure. Take it with a grain of salt and if one isn’t big on the softer interludes or the more ‘90s radio friendly’ style music, stick to the heavier tracks. Your average Death Metal fan will probably roll their eyes at this, but anyone who appreciates Stoner Metal or Rock will probably enjoy this album and be impressed by how versatile Veerbeek can be on his own in Goatizm.

3.5 / 5 STARS