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GOATMOON "Voitto Tai Valhalla" CD (Werewolf Records 2021)
Originally released in 2014, Voitto Tai Valhalla is the grand culmination of a particularly prolific period for this Finnish black metal stronghold following 2011's now-classic Varjot. With that album, mainman BlackGoat Gravedesecrator had established an acute balance between stately professionalism and burning-hot hatred, but arguably bettered that balance with the follow-up Voitto Tai Valhalla. Triumph and tragedy still waged war across GOATMOON's paradigmatic Finnish black metal, but here, the disparity between extremes was more pronounced - the moments of folkish repose more restful, the scorn simply searing - but just as compelling as ever. As such, it followed a stoic 'n' stirring song-cycle that truly invoked such titular themes as "Tears of Our Fathers" and "Race of Heroes."