Bütcher - 666 Goats Carry My Chariot (2020)^{Release ID: 16772}

The sophomore album from Belgian thrashers Bütcher is a nonstop assault of thrash metal tendencies in the vein of early style Slayer. For some, that will be an easy sell. But for others (myself included), not so much. This album, to put it lightly, is incredibly one dimensional. Yes, the group can play blazing fast grooves and keep up the intensity for a long period of time. But I found myself becoming drained and less interested the longer the album went on. I was surprised when the title track came on, since it borrows a lot from black metal and turned out to be the best track on the album. Not just because it was the longest song on the album, but because its composition was rewarding and left me looking to play it again.

Now this album is produced a lot better than a 1980s Slayer album; The bass lines are fluent and powerful, the guitar work is crisp and precise, the percussion is absolutely ridiculous, while the vocals are probably more inline with the more black metal leaning thrash bands. Think Bathory or perhaps even Vektor.

Honestly, I don't really have much to say about 666 Goats Carry My Chariot. For what it is, this album is a very serviceable thrash metal album that will wow based on its technical proficiency alone. But again, it's a one dimensional listen. If you are looking for any nuance or development, you won't find it here. The title track is a wonderful song and I look to keep it in my rotation for a while, but the rest of the album is hit or miss for me. Maybe in smaller doses, not as apart of a full album, would these tracks resonate better.