Goatwhore to release ‘Vengeful Ascension’ in June, debuts title track

Amazon already leaked the news for Goatwhore’s new album Vengeful Ascension. Today, the band confirmed the album will be released on June 23rd via Metal Blade Records. Their overall seventh full-length album was recorded at Earth Analog in Tolono, Illinois with Jarrett Pritchard. The group stepped away from Erik Rutan who consecutively worked with them from 2006’s A Haunting Curse up until 2014’s Constricting Rage of the Merciless.

Goatwhore frontman Ben Falgoust explained:

“Working with Rutan was awesome. We did some great records with him. But you come to a point where you’re like, ‘All right. Let’s try something new.’ It was part of trying to remove ourselves from a comfort zone and a risk thing we needed to take. Plus, we really wanted to hit the essence of where we are live and what better way to harness that than by having our live sound guy involved. Jarrett is knowledgeable with the studio stuff. He also knows how we sound coming out of a PA and we really wanted to get closer to that.”

The ten-track, forty-one-minute album was mixed by Chris Common (Tribulation, Pelican) and mastered by Maor Applebaum (Faith No More, Halford, Today Is The Day).

Falgoust assures each is a representation of Goatwhore:

“Each song is a representation of Goatwhore. From day one until now. It really shows our evolution as a band. I don’t think that this band has reached its peak yet. I mean, I think we’re closer now than ever but we’re still growing; we’re still evolving.”

The album is loosely based on Luciferian notions in title and spirit where the symbol of Lucifer serves not as a fiendish, all-destroying demon but rather an emancipator or guiding light.

Falgoust elaborated on the overall theme:

“There’s that whole idea of Lucifer being the anti-hero. He’s cast out from this place in Heaven to the depths of nothing. He keeps trying to ascend to the top again but no matter what, there’s always this significant force trying to destroy him at any point and banish him back to Hell. If you look at it from an everyday aspect in life, it’s the idea of people, hitting the bottom of the barrel or you know, things just aren’t going right in life… emotion plays a huge part in how people react. Whether it’s based on love or hatred or sadness or whatever, there’s always an aspect of emotion that drives people to an extent. So the whole idea of a ‘Vengeful Ascension’ is built on being at the bottom, working your way to the top, and realizing along the way that there are other facets to the journey aside from just pure retribution. Within negativity there can exist a positive angle as well.”

Vengeful Ascension will be available on CD, vinyl (in multiple limited color variations), and digital formats. Pre-order options are available here.

Check out the title track: