Album Reviews : Milking The Goat Machine – Back From The Goats

Goatgrind? Sure it’s just a gimmicky genre tag used by the band and/or label, but it’s a pretty apt description. It’s grind, with goat themes and occasional goat noises. And it’s not half bad. They might seem like some absurdly schizophrenic porno-grind-esque band that focuses more on humour than music, but thankfully it’s not the case.

Germany’s Milking The Goat Machine aren’t insanely fast, or brutally erratic, but are dark in the same way that, appropriately, some of Cattle Decapitation’s more horror-filled material is. It’s heavy and will certainly get you nodding, but is also restrained and thought out, probably due to the fairly even balance of death metal and grind. And most tracks actually make it over the two minute mark. The pace is nicely mixed up, alternating between usual grind material and slams galore, and everything in between. Those who aren’t fans of pig squeals will find them quite tedious here. Even goats like their brees. It is mixed up with some very one-dimensional death metal growls, not that it’s much of a break.

Of course, with a theme like this, there has to be a few jokes. “Surf Goataragua” is exactly what you’d think, a Sacred Reich cover, and is actually pulled off well. The oddly titled “Goats Got No Clits” begins with a bit of barn music and goat sounds, and there are times when you can tell the band are purposely going over the top with their squeals as a sort of self-parody.

‘Back From The Goats’ is better and more serious than it seems. It’s damn well written, well played, and the production really gives the music some balls. Goatleeb and Goatfreed Udder, the brothers in charge of Milking The Goat Machine have done well. I’d toast them will a glass of milk if I drank it. 6.5/10

Band: Milking The Goat Machine
Album: Back From The Goats
Year: 2009
Genre: Grind
Label: Anstalt Records/Nuclear Blast
Origin: Germany
myspace.com/milkingthegoatmachine

Track listing:
1. March Into Shed
2. A Tale of Slaughtering
3. Surf Goataragua (Sacred Reich cover)
4. Sour Milk Boogie
5. Goats Got No Clits
6. Rise of the Wise Goat
7. Bingo Bongo – I Don’t Want To Leave The Congo
8. Eaten Blessed Scum
9. Goat Thrower
10. Feed The Goat <- Reviewers choice
11. Wasting Away (Nailbomb cover)
12. The Last Unigoat
13. Born, Lost and Captured
14. Back From The Goats