Sweden’s Year of the Goat blend melodic hard and melodic rock, heavily inspired by the sounds of the 60s and 70s, but thematically, it’s even more intense. From H.P. Lovecraft to now focusing on harrowing moments in women’s history, they have been able to take influence from prominent figures and historic periods. Being that creative and insightful while also evolving your craft is the definition of Year of the Goat.
“We usually have a plan, with a storyboard and an idea,” explains vocalist/keyboardist Mikael Popovic. “We like to think of it as divinely inspired, but from the guy downstairs.”
Dropping September 12 via Napalm Records, Trivia Goddess is the 4th studio album from the Swedes, and first in 6 years. Mixed by Tom Dalgety at Psalm Studios in Wiltshire, UK, and mastered by Magnus Lindberg, this album again steps away from an ongoing trilogy, but the band knew they were going to spice it up. The new album is full of inspiration from witchy and maligned women, both real and of legend: from Eve and the Goddess Hecate, to the Salem Witch Trials, and even the 1977 horror film, Alucarda.
“This is important shit,” declares Popovic. “We have sisters, we have mothers, we have friends. We started moving more and more towards that, and then one day we realized that we should go down this path. After that, all the songs—in some way—turned. You get into something and your mind is just going. We just started researching, and talking, and then we spin off and do something on a theme that might mean something to us.”
Since 2019’s Novis Orbis Terrarum Ordinis, with the pandemic playing a big role in the growth of the band, there have been a few lineup changes, but a lot of other fun along the way. They were asked to build a soundtrack for Heavier Trip, a sequel movie about a metal band. It’s one thing to write music for an album—something you are comfortable and confident with—but to translate it to the big screen, is something else entirely.
“You really have to make it fit with what’s happening on screen,” shares Popvic. “Also, with the vision of the directors because they were very clear on the emotions they wanted [but], they thought they had to convey it in musical terms. We had some problems with the communications, but we are human. After a while, they realized they can just communicate what emotions they wanted.”
Since forming in 2006 and erupting onto the scene in 2011 with Lucem Ferre, they have been steadily growing into a seemingly unstoppable force today. The Stockhom area, and Norrköping, about an hour and a half away, proved to be a formidable breeding ground for the great Year of the Goat. 20 years down, time for 20 more.
“I’ve learned that I don’t always know as much as I think,” reflects Popovic. “I’ve learned to be more humble during the years here. It’s nice that it feels like we’re not going backwards, we’re going forwards.”
Trivia Goddess is out Friday and you can preorder it from Napalm Records. Follow Year of the Goat on Facebook and Instagram for future updates.
