Band:	Goat Of Mendes
Album:	A Book Of Shadows
Style:	Pagan black metal, Folk metal
Release date:	January 24, 2005
A review by:	Undercraft

01. Drawing Down The Moon (Intro)
02. The Sabbatic Goat (Blessed Be)
03. My Book Of Shadows
04. Discordia
05. Staff And Chalice, Sword And Stone
06. Guardian Spirit
07. The Shaman
08. ...And Inanna Stood Unveiled
09. Children Of Aradia

This goat still has to grow?

Another surprise for me. I was expecting some raw, uncompromising Black Metal here, instead I found some playful, folky Pagan Metal here.
Goat Of Mendes hails from Germany and this is their fourth album so far, I must say that their previous releases passed unnoticed here, since I know the band since they released this album.

The word I could use to describe the band would be "playful" since their music is very uplifting and not dark and somber like many Pagan Metal releases. The band uses a wide range of vocal styles, from female vocals to shrieks, gang choirs and ogrish/impish vocals, being the latter a lot of fun to listen, until it becomes a little annoying, but just a little.

The violin plays a fundamental part in the equation also, adding the folk element into the atmosphere. Songs like "?And Inanna Stood Unveiled" and "Discordia"" could illustrate much better how the work of Goat Of Mendes sounds like.

Not as playful as Finntroll, but not as solemn as Einherjer, not as Black as Enslaved but quite Viking like Mithotyn. Goat Of Medes ladies and gentlemen.

Still, I prefer all of the aftermentioned acts, Goat Of Mendes does a wonderful job, but the vocals tend to get too childish at times (think cookie monster from The Muppets), and I really don't know if headbang or laugh?