A quarter of a century is a long time. We are past that, though, since Our Haunted Kingdom changed its name to Orange Goblin.
They’ve done a lot over the years, and they have written many brilliant songs, but album number 10 is right up there amongst their very best.
The opening of “Science, Not Fiction” is almost back to their psychedelic early days. Then about 10 seconds later, it’s full-on NWOBHM. If “The Fire At The Centre Of The Earth Is Mine” is telling the truth, then it’s found them in the pit of hell.
But here’s the thing about Orange Goblin. When they are as greasy as four-day-old KFC and as raw as the early records The Almighty made, then I’m here to contend they are the best at what they do A big claim? Maybe, but not as big as the balls on “(Not) Rocket Science” on which Ben Ward spits: “I’ve got a bit to say and I’m the one with the mic.” And he’s about eight feet tall, so you’re probably best to avoid testing this.
That’s the high-water mark (and not shit-stained like the rivers over the land), not just here, but it might be the best thing so far this year, but the rest of it is glorious too.
Not least the menacing and genuinely heavy “Ascend The Negative”. It’s interesting because I have this theory that the world isn’t reflected in the news. That most people are decent and we have the power. This is my new anthem (and OG has better breakdowns than me).
Indeed, there seems to be much more social commentary this time—delving into our haunted kingdom, if you will. Perhaps 2024 lends itself to that. But the almost seven-minute “False Hope Diet” is almost like a State of the Union address, railing against “anti-social media” among other things, but it’s powerful too. “The devil’s in the details and your television set,” roars Ward.
And it’s brilliant that after all this time, they can still surprise. The pianos and Sabbath-type swirl of “Cemetery Rats” come as a jolt, not least because it’s almost two and a half minutes until the vocals kick in, and when they do, it’s with a real growl.
And if this doesn’t seem immediately to be the album for a three-minute pop song, then “Fury Of A Patient Man” at least gets the first part of that sorted. It’s a riff record, this one. This proves it yet again.
But if guitarist Joe Hoare is playing a blinder here, then the rhythm section of (relatively) new bassist Harry Armstrong and drummer Chris Turner are anchoring things down too. “Science, Not Fiction” thunders, frequently, not least on the fabulous “Gemini (Twins Of Evil)”.
“The Justice Knife” rather underlines for about the 200th time in their career that Goblin is much better, more articulate, and cleverer than they are given credit for, as does “End Of Transmission,” which broadens the sonics of this even further. The spoken word is powerful, for sure, and that it turns almost into a stream of consciousness doesn’t go unnoticed either.
It’s not even the end. There’s a bonus track—as if it’s saying, “The best metal albums have nine tracks. We’ll go one louder.” And “Eye Of The Minotaur” is a nightmarish journey into the outer edges again.
Orange Goblin has never settled for second best, never just put out any old record. That said, on this one—their first in six years—they seem intent on making a statement.
There’s—appropriately perhaps—a lot of experimenting on “Science, Not Fiction,” but you can’t argue with facts, even in this post-truth world. Here’s one: it’s a brilliant British heavy metal record.
Rating: 9/10
