Hailing from Vancouver, Canada, the four-piece Thirteen Goats has, with their upcoming album Capricorn Rising, crafted a death metal rock opera that follows the journey of their mascot, Shepherd: a goat-skull wearing Antichrist leading an army of 12 demon goats to liberate the earth from humanity’s wars and greed. The start off to introducing this album to the world with the first single “A Wolf In Shepherd’s Clothing” – exclusively premiered through BraveWords – out now in music video format. 

The band comments:

“‘A Wolf In Shepherd’s Clothing’ wasn’t originally going to be a single, but as we were finishing it in the studio, we changed our minds. It felt like we were able to take a lot of the more aggressive elements of our sound and put them together in a surprisingly accessible way—it has these angry riffs and big, heavy grooves, but they’re anchored by a catchy chorus with a dynamic vocal hook.”

In the story that is being told on the record, this song is Shepherd’s recruitment anthem—he’s trying to convince the animals of Earth to join his army and finally stand up to humanity so he can get his revenge. But taken in a broader context, it’s also a song about how making someone feel like an outcast is the easiest way to strip away their humanity and radicalize them.

Capricorn Rising is not just an album—it's a journey through madness, destruction, and the perils of letting anger consume you. Is it thrash? Death? Groove? Thirteen Goats don’t care, and neither should you. This Vancouver four-piece tramples all over subgenre conventions to create an alchemical style of infernal riffs, huge hooks, and uniquely theatrical songwriting. They are recommended for fans of System of a Down, Megadeth and Cannibal Corpse.

Due out on July 12, 2024, Capricorn Rising is available from Exitus Stratagem Records for album preorder at exsrmusic.com.

Tracklisting:

“Sign Of The Goat”
“Murder Lives In The Heart”
“A Wolf In Shepherd’s Clothing”
“Global Fuckup”
“Beheading Zoo”
“Permission To Die”
“Beating The Disease”
“Goats Of War”
“Animal Kingdom”