The Mountain Goats transform their stage into the squared circle

When writing a song, the Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle has said he often uses a standard chord progression to push out the story before he goes back to work on the music. This comes through in the tight phrasing and rhythmic urgency of many of his lyrics. It’s not surprising that, during a recent two-year break between albums, he published his first novel, “Wolf in White Van,” which was longlisted for the National Book Award in Fiction.

He’s back to music now with the release this week of “Beat the Champ,” a concept album of sorts that uses the world of professional wrestling, a childhood fascination of Darnielle’s, to playfully explore our propensity for aggression and drive for achievement while testing the edges of mortality.

“I’m going to stab you in the eye,” he sings in the festive and brassy “Foreign Object,” while pleading, “I don’t want to die in here” in “Heel Turn 2.” The latter moves from a central percussive riff to an ethereal piano-driven instrumental interlude. Stylistically, there’s a freedom that glides proudly through the 13 tracks of “Champs,” including “Stabbed to Death Outside San Juan,” which Darnielle delivers mainly through spoken word.

Darnielle is both an eager storyteller and impassioned musician live, and he’s not a bit afraid to leave it all on the stage when the music calls for it.

With Ides of Gemini on Wednesday at the 9:30 Club. Doors open at 7 p.m. 202-265-0930. www.930.com. Sold out.

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