{"id":4656,"date":"2012-02-14T00:00:04","date_gmt":"2012-02-14T00:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/?p=4656"},"modified":"2012-03-16T15:16:49","modified_gmt":"2012-03-16T15:16:49","slug":"feature-goatwhore-02-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/feature-goatwhore-02-12\/","title":{"rendered":"GOATWHORE – Blood For The Masters (February 2012) | Features \/ Interviews @ Metal Forces Magazine"},"content":{"rendered":"

GOATWHORE – Blood For The Masters<\/strong><\/span>
\nAnthony Morgan<\/span>
\nFebruary 2012<\/span><\/p>\n

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Goatwhore (l-r): James Harvey, Ben Falgoust, Zack Simmons and Sammy Duet<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
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New Orleans, Louisiana-based death metallers Goatwhore were present at local recording studio The Riff Room with Stephen Berrigan on September 5th-6th 2011 to record a cover interpretation of Mot\u00f6rhead\u2019s \u2018(Don\u2019t Need) Religion\u2019, the original version of which featured on April 1982 album Iron Fist<\/em>. Brian Elliott at Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida handled mastering duties, the recording surfacing as a flexi-disc \u2013 exclusively available to subscribers \u2013 included with the December 2011 issue of Decibel<\/em> magazine.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just kind of fell into place, and it just seemed like the right thing to do because we\u2019re all enormous Mot\u00f6rhead fans and we always have been,\u201d exclaims Sammy Pierre Duet, founder, guitarist and backing vocalist of Goatwhore. \u201cWe got offered to do a song, and we were like \u2018Well, instead of doing a typical clich\u00e9 like a Bathory song or a Venom song or a Celtic Frost song why don\u2019t we do a Mot\u00f6rhead song?\u2019 The song just seemed like the right song to do, and it came out really good. We did it in just a day, just recorded it in one afternoon, and it came out awesome. It fits in with what we\u2019re about, and just seemed like the best choice. It was totally left-field, and totally still in the same ballpark.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida has played host to Goatwhore recording sessions on three separate occasions, beginning with September 2006\u2019s A Haunting Curse<\/em> and continuing with June 2009\u2019s Carving Out The Eyes Of God<\/em>. Hate Eternal frontman Erik Rutan spearheaded production, handling said duties on fifth studio full-length Blood For The Master<\/em> as well. \u201cIt was really good,\u201d the axeman enthuses. \u201cWe\u2019ve worked with Erik Rutan before \u2013 this is the third time we\u2019ve worked together \u2013 and we know what we\u2019re supposed to do with him when we work. There are certain rules that you have to follow when you work with Mr. Rutan, and basically those rules are don\u2019t fuck around and have your shit together extremely. There are a lot of bands who\u2019ve worked with him in the past who won\u2019t work with him again, because Erik is a very intense person to work with. You can feel that presence, and a lot of bands are intimidated by the way he works. When you work with Erik, you can\u2019t be a sensitive person. You have to be almost ready for anything when you work with him. A lot of bands that have worked with him just can\u2019t take the intensity of working with him, and I guess that\u2019s what weeds out the weak bands from the strong ones. That\u2019s why we\u2019re suited to working with him, because we strive to be strong. He is so stern in what he does; he feels he needs the full performance out of a band and can be a little scary sometimes, but I find that it works with us. We need someone that intense to push us over that edge where the final product comes out absolutely flawless.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first time working with him was a trial by fire I guess you could say; we didn\u2019t really know how to prepare ourselves, so we made a lot of mistakes. After that though, when we went into Carving Out The Eyes Of God<\/em> we knew what to expect working with him. Especially on this new one Blood For The Master<\/em> we were comfortable and knew what we had to do before we even stepped a foot in the studio with Erik, so it was just a matter of being extremely prepared to deal with any bad situation that might happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Sammy Duet<\/em><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
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Sammy hailed Blood For The Master<\/em> as \u2018an experimentation in how much more metal Goatwhore can get.\u2019 \u201cThis is just my opinion but as far as just really extreme metal, it\u2019s especially losing its focus in terms of metal attitude,\u201d he clarifies. \u201cThe music is becoming more sterile, and becoming more of a fashion statement than an attitude. I feel that we as Goatwhore are trying to bring back that attitude of real, rebellious metal. There are a couple of bands nowadays that \u2013 especially a lot of the really popular bands \u2013 just don\u2019t embrace that whole attitude of where heavy metal should be. I got into heavy metal a long time ago when I was a kid, and it was very different from how it is nowadays. I guess I\u2019m trying to resurrect that old spirit.<\/p>\n

\u201cMetal in general nowadays has become so cross-pollinated which isn\u2019t a bad thing, to take influences from different things and all that. With a lot of bands though it\u2019s lost its extremity I guess you could say, especially some of these newer death metal bands who are black metal bands also. It\u2019s become more of a trend, a fashion statement, where they\u2019re playing music they don\u2019t feel deeply in their hearts. They don\u2019t feel that hate.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, that isn\u2019t to say Blood For The Master<\/em> is an unadulterated death metal album. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t really call it a death metal album,\u201d stresses Goatwhore\u2019s founder. \u201cThere\u2019s definitely a death metal influence on there, there\u2019s definitely some black metal influence on there, and there\u2019s definitely some thrash metal influence on there. I would just rather call it an extreme metal album, because I don\u2019t feel that we could be pigeonholed into a certain genre. Some people look at us, listen to us, and call us black metal, and other people say \u2018They\u2019re not a black metal band \u2013 they\u2019re a death metal band\u2019 and vice versa. I don\u2019t really see us actually being put in a certain genre or category as far as black metal, death metal, or anything goes. I see us as an extreme metal band.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI find having genres it makes it easier for people to categorise music, and it\u2019s been there from day one,\u201d he continues. \u201cWhat is soft rock? What is hard rock? There are always gonna be people who try to categorise to keep things in order I guess, but it doesn\u2019t really piss me off. People who want to say \u2018Hey, all I listen to is death metal,\u2019 that\u2019s what pisses me off. There\u2019s good music, and who cares if it\u2019s death metal, thrash metal, black metal, sludge, or doom metal? That\u2019s what really pisses me off, because people try to categorise themselves in their own mind where all they\u2019ll listen to is one form of metal. That to me is just ignorant; it\u2019s eliminating yourself, and makes you look like a moron.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sammy feels that Blood For The Master<\/em> was much more difficult to write. \u201cIt\u2019s just that we are very, very particular when we start writing music,\u201d he notes. \u201cIf we as a band don\u2019t feel collectively strong about a song or certain parts then we completely dismantle it or destroy it and those parts are scrapped. I guess that was what was so hard about writing the album, because we were so self-conscious about the music. If we don\u2019t feel strongly about it, why would the fans feel strongly about it? That\u2019s what made it so hard when we were writing this album, because we were just really focused on trying to not feel like \u2018Well, that part\u2019s okay.\u2019 Instead of settling for okay we settled for amazing, so there was a lot more thinking involved on this new album I found. That\u2019s what made it so hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

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James Harvey<\/b><\/em><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
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The fear of recycling old material wasn\u2019t a concern, however. \u201cWe just go with our feeling, even though there might be some similarities to our past music because that\u2019s what makes you recognisable as a band I think,\u201d the backing vocalist reckons. \u201cYou\u2019ll hear it, and you\u2019ll know who Goatwhore are. As far as rehashing old ideas, we never really think like that. We play what we feel, and analyse it later.\u201d<\/p>\n

And as well, Sammy estimates that there are elements on album five which Goatwhore \u2018wouldn\u2019t normally do.\u2019 \u201cI think there\u2019s actually \u2013 on this new one especially \u2013 almost more of a doom atmosphere,\u201d he elaborates. \u201cI\u2019m not necessarily saying that there\u2019s some slow stuff; there\u2019s stuff that is slower than what we\u2019re normally used to doing but as far as the style goes, on some of the songs there\u2019s a very doomy kind of atmosphere that we\u2019ve never really tapped into before. I feel that\u2019s coming through our music more now, but like I said, they\u2019re not necessarily sludgy, doomy parts. They just have that doomy atmosphere I think; there\u2019s that hyper-speed and all that stuff that we got recognised for, but now there\u2019s more of an atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bassist James Harvey (Ritual Killer \/ Psychon Vex \/ ex-Rotfest \/ ex-Aphornon) opens his Goatwhore account courtesy of Blood For The Master<\/em>. \u201cJames fits into the band very, very well,\u201d the guitarist figures. \u201cI was friends with him before he was in the band; I\u2019ve been friends with him for a very long time, and I knew that he would be the right guy for the job. I find that he plays more with the band whereas our past bass players wanted to stand out for themselves, and not really lock in with the music. James locks in more with the music instead of trying to go off on his own, and do something that doesn\u2019t always work. Instead of trying to make things suit his own ends, he\u2019ll try to make the song better. Instead of trying to put a bass solo on top of a guitar riff he plays better with the band, let\u2019s put it that way. He fits the band musically more I find.\u201d<\/p>\n

In spite of uncharacteristic elements, Sammy asserts that the record \u2018definitely still sounds like Goatwhore.\u2019 This begs the following question; what is the Goatwhore sound? \u201cThat\u2019s a good question,\u201d he muses. \u201cI can\u2019t really pinpoint that. It\u2019s just something that I guess you can just hear, and if you\u2019re familiar with our music then you\u2019ll know what it sounds like. The Goatwhore sound is something that is extremely influenced by Celtic Frost, Venom, and Bathory. We\u2019re trying to take that forward while still having that old school vibe. Essentially, that is the Goatwhore sound; it\u2019s a modern, old school sound.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Ben Falgoust<\/em><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
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Compared to predecessor Carving Out The Eyes Of God<\/em>, Blood For The Master<\/em> treads a more natural path. \u201cWith the previous one, we worked really hard on making that album the best album we possibly could musically and lyrically,\u201d the Goatwhore founder recalls. \u201cOn this one I felt that we went more with our feeling and more with a vibe, and didn\u2019t say \u2018Well, that\u2019s something that we wouldn\u2019t normally do.\u2019 If it sounds good, then why not? That\u2019s as opposed to trying to concentrate on trying to make it sound a certain way. There was a lot of jamming. We let things flow, and it worked.\u201d<\/p>\n

The master referred to by the album title Blood For The Master<\/em> is Satan, one would assume. \u201cIf that\u2019s the way you want to look at it, then absolutely,\u201d Sammy replies. \u201cI\u2019m sure that the title means a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but yes, essentially it is referring to Satan. Absolutely. If you\u2019re familiar with Goatwhore, with what we sing about, and what our lyrical content is, I guess it\u2019s very self-explanatory.\u201d<\/p>\n

Satan naturally figures in the lyrics sung by vocalist Ben Falgoust, as well as other topics. \u201cAs far as the lyrics go, he doesn\u2019t really stray too far off the path that we normally go for,\u201d the axeman confirms. \u201cIt\u2019s basically about the destruction of organised Christian religion, Satan, blood, death. All the good things that we always sing about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anti-Christian sentiment runs through the veins of Goatwhore. \u201cI guess it\u2019s because when I was raised as a child I was raised as a Catholic, and we all know that the Catholic religion is probably one of the worst religions in the world,\u201d Sammy presumes. \u201cMy parents realised this, so they went into more of a militant Christian religion which was another extreme form of Christian religion. It was just forced down my throat my whole life I guess you could say, and I guess that\u2019s why I detest it. It was something that was bred into me that I didn\u2019t want any part of; I just didn\u2019t feel as strongly about it as my parents did, and it was forced in me my whole life growing up. I guess that\u2019s why I hate it so much, and I have so much adoration for Satan to where it\u2019s the complete opposite of what was forced down my throat my whole life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Religion is a prevalent aspect of society within the United States. \u201cChristianity in the United States is a very powerful thing,\u201d the backing vocalist opines. \u201cIt\u2019s a sad, sad country that we live in because everyone fears a certain force that they\u2019ve never encountered, the fear of God. I honestly have not met a person who has claimed to have met God or Jesus Christ or whatever, but they follow them so blindedly. It\u2019s such a huge thing in this country, which goes to show you how stupid people are. They want to hear those things, so they believe in that lie and that God. Why is it something that you\u2019re so scared of that you feel you have to dedicate your life to it? Most of these people are complete hypocrites; they go to church on Sunday, but the night before they were out whoremongering, drinking and doing drugs, and basically sinning. Living as a Satanist is almost the same as going to church and saying \u2018God, Father, Jesus Christ… Forgive me, I was a bad person last night,\u2019 when in actual fact they were living life for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Anti-Christian sentiment notwithstanding, that isn\u2019t to say Sammy doesn\u2019t believe in the existence of God. \u201cI believe in God and I believe in Satan equally, but just because I believe in God doesn\u2019t mean that I have to like him very much,\u201d he emphasises. \u201cSatan to me is more a force of nature. This is just what I believe in, but I believe that there\u2019s a little bit of Satan in everyone. I know the difference between right and wrong of course, and I try to be a good being. I\u2019m not gonna go around the street beating the shit out of someone just because I can. I know the difference between right and wrong, but I believe that Satan is a little part of all of us. When you get mad at something and you get totally distraught, or that whole feeling inside of you where you know you\u2019re doing something wrong and you can\u2019t control it, to me that is Satan. It\u2019s a part of all of us, and it\u2019s something that a lot of people try to suppress instead of embrace. I choose to embrace it rather than suppress it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some feel that Heaven and Hell are earthly states one experiences throughout the course of existence, as opposed to their usual biblical depictions. \u201cThat\u2019s very hard to answer, because how many people have you talked to who have died and went to Heaven or Hell?,\u201d the guitarist queries. \u201cI honestly haven\u2019t spoken to a human being who has died, come back, and said \u2018Hey, it was this beautiful city of white and gold\u2019 or \u2018It was on fire, and I was being burnt alive.\u2019 Who knows what will happen after you die? Maybe we are in Heaven and Hell. I guess we\u2019ll all find out after we die what\u2019s real and what\u2019s not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blood For The Master<\/em> was released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on February 10th, 2012, in the rest of Europe on the 13th, and subsequently on the 14th in North America, all through Metal Blade Records.<\/p>\n

Interview published in February 2012. All photographs by Nathaniel Shannon.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

GOATWHORE – Blood For The Masters Anthony Morgan February 2012 Goatwhore (l-r): James Harvey, Ben Falgoust, Zack Simmons and Sammy Duet New Orleans, Louisiana-based death metallers Goatwhore were present at local recording studio The Riff Room with Stephen Berrigan on September 5th-6th 2011 to record a cover interpretation of Mot\u00f6rhead\u2019s \u2018(Don\u2019t Need) Religion\u2019, the original […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,253],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4656","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-features","category-goatwhore"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4656","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4656"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4656\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4674,"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4656\/revisions\/4674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4656"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4656"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4656"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}