It's been fun watching Goatwhore over the course of their five albums. What started as a novel black metal side-project from some prominent New Orleans metal dudes, most notably Soilent Green vocalist Ben Falgoust, has slowly morphed into a band certainly good enough to be Falgoust's main breadwinner, and as the production budgets have grown, so have the old-school death/thrash elements, as well as the Lemmy-esque swagger. It's unavoidable to mention the Soilent Green influence in some of the song structures (here, "Collapse in Eternal Worth" could pass for the opening track off the next Soilent disc). "When Steel and Bone Meet" has the Motörhead vibe, as well as a trad metal feel, while "An End to Nothing" has some of the most insanely fast speed metal riffing laid down in years. And the down-South roots of the group can't be avoided. "In Deathless Tradition" works Goatwhore's mid-tempo strengths, with NOLA metal influences and quirky patterns, while "Beyond the Spell of Discontent" has the swampy sludge riffs mandatory from every act from that region. Their albums just get better and increasingly fun to listen to, and Blood for the Master confirms that.
Greg Pratt
"An End to Nothing" has some of the best "fast-faster!" riffs I've heard in ages. Was that hard to learn? How are guitarist Sammy Duet's hands doing?
Bassist James Harvey: That one is a ripper, isn't it? It wasn't really hard to learn, but it took quite a bit of practice for us to get it tight. Sammy's hands are doing fine.
I definitely feel like you guys have fit into your skin on this album.
Harvey: The band's sound has changed over the years, and it seems like this "skin" is the most comfortable yet.
Falgoust: I would have to agree. Sammy, Zack [Simmons, drummer] and James work together really well on the musical front. The current line-up is very strong and has a solid musical ethic. Those things play a big role in how a band evolve.
What's with the Satan lyrics? Are you worshipping the devil down in New Orleans?
Falgoust: I am by no means a Satanist, but I have a deep interest in the dark arts and literature. I have a strong dislike for organized religion and the oppression it plants in peoples' minds. I also have a great interest in death ― the absolution of it and the numerous cults that follow the concept of death. I like to mix all of these ideas and beliefs and create my personal approach.
(Metal Blade)Greg Pratt
"An End to Nothing" has some of the best "fast-faster!" riffs I've heard in ages. Was that hard to learn? How are guitarist Sammy Duet's hands doing?
Bassist James Harvey: That one is a ripper, isn't it? It wasn't really hard to learn, but it took quite a bit of practice for us to get it tight. Sammy's hands are doing fine.
I definitely feel like you guys have fit into your skin on this album.
Harvey: The band's sound has changed over the years, and it seems like this "skin" is the most comfortable yet.
Falgoust: I would have to agree. Sammy, Zack [Simmons, drummer] and James work together really well on the musical front. The current line-up is very strong and has a solid musical ethic. Those things play a big role in how a band evolve.
What's with the Satan lyrics? Are you worshipping the devil down in New Orleans?
Falgoust: I am by no means a Satanist, but I have a deep interest in the dark arts and literature. I have a strong dislike for organized religion and the oppression it plants in peoples' minds. I also have a great interest in death ― the absolution of it and the numerous cults that follow the concept of death. I like to mix all of these ideas and beliefs and create my personal approach.
