Although ‘Fuck Christ’ is not the long-awaited second album, we can still say that this nearly 20-minute new EP can be seen as a prelude to what should be the successor to 2015’s ‘Ego Svm Satana’. I spoke to founder and vocalist Erick Neyra about this new EP and the somewhat different sound it reveals compared to previous releases. But we also don’t leave untouched the Peruvian (and South American) roots and its historical, cultural and musical influences on Goat Semen as a band…
Hi Erick, thanks for participating in this interview, that is much appreciated. First of all, your recently released new EP ‘Fuck Christ’ was the first proper follow-up to your only full-length album to date. ‘Ego Svm Satana’ was released almost a decade ago, so again, what took you so long?
Satan’s timing is always perfect!
Before we are diving into ‘Fuck Christ’ and a bit of the band’s background: after ‘Ego Svm Satana’ we were kept busy with no less than three live albums and a couple of splits, just like the run up to the album. Are we going to see a new Goat Semen album any time soon as well?
Yes! We are finishing the recordings of the vocals for 5 new tracks that will be included in the upcoming split 12” with TORMENTADOR from Brasil and right after that we will start rehearsing the songs for the second album.
Listening to ‘Fuck Christ’ makes it clear that Goat Semen are still sticking to the musical formula it has chosen since day one. Yet the cosmetic packaging is a bit different, this new EP sounds a lot brighter or even “cleaner”. How did this (subtle) turnaround come about?
The production of “Fuck Christ” was realized entirely by Beleth, our guitarist, in his own Tritono Studio. The result is indeed clearer than usual, but it just works perfectly to make it more evil and obscure, brutal and abhorrent. Yes, it sounds ok to me.
For me, as a listener, this slightly brighter recording gives more room for the guitars in particular. There is even a more prominent place now for some leads and some more expressive musicianship. In what way do you find ‘Fuck Christ’ different from your previous work? And did you also notice this in the creative process leading up to the creation of this new EP?
Unfortunately due to our personal responsibilities, we do not have the same time to rehearse like in the old days anymore, the tracks originally were created as demos. But yeah, the sound, including all the mixing, allows each instrument in the recording to unleash its own evil and also have their own room to sound more brutal! It’s quite different, but as you say the guitars sound like razors, the bass like a tank, the drums like bombs and the vocals like vomits from hell… All to emphasize the message and bestiality of the compositions
Without wanting to make the statement that Goat Semen now sounds like a copy of Angel Corpse, this “new guise” in which ‘Fuck Christ’ comes gave me a bit of the same feeling of many of the Angel Corpse albums. The strong punch-in-the-face sort of power is coming along much better on this new EP. Would you agree on this?
I like the “Goats to Azazel”-demo like fuck, but, hell, I don’t remember last time I played that tape. I actually have not been behind the steps of Angelcorpse. Maybe the production sounds like similar to you, but it is not of our interest to sound like them exactly. Angelcorpse is a great band, but our direction is more obscure and twisted than what they compose, I think… I can even say more primitive.
Another thing that I have mentioned in my review is that sounding more powerful comes to the expanse of the raw, primitive and overall darker atmosphere of the slightly more muffled older recordings. Is that something that you do recognize yourself as well? And do you feel comfortable moving into less standard waters?
I have always said that being a raw, brutal and obscure band does not mean you cannot be professional. I mean, we use the studio now with more freedom and Beleth and do understand very well the tools he has in his studio. We used them the right way to enrich the bestiality of the sound of the band. If there should be a reference of bestial yet clear sound in Black Metal there are two great albums: “Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz…” and “Drawing Down The Moon”. Okay and also the Bestial Warlust albums… So, I think it just emphasizes the evil spirit in music when the studio is properly used for this goal.
While firing a few questions about a possible “new” sound, might imply that Goat Semen has undergone a complete overhaul, which is definitely not the case, of course. ‘Fuck Christ’ is just as much a Goat Semen record as any of the previous ones. What would you say is the blueprint for a Goat Semen record to begin with? What exactly makes a record a Goat Semen record?
It has to honor the bestiality of the old Southamerica Extreme sounds! If we would ever change this, it will NOT be Goat Semen any longer.
On a bit of a general level: Goat Semen is obviously strongly rooted in the origins of the extreme metal of the Latin American continent, sporting many of the renowned basics and aesthetics. How would you, being an insider and around for a long time already, characterize the Extreme Metal scene as a whole, back then and now? And does it differ much now from the early days?
The origins of the old Southamerican Extreme sound is raw, unpolished, obscure, chaotic and evil to the extreme and primitive sometimes. The 80’s is where most of our roots come from. Parabelum Reencarnacion, Hadez, Sarcofago, Holocausto, Necrofago, Vulcano are some of our early influences. But these bands set the pillars of the old Southamerican sound some 40 years ago, Brasil is returning to make this bestial sound again… Just hope this remains brutal in the following years.
If we put the project the previous subject more to Goat Semen, as a Peruvian band you grew in this musical climate. How do you feel you have incorporated all those elements into your own music? And do you spiritually feel part of this musical tradition?
As I told you when answering the previous question, we want to honor the old Southamerican tradition of the bestial obscure extreme sound! The split 12” with TORMENTADOR will keep this deathtrail, and the coming album, that we plan to release hopefully early next year, will do the same…
As an amateur observer and analyst, I always wondered where that anger and hatred that seems to be collectively embedded in South America’s Extreme Metal DNA stems from. Personally I always thought that it was a logical rebellious opposition against the rather religious nature of the continent – both Catholic and indigenous beliefs and superstitions. How do you look at this?
Of course we are against this religious enslavement led by the church. But people of my generation have survived so many different circumstances that made our life hard in our early years: armed political conflicts and intense insecurity in the streets. You didn’t know if a car bomb might explode close to you when you went out to the streets. To see dead people in newspapers was an everyday thing. I think death and violence was kind of everyday shit for us and music was a great inspiration to survive those years. It fucking keeps you alive. Whether you were from Peru, Colombia or Brasil, the situation was just the same I think…
You have stated several times in the past that you are proud of your Peruvian heritage and that it is an important part of your personal life and also influences you as a musician. For instance, you indicated that some songs are about your Peruvian forebears. Can you indicate in what way we can recognize that ancestry in Goat Semen’s music?
“Pachacamak God” and “Oracle Of The Sands” from our 2003 demo are two anthems dedicated to our ancients. The archaeological work in Peru is intensifying in the last 20 years. So we are discovering and learn more about old pyramids, real human sacrifices and the cultus to the old Gods of the Mountains, Sand and Seas.. It is actually a boundless subject to talk about. Many of the lyrics of Black or Death Metal bands are just morbid imagination, like human sacrifices, but they well describe what actually happened here in ancient times.
To elaborate a little bit on the previous topic, in addition to the usual things like life, death and darkness, you once indicated that you were inspired by literature as well. Which books or genres have your interest and how do they find their way into the music? And out of general interest, what have you been reading recently that is worth recommending?
Last year has been very busy, but if I have to make some review mention the last books I read: some of Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic “Sherlock Holmes” sagas, but also for some time and once in a while I got stuck to Lovecraft. Lovecraft is addictive, indeed, it all revolves around his pantheon, which is the major topic of my other band EVIL DAMN, where I also do the vocals.
Ah, yes, Evil Damn, so let’s continue on this trail a bit to round things off a bit. Besides Evil Damn, you guys are, if the commonly accessible information is still up to date, active in Sadowhore, Antropomancia, Blasphemous Division and Daemond Lord. Is there any news on those other bands you participate in?
We have already finished the mix of the new EVIL DAMN EP and also started to compose stuff for an upcoming split 12” with a great Colombian band. I can soon to announce this with more details. SADOWHORE was a project of the old basist Evil Fukker and Beleth, they released a demo some time ago. ANTROPOMANCIA is a brutal Death Metal band which involves our drummer Goathammer, he also destroys drums in the violent Thrash entity MAZE OF TERROR. Lastly, BLASPHEMOUS DIVISION is a killer and violent Death Metal band founded by Retrobestia, our current bassist, totally recommended for those into old school Death Metal!
Alright Erick, thanks a lot for your time, as said, much appreciated. As usual I would like to leave you the opportunity to close off the interview with some words of your own…
Watch out for the upcoming split release with TORMENTADOR, I think Nuclear War Now! Productions will release this! Thanks for the support and the interview. Hail the horns! SEE YOU IN HELL!
