Goats of Doom Interview

1. Can you give us an update on whats been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new ep?

Most of our spare time since the release of "ashes from the past" has been spent working on second full length album. Material has been evolving during the recording sessions and the album is turning out to be very different and more polished than "Lost in time and void". Great deal of work has went to ensuring that the second album won't drown in the mass of modern black metal without ending up straying too far from the roots of this type of music.

2. In March you had released a new ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical direction of the new recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you had released in the past?

This time the album feels more "whole" than previous releases. First full length album propably had too much, well, everything in it. This time the record will be clearer, simpler and more thematic. The name: "intra ecclesiam nulla salus" hints about what's about to come. Less Lovecraftian horror and more direct assault on traditional christian values.

3. The lyrics cover Thelema, Satanism and Lovecraftian themes, how would you describe your views on these topics and also how do you feel Lovecraft's fictional works correspond with the occult?

Scaregod:

Thelema has many elements that appeal to me, although I really count myself among Satanists. It's about personal freedom and judgement. I don't like to be guided by disciplines that teach men to be unimaginative, close-minded and weak.

I also despise the fact that most communities are built on these values that deprive people of their true nature.

My thoughts about Lovecraft? I am a huge fan of horror, both movies and literature. What makes Lovecraft special is the vast amount of unexplainable and mystic elements in his fiction. The whole setting is simply delightful: Gods and entities

that truly make a difference are definitely not the ones to be considered sympathetic to humans, and the values they respect are not compassion for the weak. See something in common to the modern day religions?

Alesteir Alhazred:

My pseudonym maybe hints about my love for Lovecraft's work. Best -fiction- ever.

I don't really fall into any "official" religious group. I hold no respect on tenets of blind obedience

and taking preached values for fact without questioning. Those who are truly wise can tell right from wrong without help from books written by millenia old shepherds, Vatican officials or foreign madmen. This is also considered a virtue both in Thelema and satanism: Personal wisdom and ability to decide for yourself. The absurd ideal of turning the other cheek is also absent in both philosophies, love only those who deserve it. Overall I fit general description of both quite well, but

I don't confess belonging to either. I'ts a principle thing: Only master I need in my life is myself.

Hermeticos Wormius:

I have considered myself a satanist (and an atheist) since my teen years were over. Having heard

"satan and every word involving "satan" are bad" from religious people in my hometown and getting tired to the general stupidness and one-eyed "satanism is as bad as satan worshipping"-ideology, that our outdated society spews,

I have succeeded to build my own kind of satanism - a spiritual thesis, if you will. No one should be haphazardly condemned at birth to any of religious fairytales; that is the greatest sin, if there is any. Everyone should walk a path of their own creation. Each human being is truly an individual and should be treated as such, without any prejudice.

As a literary figure, Satan is an true misunderstood antihero. He has truly seen the void and became the void himself. As an personification of true evil, he has been the thrash bin of christian god for what, two millennia? We should all give the guy a chance! Lovecraft has inspired me musically by making possible the creation of massive, eerie soundscapes, that hint the listener of the metagalactic horrors, the manydimensional unspeakable evil, all shrouded in chilling claws of mystery.

Poetic or what? Thelema is (for most people) condensed as "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Love is the law, love under will." But there's much more. I consider myself a researcher of occult, having studied many different grimoires and works of mystic literature, and Thelema, as it is written in a feverish, some might say even maddened way, is yet the most difficult to understand. My deeper understanding of Crowley's work is only taking its first steps. In words of Tolkien, "Many ways to go yet!"

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name "Goats of Doom"?

Well, in the early days we wanted something with obvious contradiction. Thus: God - Goats of Doom.

The name was, and is still, corny. The whole band simply turned from a mere project to something more serious so fast that changing the name never even occurred to anyone. When certain folks started complaining about the name we were too accustomed to it and changing the name felt like killing part of the whole consept.

And really: Changing bands name because someone not included in the band doesn't like it? Now that's selling out.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

No official gigs have been played.

We live in a place where this kind of music is openly frowned upon. There are no venues, clubs or even "rockier" bars.

None of us feels okay with playing black metal show in a place where someone has just been singing karaoke few minutes ago. Every member of the band has lots of experience playing in front of an audience. GoD isn't anyones first project.

6. Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

If an opportunity rises, maybe. Currently we are neck deep in making second album though.

7. A few years back you were a part of a split album with Dodkvlt, what are your thoughts on the other band that had participated on the album?

Scaregod: I have lots of respect for Lord Theynian (Frontman of Dodkvlt). We know each other personally and are very like minded. He came to us with an opportunity to make the split when we were still in the demo-phase, this eventually led to the deal with Ewiges Eis, thus we owe him gratitude. His music is great too.

8. So far all of your music has been released on Ewiges Eis records, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Ewiges Eis is a small scale label based in Germany. Great thing about them is that they are very supportive of their bands and give the artist full creative freedom on the music. If the band keeps growing bigger we're open for change but currently we are extremely happy that Ewiges Eis is helping us spread the blasphemy.

9. On worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?

Scaregod:

Diverse. Most of our success is based abroad: In Finland we have lots of elitists, I mean real black metal hipsters who feel obliged to hate every aspect of Goats of Doom. Probably funniest feedback domestically has been: "Your name is so shitty that the music isn't even worth listening". We have fans in Finland too, naturally, but most of the fans seem to be based outside our country.

Alesteir:

Worldwide reception has been surprisingly good and the feedback mostly positive. Basically all the bashing has been about bands name and pseudonyms. I think someone also dropped a reference to Behemoth as if it was a bad thing.

Hermeticos:

As the recorder/producer, good reviews are pleasant to read. The amount of heartblood that we as a band have spilled, the occasional differences in opinion, the dubious amounts of hard drive space used, it's truly terrific that all hasn't been in vain and there are people who really like our many headed babies.

10. When can we expect a full length album and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

The album is due beginning of winter. The style is faithful to the 90s scandinavian black metal but we're not afraid to take influences from newer stuff. Overall we like to experiment with different styles as long as the bottom vibe still is still black and we personally feel that we haven't wandered too far from our roots.

11. What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening nowadays?

Scaregod:

My vocal style is heavily influenced by Moonsorrow, Burzum has always been a strong influence because of the attitude: Not being afraid to wave your middle finger at anyone. The music is also very atmospheric and hypnotic. Musta Surma. Nowadays I appreciate the whole mysticism around the band, the way they keep the whole world unknowing on what they are up to. Also when I was younger I was encouraged by the fact that black metal band from around here can achieve such status. Overall my influences are way too numerous to include in few lines on text but those are propably the most important ones.

Alesteir:

Lyricwise I'm inspired by books and traditional BM acts, unforgiving, relentless attack on traditional values. Ajattara is a band whose lyrical genius can unfortunately be fully appreciated only by those who speak finnish. Trust me, they are just.. Evil. I admire the way you can create such hopelessness and dark atmosphere with just few lines of lyrics with double meanings. Mostly I just listen to older death metal though, I rarely find any new bands that I like. Exeptions occur though, like Ghost B.C.. Simply great.

Hermeticos:

Musical influences? Well, as a keyboardist, the sincereness, cleverness and honesty of 90's melodic black metal keyboardists have inspired me the most. Huge soundscapes of Dimmu Borgir, Limbonic Art and Cradle of Filth have paved the way for us youngsters. They also got me interested programming new sounds on a crappy 90's Casio, which was my first set of keys, haha! As a listener, occult rock, metal, stoner, classical, weird germanic progressive rock bands from the seventies, reggae... you can't be to picky. Some wise man once said: "All the best songs are good." I try to listen almost everything that has a bit of heart in it, disliking this crap which they call "radio-friendly".

12. What are some of your non musical interests?

Scaregod:

Occult and horror literature. I even follow politics to keep up a steady level of misanthropy.

Alesteir:

I read. Alot. I find you can never know too much about anything. I quit following politics after becoming too disappointed with the whole Finnish political system. Look into it, it's broken. I just want to be left alone to keep learning shit.

Hermeticos:

Reading old, heavy, hard-to-find, good smelling books, stressing out, movies, trying to gain the ability to see through this reality in which we live to find a new set of truths without rules to follow. I like to get lost inside my own head.

13. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

We thought about saying alot of things but decided to end quoting way underrated Finnish philosopher, Pentti Linkola: "Each time a baby is born, the overall value of human life drops a little".

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