I embraced the haunting curse of Goatwhore when they opened for Celtic Frost. After the show, in the narrow confines of the back alley, I had a chance to wear the scars of the crew transfixed with Ben Falgoust and his bandmates, bantering in bedlam. Given all the frustrations from the past week, I sought a chance to avenge myself of ongoing apathy by entwining with the alchemy of metal music and sonic serenades. Silence earmarked my forfeiture, and unfortunately, I was not as prepared for the interview as I had hoped, and initially intended. Forever consumed with audacity and determination, I just winged it with an impromptu design and very little paradigm, doing the best I could. Hopefully, my fair reader, you will discover more about this hard driving band who have paid their dues and deserve more recognition.

MettleAngel: Alright Ben, I apologize if I ask the questions which you have been asked a million times. In light of my recent tragedy, which I made privy to you previously, I'm quite ill-prepared for this once well-planned interview. So let's begin with the most commonly asked question. Goatwhore is named after a prostitute, right?

• Ben: No, where did you hear that?

MettleAngel: I read it in several places, don't tell me that I'm misinformed; this is no way to begin a formal interview.

• Ben: No man, just confused! Goatwhore is named after a stripper who we knew.
  

MettleAngel: Well, isn't that basically the same thing?

• Ben: Well no, because a prostitute does it for money...Here's the deal, dude, it's twofold in it's interpretation. Aliester Crowley had this mistress whom he corrupted and whom he supposedly made have sex with goats. Then there was this stripper with a long face who did not look exactly fertile, if you know what I mean....She had pigtails and looked like a goat, man...

MettleAngel: Now that's what I had previously read. Now that I recall, it did claim she was a stripper. I confused the terminology, but I had the best intenions. This all makes sense now; hence, the name goatwhore, based on her appearance and Mr. Crowley's concubine. Realistically speaking, the chances are that Aliester Crowley did not force his mistress into bestiality; that's probably a myth.

• Ben: No man it's true, and in New Orleans, Alister Crowley had his own absinthe bar...

MettleAngel: His having his own absinthe bar, that I can easily believe; but, unless you really study the life and times of the man; you will find there is more legend than fact to the "Most wickedest man in the World". Now this all congeals accordingly, so you took the perverted pagan prose and the uncomely stripper and now you have merged the two into the beast which you call the Goatwhore; your own appellative.

• Ben: We liked the name - it stuck with us, and it was not taken.

MettleAngel: Well then, this stripper must have been some serious 'monster skank', if she did ,in fact, resemble a goat. The picture on your most recent release reminds me of a feminine cult goddess figure; moreso, than say a decrepit underling. Now, twisting the cross a bit, I heard you had a run in with those Christians in Underoath...

• Ben: Oh, you mean Norma Jean!

MettleAngel: Man I got to get my facts together! This is such a rudimentary interview, I'm transcribing on my lap. In light of recent aforementioned events which I explained to you earlier; I just don't have my game on, for this I do apologize. So what happened with Norma Jean, a name which does not quite allude to the white christ, I might add.

• Ben: They were just acting like idiots, when we confronted them about their faith.

MettleAngel: God forbid, did they try to save your soul or something?

• Ben: No, they were too busy drinking to bother with that...

MettleAngel: Wait, I thought they were supposed to be Christians and straight edge?

• Ben: No, they are not straight edge. That's just an excuse a band uses when they are not old enough to drink. Once they reach the proper age, no more straight edge.

MettleAngel: Man in my day straight edge was serious and that's why I respected bands like Minor Threat & Fugazi; I guess the times really have changed. Now wait a minute, Norma Jean were drinking, and giving you a hard time...

• Ben: They were drinking heavily!

MettleAngel: This sure sounds to me like vile hypocrosy; which is all I ever encounter when I'm around religious ilk and those damn slaves to sin.

• Ben: I'm not anti-christian really: but hate is hate! It does not matter what you believe in - Jesus, Satan, whatever, when you are motivated by hate - when you are pissed-off, and you try to judge someone; it's just stupidity and it's wrong! It's all politics and it doesn't matter who your God is. Goatwhore is about sick aggression. We all have our own beliefs in this band.

MettleAngel: I totally agree. When you use terrorism as a weapon of warfare to fight terrorism, it becomes counterproductive. Essentially, fundamental fanatics are all terrorists, and by their very insipid acrimony, they themselves become a total detriment to society. I just read in Playboy an article similar to this, where Christians viewed extreme radical Moslems as being terrorists, and themselves as being righteuos. There is actually a website called God hates fags.com. All this brutal spiritual warfare is blindly adjudicated and morally motivated by hate, fear, and power!

• Ben: Hatred is unhealthy and I won't stand for it! When people realize this, they will be more tolerant.

MettleAngel: Before I receive any unwanted hate mail for getting too political, let's change the subject a little bit. You are the current singer for Soilent Green, correct?

• Ben: Yes that's true...

MettleAngel: It's my understanding that the original singer died tragically last year in hurricane Katrina, am I right?

• Ben: Yes, Glenn Rambo died in the hurricane. I replaced him in Soilent Green in 1994. Please, man no more quesions about Soilent Green, Acid Bath, etc. let's just focus on Goatwhore, cool?

MettleAngel: I'm sorry dude, I just wanted to get my facts straight.

• Ben: Well, it's cool reflecting on Glenn's tragedy, and keeping him in our hearts, so I can understand referencing that concern.

MettleAngel: Now, A Haunting Curse, your latest bestial offering, this is your third release; your first on Metal Blade. What label were the other two CDs on?

• Ben: We were on Rotten Records and worked with Ron Peterson.

MettleAngel: I recognize that label, isn't that DRI's record label? I just read that they are also releasing the Acid Bath demos.

• Ben: Yeah, at one time there was a connection with DRI, but we dealt with Ron.

MettleAngel: How does it feel to be on tour now with Celtic Frost? Earlier this summer we saw you open for Venom; you sure can't beat that.

• Ben: It's fucking amazing! Celtic Frost are fans of Goatwhore. The whole band approached our management and invited us on this tour.

MettleAngel: Yeah, originally Devildriver was supposed to open for Venom. How did you get the Venom gig?

• Ben: Fucking luck man! Devildriver backed out and we filled in.

MettleAngel: Man first Venom, now Celtic Frost - who's next? You are supposed to be hooking up with God Forbid soon, right?

• Ben: Man we'd love to open for Slayer or Sodom, that would be awesome! We just keep touring and hope more bands invite us to open.

MettleAngel: Well after listening to your CD, I sure hear Venom, Slayer, Celtic Frost, and Sodom musically and lyrically. What inspires you to write such intense lyrics?

• Ben: Our music is reality based - almost existential. I'm influenced by dark literature and art like H.R. Giger, Wayne Barlow's work with Dante's Inferno, Gustav Dore, stuff like that. I know it's cliche, but like they say, a picture is worth a 1000 words. So I write shit about it. Also I like to read, and that provides me the means of inspiration.

MettleAngel: I've tried to read the lyrics - they are a mouthful. I wonder how do you remember all those words; expecially, since there are very few breaks, bridges, or choruses?

• Ben: I don't like choruses. The bigger percentage of the lyrics which I write fall into another category. I have a problem painting myself into a corner. I hate repeating shit. I try to make it so my words contain a lot of information.

MettleAngel: Those words definitely carry the weight of many meanings. Did you realize that your name is also an angram for Faust? (Ben Falgoust) Tell me about your musical influences.

• Ben: I listen to and like a lot of bands, I'm very eclectic and I can't listen to one thing for a long time; lest I get burned out with it. I love all kinds of metal, death, black, thrash. I also listen to a lot of punk with it's rhythmic beats. (Just then Zach the drummer joins in on the mayhem)... (Zach:)Goatwhore is a crazy band. I've been with these guys for two and one-half, almost three years now, and I've seen a lot.

MettleAngel: Have you run into any loyal Goatwhore fans, lately?

• Zach: Yeah, tonight one guy drove all the way from deep Kentucky just to see us. I'm surprised if he likes us, then wouldn't he also be a Celtic Frost fan, but he came to just see us!

MettleAngel: Yeah, you would think so, but, that's dedication though. Tell me what life's like on the road. You guys sure go through a lot, as I can plainly see from observing you this evening.

• Ben: Touring is a lot of work, but we love doing it, and I've been doing this for a long time. I'm not going to lie to you, even best friends get on each other's nerves, it's normal.

MettleAngel: It's just like a marriage. If you live with your best friend for too long, he may become your mortal enemy. Tight knit relationships awaken the beast in us all; still, there is always love and forgiveness. Tell me about your current relationship with Metal Blade.

• Ben: We are very happy with Metal Blade. We are not their top priority, though.

MettleAngel: Metal Blade have so many bands on their roster. You are happy with them, nonetheless?

• Ben: Absolutely! We just want to make a name for Goatwhore and have more fun doing what we do, as it's not allways easy you know.

MettleAngel: I know, thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. I will try to be better on the ball next time.

• Ben: Hey it's cool - you got robbed - shit happens!

Related links:

www.goatwhore.net